The Home Depot®, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, has announced plans to introduce the industry’s first real-time delivery tracking system for large and bulky building materials, giving professional contractors greater visibility over incoming job-site deliveries. Scheduled to launch by the end of the first quarter, the feature will be available through The Home Depot mobile app and homedepot.com. The tool will allow Pro customers to follow deliveries minute-by-minute, including the truck’s route and the number of remaining stops before arrival.
Reliable delivery timing is critical on construction sites where schedules are tightly coordinated. According to research from Autodesk, construction professionals can spend about 35% of their workweek—more than 14 hours—on non-productive activities. Delays in materials such as concrete, drywall or lumber can halt an entire crew and significantly increase labour costs.
The new system is designed to reduce uncertainty by giving contractors precise visibility into delivery timelines. Instead of relying on broad delivery windows, customers will be able to track trucks in real time and better coordinate labour and installation schedules.
The technology behind the service is powered by the Home Depot Driver Handheld™ application, which transmits live GPS data from delivery vehicles. The system displays the vehicle’s position on a digital map, allowing customers to follow the shipment’s progress until it reaches the job site.
“Last-mile logistics for large flatbed deliveries have long been a challenge for retailers serving professional contractors,” said Dee Walk, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Delivery Experience at The Home Depot. “Our goal is to remove friction from every step of the customer journey. Real-time tracking brings a new level of transparency that helps Pros manage their projects with greater confidence while focusing on the work that matters most.”
The company already offers live delivery tracking for consumers purchasing large appliances. The upcoming rollout expands the capability to include large building materials and flatbed deliveries, which are widely used by professional contractors. Once launched nationwide, the service is expected to improve planning on busy job sites and reduce costly downtime caused by uncertain delivery schedules.
