The verdict in three sentences
For a Toronto wholesaler delivering to 400 stores a week with 12 trucks, a custom route management app costs 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) in the Kolonell grid, delivered in 10 weeks with photo and signature proof of delivery and a real offline mode. Off-the-shelf route planning SaaS charges 25 to 60 EUR per vehicle per month, or 300 to 720 EUR a month for the fleet, which makes it a serious option at Canadian cost levels. In our assumption the app generates about 88,900 EUR a year in fuel, hours and disputes avoided, so the real question is fit, not payback.
What the app must do in the field
In the Greater Toronto Area, routes are shaped by three issues: congestion on the 401 and the Gardiner, tight receiving windows at convenience stores and independent grocers, and disputes over delivered quantities. The app has to answer each of them, for the dispatcher as well as the driver.
| Feature | User | Problem solved | Share of budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Route optimisation (stop order, time windows) | Dispatcher | Wasted kilometres and late arrivals | 25 % |
| Geolocated store card (GPS pin, storefront photo, receiving notes) | Driver | Time lost finding back doors and docks | 10 % |
| Proof of delivery (photo, signature, quantities) | Driver | Disputes over missing cases | 20 % |
| Offline mode with sync | Driver | Dead zones in basements and loading bays | 15 % |
| Payment on delivery (card, mobile) | Driver | Cash handling and reconciliation gaps | 10 % |
| Live tracking and delay alerts | Management | No visibility on the fleet | 10 % |
| Dashboard (cost per drop, success rate) | Management | Gut-feel decisions | 10 % |
Offline mode is not optional: a driver who loses signal must still be able to confirm a delivery, and the app syncs as soon as coverage returns.
The 12-month gain: fuel, hours and disputes
Assumptions (2026 order of magnitude, figures in EUR at Toronto cost levels, to refine during scoping): each truck covers 140 km a day, 6 days a week, or 42,000 km a year, at 15 litres per 100 km, with diesel around 1.10 EUR per litre. Loaded hourly cost of a driver: 27 EUR.
| Lever | Assumption | 12-month gain (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | 10 % fewer kilometres on 83,160 EUR of diesel | 8,316 |
| Driver time | 30 minutes saved per truck per day, i.e. 1,800 h | 48,600 |
| Delivery disputes | 1 % disputes on 20,000 deliveries at 100 EUR, cut by 70 % | 14,000 |
| Dispatch time | 3 h a day reduced to 1 h, i.e. 600 h at 30 EUR | 18,000 |
| Total gains | 88,916 | |
| Year 1 investment (development, maintenance, hosting) | 10,420 | |
| Payback | about 1.5 months |
The most underestimated line is disputes: without a time-stamped proof, wholesalers often accept the credit note to protect the store relationship.
SaaS or custom build: the 3-year cost
Basis: SaaS at 40 EUR per vehicle per month, Kolonell custom build at 5,500,000 FCFA (8,390 EUR), Standard maintenance at 110 EUR a month (75,000 FCFA), hosting and mapping API estimated at 60 EUR a month.
| Item (EUR) | Route planning SaaS | Kolonell custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Setup and training | 800 | 8,390 |
| Year 1 recurring | 5,760 | 2,040 |
| Years 2 and 3 recurring | 11,520 | 4,080 |
| 3-year total | 18,080 | 14,510 |
| Full offline mode | Depends on the vendor | Included |
| Integration with your ERP and invoicing | Often limited to standard connectors | Built to your data |
| Cost of a 13th truck | 480 EUR a year | No extra licence |
The 3-year gap is modest, about 3,600 EUR. A custom build is justified mainly when your workflows (receiving rules, credit notes, ERP data) do not fit a standard tool, and when you want to own the software as the fleet grows.
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Illustrative example: Mark, logistics director at a food wholesaler based in Etobicoke. His 12 trucks serve 400 stores a week, and every month he handles around fifteen disputes over missing cases.
He picks an app at 8,390 EUR with proof of delivery and live tracking. Year one costs 10,420 EUR all in. Fuel and disputes alone bring 22,316 EUR, so the app pays for itself in under 6 months even if no driver time were saved. With all levers, payback drops to about 6 weeks.
FAQ
Does the app run on rugged or entry-level Android devices?
Yes, it should run on devices with 3 GB of memory, including rugged handhelds at 300 to 600 EUR (market price). Photos are compressed to keep data use to a few dozen megabytes a day.
How long until go-live?
About 10 weeks: 2 for scoping and GPS mapping of stores, 6 for development, 2 for a pilot on 3 trucks before rolling out to the whole fleet.
Can the app connect to our ERP?
Yes, delivery notes can be imported from the ERP or invoicing software through an API or a scheduled export. This link should be validated in the first week, as it often accounts for 15 to 20 % of the effort.
How are drivers trained?
Half a day is usually enough: the interface fits in 3 screens (today's route, delivery, payment). The 3-truck pilot lets you adjust before full rollout.
What does maintenance cost?
Kolonell maintenance is 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA a month (50, 110 or 180 EUR) depending on level. For a 12-truck fleet running 6 days a week, Standard at 110 EUR is the right fit.
Let's scope your project. Route management app with optimisation, proof of delivery, offline mode and ERP integration: indicative budget 6,100 to 10,670 EUR (4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA), go-live in 10 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
