Time Off Requests
Let drivers request time off by text, then approve or deny each request in Copilot. Approved requests become Time Off records automatically.
Time Off Requests let your drivers ask for time off by texting Copilot, with no login required. Each request lands in a Requests tab in the Time Off Tracker, where you approve or deny it. Approved requests become Time Off records on their own, so you no longer have to re-enter requests that came in by call or text.
Time Off Requests work for any driver whose Can Text setting is marked as Yes in the Driver Roster.
How drivers request time off
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The driver texts TIME OFF to your Copilot number.
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Copilot replies with a personal link to a request form:
Hi [Driver's first name], this is [Company Name]. Use this link to request time off:
[link]
This link expires in 24 hours. Text TIME OFF to get a new one.
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In the form, the driver adds one or more time off blocks. Each block has a type (PTO, Unpaid, or Schedule accommodation), a start time, an end time, and an optional reason.
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The driver submits the request.
The link expires 24 hours after it's sent, and stops working once the driver has submitted a request with it. To make another request or change their plans, the driver texts TIME OFF again.
A few rules apply to the form:
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A block's start time has to be in the future, and its end time has to be after its start time.
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Drivers can't edit or cancel a request after submitting it.
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If a driver's phone number is on file with more than one company, Copilot first asks which company the request is for. The driver replies with a number to get the link for that company:
This number is associated with multiple companies. Which company are you requesting time off for?
1) [Company A]
2) [Company B]
Reply with 1 or 2.
Reviewing requests
When a driver submits a request, every AFP management contact on file receives a text:
[Driver Name] requested time off. Go to Copilot to approve or deny.
To review it:
- Go to the Team Management tab in the left navigation and click Time Off Tracker.
- Open the Requests tab, next to Calendar and List.
- In the Pending view, select one or more requests.
- Click Approve or Deny.
The Pending view only lists requests whose start time hasn't passed yet. The History view shows your 25 most recent approved, denied, or expired requests, along with who reviewed each one and when.
If a request can no longer be reviewed (for example, a teammate already handled it), Copilot asks you to refresh the page and none of the selected requests are changed.
What happens after you approve or deny
Approve creates a matching record in the Time Off Tracker and texts the driver:
Good news, [Driver's first name]: your time off request was approved.
[Start date and time] to [End date and time] [Time zone]
Deny doesn't create a record, and texts the driver:
[Driver's first name], your time off request was denied.
[Start date and time] to [End date and time] [Time zone]
Contact your operator if you have questions.
If you review several requests from the same driver together, Copilot combines them into one text that lists each time off period on its own line, in order of start time.
The request link and the company question are sent as soon as the driver texts TIME OFF. Approval, denial, and new request texts aren't instant; they go out within about 10 minutes, on the same cadence as shift texts.
Approving a request invalidates the driver's assignment on any route that overlaps the approved time off. If any part of a route overlaps, the driver is removed from consideration for that entire route, not just the overlapping hours. Check the driver's upcoming routes before you approve.
Need Help?
If you're unsure how to review a time off request, contact the Laminar Copilot Support Team for assistance.