Custom fleet management software for Zebra devices, built to work offline
A Canadian trucking company was locked into proprietary software their drivers couldn't use. SteelSprint built a replacement that works without an internet connection and updates every device in the fleet without reinstallation.
The Company
A large, established Canadian trucking company that owned its own fleet. Drivers used handheld devices to scan pallets on load, manage routes, track drop-offs, and handle delivery exceptions throughout the day.
The Problem
The existing app was built on proprietary technology tied to the old hardware. The interface had tiny buttons that were difficult to use with gloves. The company couldn't modify it, couldn't fix usability issues, and couldn't add features without going through the vendor. They had no control over their own operations tooling.
The company was also moving to new Zebra TC70 handheld devices. They needed software that worked on the new hardware, supported barcode scanning with the built-in scanner, and worked reliably offline. Drivers spend most of their day without a network connection.
The Approach
We built custom software for the Zebra devices that could be deployed via a link, updated without reinstallation, and worked fully offline. No app store. No manual installs on every device. Push an update once and every device in the fleet picks it up.
The core design decision was offline-first. Nothing in the app talked directly to the server. Every action was saved to the device first, then synced when a connection was available. Drivers could scan, load, deliver, and log exceptions without ever thinking about connectivity.
Multiple drivers could work on the same shipment from different devices, all offline. We used a time-stamped event log so the server could piece together the final state regardless of which device submitted updates or when they came online.
Technical detailsThe app saves every action to the device first and syncs when connectivity returns. Multiple drivers can work on the same shipment offline without conflicts, using a time-stamped event log that the server reconciles automatically.+
Every action writes to IndexedDB (via Dexie) first. A service worker handles background synchronization, batching queued actions and pushing them to the API when connectivity returns. The app is fully functional with zero network access.
Append-only event structure with timestamps. The API composes events chronologically to determine final state. No last-write-wins. No merge conflicts. Events from multiple offline devices compose cleanly regardless of submission order.
The Zebra TC70's built-in barcode scanner communicates via DataWedge. We integrated it directly into the PWA so drivers could scan pallets, parcels, and route sheets with the hardware trigger button, feeding data straight into the offline queue.
Quasar (Vue.js), TypeScript, IndexedDB via Dexie, service workers for caching and sync. Internationalization built in from day one.
The Results
Delivered in four months. The client replaced their proprietary vendor, regained full control of their fleet management tooling, and reduced costs. Updates could be pushed to every device in the field without reinstallation. Drivers got an interface designed for the job: large touch targets, fast scanning, and no dependency on connectivity.
The Takeaway
The real constraint on this project wasn't the devices. It was connectivity. Drivers spend most of their day without a network connection. An offline-first design solved the actual problem rather than the assumed one.