Overview
Push to Talk (PTT) is real-time voice and text communication between dispatchers and drivers. Dispatchers send messages from Spare Operations; drivers send messages from the Driver App. PTT replaces radio chatter with a searchable, logged conversation stream — and adds a Silent Alarm System (SAS) and broadcast messaging for fleet-wide communication.
Note: Push to Talk is currently in Beta. It is enabled for a limited set of pilot organizations and is actively evolving based on feedback.
Push to Talk walkthrough:
What's Included:
Voice and text messaging — Dispatchers and drivers can send voice messages (with automatic transcripts when available) or text messages.
Silent Alarm System (SAS) — Drivers can discreetly alert dispatch of an emergency without audible notification on their device.
Broadcasts — Send a message to every active duty in a fleet at once.
Quick replies — Pre-configured canned messages that dispatchers and drivers can send with one tap.
Conversation history — All messages are logged against the duty and visible in the Duty Itinerary, even after the duty ends.
How to get access:
Beta enrolment — Speak to your PSM if you're interested in joining.
Permissions — Dispatchers need the Get Any Duty Conversation and Write Any Dispatch Conversation permissions to read and reply to messages, plus Get Any Quick Reply to see canned replies. An admin can add these to a dispatcher role under Organization Settings → Admin Roles.
Driver App version — PTT is currently supported on Android. iPad support is on the roadmap.
Active duty required — Conversations are tied to a duty. You can only message a driver while they are logged in and on an active duty.
Dispatcher Experience
Where to find it
Dispatchers can access Push to Talk from two places in Spare Operations:
Conversations page — A dedicated full-page view, accessible from the left-hand navigation. Best for focused communication work.
Live Map — The conversations panel appears on the right-hand side of the Live Map, letting you message drivers while monitoring service.
The conversation list
Conversations are grouped into sections based on urgency and status:
Silent Alarm — Active SAS events. Highlighted in red, pinned to the top, and auto-expanded.
Emergency — Conversations flagged as emergencies (lower severity than SAS).
Monitoring — Conversations you've starred to keep pinned in view.
New Messages — Unread messages from drivers. A blue dot indicates unread.
Read Conversations — All other recent conversations.
Filters: Use the Fleets filter at the top of the list to scope conversations to one or more fleets.
Sending a message
What you'll see:
A text input with a microphone button at the bottom of the conversation panel, and quick-reply pills above the input.
What to do:
Voice: Hold the microphone button to record. Release to send. Voice messages include an automatic transcript when available.
Text: Type in the text field and press Send, or click a Quick Reply pill for a pre-configured message.
Broadcasting to a fleet
Select the Broadcast button (megaphone icon) at the top of the conversation list to send a voice or text message to every active duty in the selected fleet(s). Use this for service-wide announcements (detours, weather, shift changes).
Monitoring
Select the Star icon on a conversation to add it to the Monitoring section so it stays visible regardless of read status. Useful for drivers you're actively checking in with.
Driver experience
Drivers access PTT from the Driver App's messaging screen. A Push to Talk button and a text field are available for outbound messages.
Voice: Hold the PTT button to record, and release to send.
Quick replies: Tap a pre-configured reply (e.g., Yes, No, Understood) to respond with a single tap. Admins can customize these — see Setting up quick replies below.
Notifications: Incoming messages play a sound and show a blue dot on the Messages icon at the top of the screen.
Silent Alarm System (SAS)
SAS lets a driver discreetly signal an emergency to dispatch without making an audible alert on their device.
How a driver triggers SAS
Drivers activate SAS from a dedicated button in the Driver App's messaging screen. Activation does not play a sound or vibration on the driver's device.
What dispatchers see
What you'll see:
The conversation is placed at the top of the list under a red Silent Alarm section with a siren icon, and is auto-selected and auto-expanded to draw attention.
What to do:
Treat SAS as a high-priority incident. Follow your organization's emergency protocol — contact authorities if appropriate.
Note: SAS queues and retries delivery if the driver is in a dead zone. The alert reaches dispatch as soon as the driver regains connectivity.
Setting up quick replies
Administrators can configure quick replies in Spare Operations under Organization Settings → Driver-Dispatch Messaging. There are two separate sets:
Dispatcher Quick Replies — Appear as pill buttons for dispatchers in the conversation panel.
Driver Quick Replies — Appear as tappable buttons in the Driver App chat interface.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which devices are supported?
Driver App: Android only in Beta. iPad support is on the roadmap.
Can I send a message to a driver before they start their duty?
No. Conversations are tied to an active duty — the driver must be logged in and on-duty to send or receive messages.
Can a driver send messages while driving?
The Driver App does not block messaging while in motion, but notifications are designed to be subtle to avoid distraction. Drivers must follow local laws and their organization's safety policies.
Does PTT work with Accept-Reject Fleets?
Yes.
Does PTT work with Open Fleets (Uber, Lyft, iCabbi, etc.)?
No. Open Fleets use their provider's native communication tools.
Does PTT work for Fixed Route services?
Yes. PTT works for both Demand Response and Fixed Route duties.
Where can I see message history for a completed duty?
Full conversation history is visible in the Duty Itinerary, under Duty Time Travel, for completed or cancelled duties.