Ypsi resident develops app to help delivery drivers share info

On the Ground Ypsilanti is an “embedded journalism” program covering the city and township of Ypsilanti. It is supported by Ann Arbor SPARK, the Center for Health and Research Transformation, Destination Ann Arbor, Eastern Michigan University, Engage @ EMU, Washtenaw Community College, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, and Washtenaw ISD.

For years, Ypsilanti resident Lonnie Brammer has watched app-based delivery drivers navigate unfamiliar neighborhoods with little information about where they are headed. A labyrinthine apartment complex, limited parking, multiple flights of stairs, safety concerns, or poor tippers can all affect whether a delivery is worth accepting. But Brammer says drivers working for major delivery platforms often make those decisions based on little more than an address.

After five years of development, Brammer has launched Courier Mates, a web-based application designed to help delivery drivers track and share information about delivery locations with other drivers. The Ypsi-based company allows drivers to record details about delivery addresses, including parking, stairs, safety concerns, tipping information, and other notes that could help them make more informed decisions on the deliveries they accept. Users can download the app and track their own deliveries for free. A paid subscription is required to access delivery information logged by other users.

The idea grew out of Brammer’s own experience in the service industry and as a gig delivery driver. After years working in hospitality and customer service, Brammer turned to grocery delivery work around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It did not take long, he says, to notice what he saw as a major information gap.

“I realized somewhere on the road that because we are independent contractors, kind of set independently and alone, we’re under a different classification,” Brammer says. “I started doing some research as far as what that meant.”

That research eventually led to conversations with attorneys and the development of the idea that would become Courier Mates. Unlike a delivery service, mileage tracker, or tax application, Courier Mates does not assign drivers orders or determine which jobs they receive. Instead, its purpose is to build a shared source of information created by drivers themselves. The platform’s tools allow users to rate deliveries, leave notes, and build a personal delivery history. 

Brammer says the last two years of Courier Mates’ development process focused on building the product with independent programmers and code builders.

“The entire premise is that you can gain more information from this place,” Brammer says. “When more people participate, there’s more data and info to be shared.”

Brammer says gig delivery work can be isolating. Drivers often work independently and without the traditional workplace relationships or protections associated with other jobs. As the platform grows, he hopes Courier Mates can serve as a network and advocacy platform for drivers.

Courier Mates is currently available for drivers working through several gig delivery apps like DoorDash, Instacard, Shipt and Uber Eats. Interested drivers can visit couriermatesllc.com to learn more and start tracking deliveries.

“This is my opportunity to give back to the local community and my service brothers and sisters I’ve been working with for the past 20 years,” Brammer says. “Hopefully our voices will be heard and we can create some better conditions for this industry and for all industries.”