Hi everyone, I’m building a WhatsApp-based taxi dispatch system (no mobile app for customers)

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1

:puzzle_piece: What I need to build:

  • Customers send pickup & destination via WhatsApp
  • System understands the message (AI parsing)
  • Automatic driver assignment (nearest available driver)
  • Real-time updates to customer via WhatsApp
  • Admin dashboard (manage drivers, trips, pricing)
  • Optional live tracking link (Google Maps)

:gear: Tools I want to use:

  • Make.com (automation core)
  • WhatsApp Business API (Cloud API or provider like Twilio / 360dialog)
  • Google Maps API
  • OpenAI (for address parsing)
  • Database (Airtable / PostgreSQL)

:red_question_mark: What I need help with:

I’m looking for someone experienced in Make.com to:

  • Design the full automation scenario
  • Suggest best architecture for WhatsApp + dispatch system
  • Possibly help build MVP or guide setup step-by-step

:money_bag: Budget:

Open to paid help (freelance / consulting).

If you have built something similar (WhatsApp automation, booking systems, dispatch/logistics flows), please reach out.

4 Likes
4

Hello @Fast_5, Building a WhatsApp dispatch system without a mobile app is a smart move and totally doable in Make.

A few architecture notes: use 360dialog over Twilio for cleaner WhatsApp Cloud API pricing and webhook handling.

Route inbound messages into Make, then pass the text to OpenAI with a structured JSON output (function calling) to reliably extract pickup/destination.

For driver assignment, store driver locations in PostgreSQL and use Google’s Distance Matrix API to find the nearest available one Airtable works for MVP but gets slow with live geo-queries.

Trigger status updates back via WhatsApp templates as the trip progresses.

I’ve built booking and dispatch flows like this before happy to design the full scenario or help you ship the MVP.

───

Website: https://www.pathfinderautomationsolutions.com

Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/pathfinderautomate

Book a call: Calendly

5

This looks like a good fit for a small bounded MVP.

I would keep the first slice very narrow:

  • WhatsApp intake for rider requests
  • one simple dispatch routing rule
  • logging to Google Sheets or Airtable
  • driver confirmation / status update
  • basic error handling and audit trail

If you share your current flow and which tools you want to keep in v1, I can turn that into a fixed-price milestone proposal for a 1-3 day slice.

Best,
OpsPilot AI Studio

6

Hi @Fast_5 this seems like a rally nice project. About WPP API, recently WPP has released Coexistence which makes it easier to connect and you wont need to get all the permissions and credentials from Whatsapp Business API, you can just connect your phone using a QR code. You would still need to set up some templated messages approved if you want to write to someone who has not engaged with your phone number before.

I have build several AI agents running on WPP and would love to help.

If you are interested you can schedule a call in here: https://cal.com/aspirity/discovery?utm_source=make discovery or check our website www.aspirity.com

7

Hi, @Fast_5!

This is a very achievable MVP and the architecture is quite straightforward.

I would approach it as:

Customer sends pickup and destination via WhatsApp → AI extracts and validates addresses → Google Maps calculates route and distance → system finds the nearest available driver → trip is assigned automatically → both customer and driver receive WhatsApp updates throughout the process.

For the backend, I would use Make.com as the orchestration layer, OpenAI for message understanding and address parsing, Google Maps APIs for routing and ETA calculations, and PostgreSQL for drivers, trips, pricing, and dispatch logic.

For the admin side, I’d recommend a lightweight dashboard where you can manage drivers, monitor active trips, update pricing rules, and manually override assignments when needed.

My focus is building the entire workflow architecture, reducing manual dispatch work, and making sure the system can scale beyond the initial MVP without requiring a rebuild later.

I’ve built multiple AI automation systems involving LLMs, workflow orchestration, databases, lead routing, and operational automations, so this project fits well within my expertise.

Happy to discuss the scope and provide a fixed-price proposal for the MVP once I understand a few details about driver volume, expected trip volume, and dispatch rules.

Telegram: @hely_chatbotshely_chatbots

WA: +375293761570
Portfolio: https://mikedevai.netlify.app/

8

Hi Fast_5,

Welcome to the Make community.

I’ve built automation systems involving WhatsApp integrations, AI-powered data processing, CRM workflows, APIs, and database-driven automations using Make.com and n8n.

For your use case, I’d recommend a Make.com-centered architecture with WhatsApp Business API, OpenAI for address parsing, Google Maps APIs for routing, and either Airtable or PostgreSQL depending on scalability requirements.

I’ve attached a few relevant case studies and would be happy to discuss the MVP, architecture, and implementation approach.

Website Portfolio: Click here to view my Portfolio website.

Book a Call: Click here to book a walkthough call session.

Email: [email protected]

Looking forward to connecting.

Folafoluwa Olaneye

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9

Hi @Fast_5, I can help scope and build a narrow paid MVP slice for this.

I would start with WhatsApp intake, OpenAI address parsing to JSON, one driver assignment rule, Airtable or PostgreSQL trip logging, customer status updates, and error handling before a full dashboard.

What driver volume are you expecting at launch, what assignment rules matter first (nearest only, zones, driver status, manual override), and do you prefer Airtable or PostgreSQL for v1?

Best,
Thomas