Frequently Asked Questions

When I invite a driver to the app, do I need to go through onboarding with them in person?

It is recommended that you go through onboarding with drivers in person. Verbal communication will ensure that the driver completes each step in the onboarding process correctly. The driver does not technically have to be in the room with you when they onboard, but operator error could lead to issues when connecting their account to yours.

Why is the driver required to have location turned on?

Turning on location enables the app to accurately detect and update the driver's status. It is recommended to set location to "always". Doing so will give the app permission to update the driver's status whether or not they have launched the app.

Why does location access have be set to “always” for iPhone?

This is only for the iPhone driver app. Dont uses this iPhone feature to detect when the driver is in a moving vehicle, even if they are not running the Dont app in the foreground.

What happens if the driver deletes the app?

If the driver deletes the app, their status will update to Undetected. If this happens, you will need to reinvite the driver to Dont. From your dashboard, select the gear icon and then select "Manage Drivers." Select the driver that you need to reinvite, advance through their rules and notification settings, and then select "Resend Invite." You will be able to resume monitoring once you verify each other's accounts.

Why does it take so long to update the driver’s status?

It can take a few minutes for the app to recognize that the driver has started driving. If the admin has set hands-free as something to be reported, then connecting to the vehicle's bluetooth can help the app detect driving faster.

In order to register them as no longer driving, the driver has to exit the vehicle and start walking. This is to prevent the driving trip from ending when the vehicle stops at a traffic light. Detecting the change from driving to walking can also take a few minutes, and can be sped up by disconnecting from the vehicle's bluetooth.

If the driver has parked their vehicle but has not gotten out, and they want to manually update their status to "Not Driving," then they need to select "Done Driving."

Can I add a second admin to monitor driving?

No. Only one admin can monitor a driver at this time. We are considering adding this as a feature in a future release.

What do I do if I no longer want to monitor a driver's driving behavior?

You can delete drivers if you no longer want to monitor their driving. From your main dashboard, select the gear icon. From there select "Manage Drivers." All drivers that you are monitoring will be listed. Tap the trashcan icon and select which driver(s) you wish to delete. Then select Delete. This will remove the driver(s) from your app. If you decide that you want to monitor the driver again, you will have to go through the onboarding process with them again.

How does the app mark the start and end of a trip?

The app detects the start of a trip by using the device manufacturer's APIs, motion sensors on the driver's phone, and (should you choose to require it) their vehicle's bluetooth connection.

A trip is ended either when A) the app detects them get out of the vehicle and start walking, or B) it detects them as no longer moving and the driver ends the trip manually.

This prevents the trip from ending if they stop at a red light, for example, but it also allows them to end the trip if they have parked. That way they can remain in the vehicle and use their phone without generating rule violations.

Why does it seem like more trips occurred?

Multiple trips can occur when the driver stops driving for a period of time and selects "Done Driving." For example, if they pull over and park the car but do not get out. Once they start driving again, a new trip will begin.

Will this app drain my phone battery?

In short: no. The admin app does nothing in the background. All it does is send you push notifications when the driver app detects driving and phone usage. The driver app uses standard programming functions to detect if they are driving, which has a negligible impact on battery life.

What happens if the driver doesn’t launch the app before they start driving?

The driver app can detect driving when it isn't running in the foreground, but it cannot detect phone usage. As such, when the driver starts driving but has not launched the app, both admin and driver will be notified of a rule violation. That way you will always know if the driver is not using Dont correctly.

How do I change a driver's rules?

Select the gear icon on your dashboard and then select "Manage Drivers." Select the driver that you wish to edit, and the next screen will allow you to edit their rules.

How do I manage the driver's permission settings?

Select the gear icon on your dashboard and then select "Manage Drivers." Select the driver that you wish to edit, and the next screen will allow you to edit their rules. Press "Next" to advance and edit their notifications.

How do I change the rules & notification settings for all drivers?

Select the gear icon on your dashboard and then select "Default Rules & Notifications." Configure the default rules and notification settings you would like to apply to all drivers by default. On the final screen, you can choose to apply the new default settings only to drivers you add in the future, or to apply them to current drivers, as well.

Note: if you apply the default settings to current drivers, they will override any customized settings you may have applied to specific drivers.

Can I change the rules & notification settings for groups of drivers?

At the moment, there is no way to edit rules & notifications for groups of drivers. This is a feature we are considering implementing in a future version.

Does this app prevent the driver from using their phone in an emergency?

No! Dont was designed to encourage safe driving habits, but it does not prevent the driver from using their phone. All functions of the phone will still be enabled, so the driver can make an emergency phone call if they need to.

How secure is the verification process?

The admin app will require the admin to verify the driver's phone number. Likewise, the driver app will require the driver to verify the admin's phone number.

What happens if either admin or driver gets a new phone number?

If an admin gets a new phone number, they must download the app again, go through the verification process, and onboard their drivers again. If a driver gets a new phone number, the admin will have to delete the driver and add them again.

To do so, tap the gear icon on your dashboard and navigate to "Manage Drivers." Tap the trashcan icon and select which driver you wish to delete. Then press "Delete." Once the driver has been deleted, select "Add Driver" and follow the onscreen instructions.

Does Dont work well for a large number of drivers?

Yes! If you have a large number of drivers (for instance, a fleet of commercial drivers), the admin dashboard adapts for better organization and management. Drivers will be sorted into collapsible sections based on their status, IE rule violations, warnings, connection issues, etc. This makes it easy to pick out important information about driving behavior at a glance. You can also sort drivers alphabetically by name.

Can I integrate my enterprise's API?

Yes. If your enterprise has its own API, you can integrate it with Dont to bulk upload drivers and import their shift schedules. This will automatically prevent the app from monitoring drivers outside their allotted shifts.

Can I turn off rule violations if the driver is a passenger in a moving vehicle?

Yes! When the driver is a passenger in a moving vehicle, or is planning to be in one, they can tap the "Passenger Mode" button to send you a passenger request. You will then receive a notification to respond to said request. You can allow Passenger Mode until the end of the current or upcoming trip, allow it until the end of the day, or deny it.

Once Passenger Mode is activated, the app will still monitor driving and phone use, but it will not report rule violations.

For commercial drivers, Passenger Mode is replaced by the Clock Out function.

Does the app still monitor activity when a commercial driver is clocked out?

No. We recognize that commercial drivers will sometimes need to disable monitoring for deviations from their normal schedule. Whether this is a dentist's appointment or simply clocking out early, it would be an invasion of privacy if Dont continued to monitor their phone activity. For that reason, if a commercial driver uses the Clock Out function, it disables monitoring as well as reporting.

Using the Clock Out function will still notify the admin, so they can check if a driver paused monitoring without prior approval. This empowers the admin to correct improper use of the Clock Out function using whatever measures they see fit.

Will I have to manually approve a Clock Out every time a commercial driver requests it?

No. Having to manually approve every Clock-Out for a large number of drivers would be a burden to the admin. For that reason, commercial drivers use the Clock Out function at will, even when on their shift.

Using the Clock Out function will still notify the admin, so they can check if a driver paused monitoring without prior approval. This empowers the admin to correct improper use of the Clock Out function using whatever measures they see fit.

Why does the driver's phone stay unlocked when they are driving?

The driver's phone remains unlocked when it is plugged into a power source and the driving screen is active. Keeping the phone unlocked when the driver app is running allows for more accurate reporting of driving behavior.