Does DayRunner track vehicles live?
No. DayRunner plans the day ahead and handles changes like a driver off sick. If you need live tracking, ShuttleControl lists it, and GPS fleet tools do it too.
Compare
DayRunner vs ShuttleControl for NZ shuttle and transfer operators
ShuttleControl is shuttle dispatch with live tracking and route optimisation. DayRunner plans tomorrow around NZ licences and work time. How to choose.
ShuttleControl is shuttle dispatch software: live vehicle tracking, route optimisation, automatic driver assignment and passenger chat, priced per vehicle. DayRunner is built for NZ operators planning tomorrow. It reads bookings from Rezdy, FareHarbor, Rental Car Manager or a CSV, puts a driver and vehicle on every run, checks licence class, P endorsement and NZ work time, and drafts messages for you to approve. If live dispatch is your main job, look at ShuttleControl. If the evening plan is, look at DayRunner.
What ShuttleControl does well
ShuttleControl is built for moving passengers on the day. Its pricing page lists live vehicle tracking, route optimisation, automatic driver assignment, personalised messages, in-app passenger chat and API access, with unlimited trips.
The pricing is simple and easy to try. Plans start at US$48 a month for one vehicle and US$240 a month for five, billed annually, with extra vehicles at US$48 a month annually or US$60 monthly. There's a free 30-day trial, no setup fees and no contracts.
Side by side
| DayRunner | ShuttleControl | |
|---|---|---|
| Live vehicle tracking | No | Yes |
| Route optimisation | No pickups in your stop order | Yes |
| Automatic driver assignment | Yes | Yes |
| Checks NZ licence class and P endorsement | Yes | Not shown on their public pages |
| Counts NZ work time per driver | Yes | Not shown on their public pages |
| Reads bookings from Rezdy, FareHarbor or Rental Car Manager | Yes | Not shown on their public pages |
| Passenger messages | Yes drafted for approval; sending rolling out with pilots | Yes personalised messages and in-app chat |
| Supplier reconfirmations and driver briefs | Yes drafted for approval | Not shown on their public pages |
| Driver off sick: impact and two best fixes | Yes in seconds | Not shown on their public pages |
| Try before you commit | Yes start free from a CSV, or 30-day refund for founding partners | Yes 30-day free trial |
| Price | see pricing | From US$48 a month per vehicle, billed annually |
ShuttleControl column from shuttlecontrol.com/pricing, checked 20 Oct 2026. "Not shown on their public pages" means we couldn't find it on the pricing page, not that ShuttleControl can't do it.
Using both together
Some operators could run both. ShuttleControl handles the day itself: where the vans are, live routes and passenger chat. DayRunner does the plan the evening before: which driver on which run, in which vehicle, inside the work time rules, with pickup messages and driver briefs drafted.
That only works if bookings can get to both. DayRunner connects to Rezdy, FareHarbor and Rental Car Manager, and imports anything else by CSV or Excel. We haven't built a link to ShuttleControl, so you'd need to check how their side takes bookings. Talk to us before you plan on it. See integrations.
When DayRunner isn't the right fit
- You need live tracking or map-based route optimisation. DayRunner does neither.
- You take bookings in ShuttleControl and want them to flow straight into planning. There's no direct link.
- You want one tool for both the plan and the live day. ShuttleControl covers more of the live day.
- You operate outside New Zealand. DayRunner's work time checks follow the NZ rules.
How DayRunner plans a shuttle day
For shuttle and transfer operators, DayRunner plans the day: a driver and van on every run, checked for licence class, P endorsement, seats, availability and work time, pickup run included. Pickups go in your stop order with times, on a run sheet drivers read on their phones. It drafts every passenger's pickup message. Nothing goes until you approve it.
Questions
Does DayRunner optimise routes?
It sets pickups in your stop order, with times, on each driver's run sheet. It doesn't calculate routes from a map.
Can DayRunner read bookings from ShuttleControl?
Not directly. If you can export bookings as a CSV or Excel file, DayRunner can import them. Direct connections today are Rezdy, FareHarbor and Rental Car Manager.
Does DayRunner check NZ work time rules?
Yes. It counts each driver's work time for the day, pickup run included, and flags anyone the plan would put over their limit.
Tomorrow, sorted by 5pm.
Show us tomorrow in your booking system. We'll show you the same day in DayRunner.