How real-time driver tracking works
No more "how long until they get here?": as soon as a driver accepts your ride, the ONLY VTC app shows their position on a map, updates the arrival time live and alerts you when they are close. Here is how it works in practice.
Published on July 15, 2026 · Updated on September 30, 2026 · By Khaled Aggoune, founder of ONLY VTC — private-hire driver in Lyon since 2016, assistance missions on the A43/A46 corridor
Waiting for a driver without knowing where they are is stressful — especially on a morning with a 6 a.m. flight or when leaving a train. Real-time tracking removes this uncertainty: you see the car moving towards you, like a parcel you are tracking on a map. Here is what happens at each stage, from booking to pick-up.
1. As soon as a driver accepts: the map comes to life
Once your ride is confirmed and a driver assigned, the tracking screen shows their live GPS position and the driver's name, the vehicle model and its registration plate. The vehicle's dot moves on the map as it heads towards your pick-up address — you have nothing to refresh, everything is updated continuously.
2. The estimated time of arrival (ETA), continuously recalculated
Below the map, the arrival time is an estimate specific to your ride, which may change with traffic and available positions. It is neither a statistical average nor a guaranteed time. Our Transport observatory separately publishes the acceptance time for broadcast rides; approach and journey times remain suspended until their measurement is reliable.
3. The "your driver is approaching" notification
When the vehicle gets close, you receive an approach notification on your phone. No more watching from the window: you go down at the right moment, with your bags ready. This is especially useful for very early pick-ups at home or when waiting in a station hall.
4. Sharing your ride with a loved one
You can share your journey tracking via a link: the person waiting for you (or a worried parent) sees the vehicle's progress in real time, without installing the app. Handy for a return from an evening out, a journey by an older relative, or a child's trip you are following remotely.
The driver's number is also shared with you before the ride: you can contact them directly to specify a meeting point — a station exit, an airport terminal, a building entrance.
And during the journey?
The price is fixed at booking: you know it before you get in, and tracking does not change it — no meter running. On arrival, a receipt summarising the journey is sent to you by email. You can estimate a journey in 30 seconds to see how it works, or visit our dedicated pages such as the transfer to Saint-Exupéry airport and the pick-up at Part-Dieu station.
Real-time tracking is available on the ONLY VTC app (iOS and Android). Prefer to book by phone? You still can on 06 67 25 84 26 — but tracking, receipts and history remain exclusive to the app. Any questions? contact@onlyvtc.fr.