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Samsara Integration User Guide
How Launch Mobility sends driver identity to Samsara so every trip is attributed to the right driver.
Overview
Launch Mobility is a digital reservation platform for shared and motorpool fleets. This guide explains how Launch Mobility sends driver information directly to the Samsara portal, and what that means for your team.
Before this integration, trips recorded by Samsara showed no driver. Every time a fleet vehicle was driven, the trip appeared as unassigned, leaving fleet managers with no way to know who was behind the wheel. In large shared fleets, this problem was widespread: in some organizations, more than half of all recorded trips had no driver identity attached.
Launch Mobility solves this by acting as the reservation system of record. When a driver starts a reservation in the Launch Mobility app, the system automatically sends that driver's identity to Samsara. From that moment, every trip the vehicle takes, including multiple ignition cycles within the same reservation, is attributed to the correct driver in the Samsara portal. When the reservation ends, Launch Mobility sends a release signal so no future trips are incorrectly attributed.
What this unlocks for your organization: Once trips are attributed to real drivers, Samsara's full suite of driver-level features becomes available: safety scores, speeding alerts, harsh braking reports, idling analysis, and fuel usage tracking, all tied to specific individuals rather than anonymous vehicles.
How it works
The integration is automatic and requires no manual action from the driver. Here is what happens at each stage of a reservation:
- The driver makes a reservation. The driver books a vehicle, and the system records the driver's identity and links it to the assigned vehicle for the duration of the reservation window.
- The reservation starts. When the driver taps Start in the Launch Mobility app, Launch Mobility tells Samsara to assign this driver to this vehicle starting now. From this moment forward, every trip the vehicle takes, even if the driver stops for a break and starts the engine again later, is tagged with the correct driver in the Samsara portal.
- Trips are attributed in real time. While the reservation is active, all Samsara trip data (distance, speed events, idling, etc.) is associated with the assigned driver. Fleet managers can view this in real time from the Samsara portal dashboard.
- The reservation ends. When the driver completes their reservation, Launch Mobility tells Samsara to release the assignment. This ensures that any later vehicle movement, such as a fleet staff member repositioning the vehicle, is not attributed to the previous driver.
Important: The driver assignment is tied to the reservation window, not to vehicle ignition. Multiple start/stop ignition cycles within a single reservation are all captured under the same driver.
What you'll see in the Samsara portal
Once the integration is active, the Samsara portal displays attributed driver data across several sections.
Driver-attributed trips
In the Trips section of the Samsara portal, each trip now shows the driver's name and ID instead of appearing as "Unassigned." This applies to every trip taken during an active Launch Mobility reservation, including multiple ignition cycles within the same booking.
| Field | Before integration | After integration | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver name | Unassigned | Driver's full name | Trips > Driver column |
| Driver ID | Empty | Samsara-linked ID | Trip detail view |
| Trip attribution | Vehicle only | Driver + vehicle | Trip report exports |
| Safety events | Not attributed | Linked to the driver | Safety > Driver scores |
Driver performance and safety features
With driver attribution in place, the following Samsara features become fully functional for your fleet:
- Driver safety scores: speeding, harsh braking, harsh acceleration, and distracted driving events are scored per driver.
- Speeding reports: identify which drivers exceeded speed limits and by how much.
- Idling reports: track excessive idling per driver to reduce fuel waste.
- Coaching workflows: Samsara's in-app coaching tools let managers send alerts or start coaching sessions with specific drivers.
- Compliance reporting: generate driver-level reports for audits, insurance, or safety program requirements.
Vehicle assignment view
Admins can also view current and historical driver-vehicle assignments in Samsara under Fleet > Vehicles. Each vehicle shows its assignment history tied to Launch Mobility reservation windows.
Admin setup and requirements
Most of the setup is a one-time process handled during onboarding.
Prerequisites
| Requirement | Description | Who configures it |
|---|---|---|
| Samsara API token | An org-level API credential with the Write Assignments scope enabled in Samsara. | Organization Admin |
| User Alternate ID mapping | Each driver's Samsara User ID must be entered in the User Alternate ID field in their Launch Mobility profile. | Organization Admin / Ops |
| Vehicle External ID | Each vehicle must have a Samsara Vehicle ID linked in Launch Mobility. | Launch Mobility Implementation Team |
| Feature enabled | The Samsara driver assignment feature must be turned on for your organization. | Launch Mobility Team |
How to enter a driver's Samsara ID in Launch Mobility
For each driver who will use a Samsara-connected vehicle, their Samsara User ID must be linked to their Launch Mobility profile:
- Log in to the Launch Mobility Admin Panel.
- Go to Users and select the driver's profile.
- Find the field labeled User Alternate ID.
- Enter the driver's Samsara User ID (found in the Samsara portal under Fleet > Drivers).
- Save the profile.
Note: If a driver's Samsara User ID is not mapped, the integration skips that driver. Their trips remain unassigned in Samsara, but no error is shown to the driver. An internal log entry is created so admins can identify and resolve missing mappings.
How to verify the integration is working
Once setup is complete, you can confirm that driver attribution is flowing correctly:
- Have a driver complete a reservation in Launch Mobility (start and end).
- Log in to the Samsara portal.
- Go to Fleet > Trips and filter by the vehicle used.
- Confirm that the trip taken during the reservation shows the driver's name (not "Unassigned").
- Open the trip detail to verify the Driver ID matches the expected driver.
Tip: Allow up to 5 minutes after the reservation starts for the driver assignment to appear in the Samsara portal.
Role permissions
| Role | Access level | What they can do |
|---|---|---|
| Organization Admin | Full | Configure API tokens, map user IDs, enable the feature, and view all reports. |
| Fleet Manager | View | View driver-attributed trips and safety reports in the Samsara portal. Cannot modify assignments. |
| Driver | None (automatic) | No action required. Assignment happens automatically when the reservation starts. |
Common scenarios
Standard reservation with multiple stops
A driver checks out a vehicle, drives to a meeting, parks and turns off the engine, then drives back to the depot, all within the same reservation. Both trip segments appear in Samsara under the same driver, even though there were two separate ignition cycles.
Reservation extended
A driver extends their reservation through the Launch Mobility app. The driver assignment window in Samsara is automatically updated to reflect the new return time. No manual action is required.
Reservation cancelled or no-show
If a reservation is cancelled before it starts, nothing is sent to Samsara. The vehicle remains unassigned for that period, so any vehicle movement by fleet staff is not attributed to the cancelled driver.
Back-to-back reservations
Driver A returns the vehicle at 9:00 AM, and Driver B picks it up at 9:05 AM. Launch Mobility releases Driver A and then assigns Driver B in sequence, so there is no overlap and no gap in attribution.
Driver not mapped in Samsara
If a driver's Samsara User ID has not been entered in their Launch Mobility profile, the integration skips the assignment for that reservation. The trip remains unassigned in Samsara. The admin receives a log entry and can fix the mapping for future reservations.
Frequently asked questions
Does the driver need to do anything for this to work?
No. The driver only needs to start and end their reservation in the Launch Mobility app as they normally would. The assignment to Samsara happens automatically in the background.
What happens if the driver forgets to end their reservation?
The assignment remains active in Samsara until the reservation is marked as completed. Launch Mobility has timeout and administrative override options to close open reservations. Once closed, the release signal is sent to Samsara.
Can fleet managers manually override a driver assignment in Samsara?
Yes. A fleet manager can manually change a driver assignment in the Samsara portal. Be aware that if the Launch Mobility reservation is still active, the system will not override the manual change. Coordinate with your Launch Mobility admin if a mid-reservation override is needed.
What if Samsara is temporarily unavailable?
Launch Mobility has built-in retry logic. If a request to Samsara fails due to a timeout or temporary outage, the system automatically retries it. In the rare case of a prolonged failure, our technical team is alerted to investigate.
How do I find a driver's Samsara User ID?
Log in to the Samsara portal, go to Fleet > Drivers, and open the driver's profile. The Samsara User ID is shown in the profile details. Copy this value into the User Alternate ID field in the driver's Launch Mobility profile.
Will historical trips be retroactively attributed?
No. The integration applies to trips taken after the feature is enabled and the driver's Samsara ID is mapped. Trips recorded before activation remain unassigned.
How do I know if a driver's mapping is missing?
Your Launch Mobility admin can review the integration logs to see which reservations were skipped due to missing Samsara ID mappings. This is also a useful audit step during initial rollout to make sure all active drivers are mapped.
Is there any impact on Samsara billing or seat licenses?
Driver attribution uses Samsara's existing driver management and assignment features. Check with your Samsara account representative if you have questions about how driver seat licenses apply to your organization's contract.
Support
If you run into issues with the integration or need help with setup, contact Launch Mobility Support:
- Email: support@launchmobility.com
- Portal: Customer Portal
For Samsara-specific questions (portal navigation, driver license management, API tokens), contact your Samsara account representative or visit the Samsara Help Center.