In the building material supply chain, the last mile is the most visible—and often the most volatile—phase of the delivery process. Unlike long-haul logistics, last-mile deliveries must navigate job site complexities, tight contractor schedules, traffic delays, and staging constraints. These challenges make last-mile delivery one of the highest-risk, highest-impact components of your distribution operation.
To overcome these challenges, distributors must go beyond basic tracking. They need to monitor the right key performance indicators (KPIs) that reveal the effectiveness, accuracy, and reliability of their last-mile efforts.
Here’s what to track to optimize last-mile performance and meet contractor expectations without compromising operational efficiency.
- On-Time Delivery Rate (OTD)
What it measures:
The percentage of deliveries that arrive within the promised window at the job site.
Why it matters:
Construction crews plan work around material deliveries. Late or early arrivals can delay projects or waste labor hours.
How to use it:
Break down by region, route, driver, or contractor
Identify patterns (e.g., specific time slots or site types with delays)
Set benchmarks and continuously refine dispatch planning
- First-Attempt Delivery Success Rate
What it measures:
The percentage of deliveries completed on the first attempt, without re-routing, rescheduling, or job site refusal.
Why it matters:
Failed deliveries increase cost, risk, and contractor frustration.
Track reasons for failure:
Site access blocked
Materials delivered to the wrong zone
Job site unprepared or closed
Use it to: Improve site coordination and pre-delivery checks.
- Average Delivery Time per Route or Job Site
What it measures:
The total time from yard departure to job site drop-off, including staging and unloading.
Why it matters:
Long or inconsistent delivery times suggest issues with routing, job site access, or labor coordination.
Use it to:
Set delivery time standards
Adjust dispatch windows
Improve job site instructions for drivers
- Delivery Exception Rate
What it measures:
The percentage of deliveries with issues such as damaged materials, incomplete loads, or incorrect items.
Why it matters:
Each exception triggers delays, callbacks, and administrative work.
Track by:
Material type
Driver
Site location or contractor
Use it to: Identify root causes and standardize last-mile quality checks.
- Proof of Delivery (POD) Accuracy and Completion Rate
What it measures:
The percentage of deliveries with complete and accurate POD, including signatures, time stamps, and photos.
Why it matters:
Accurate documentation protects your business and speeds up billing and dispute resolution.
Use it to:
Improve driver training
Ensure consistency across in-house and third-party fleets
Monitor turnaround time from delivery to invoicing
- Job Site Dwell Time
What it measures:
How long trucks remain on-site during a delivery.
Why it matters:
Excessive dwell time slows down fleet efficiency and increases fuel/labor costs.
Use it to:
Flag sites with frequent access or unloading issues
Improve communication about staging and delivery zones
Encourage contractors to prep for incoming loads
- Customer Feedback Score or Job Site Satisfaction
What it measures:
Contractor-rated feedback on delivery accuracy, timeliness, and driver professionalism.
Why it matters:
A contractor’s perception of your reliability depends largely on their last-mile experience.
How to collect:
Post-delivery surveys via SMS or email
Job site supervisor feedback during weekly check-ins
Tie feedback to specific deliveries or drivers
Use it to: Drive service improvements and recognize top-performing teams.
- Cost per Last-Mile Delivery
What it measures:
The total cost incurred to complete a delivery from the final distribution point to the job site.
Why it matters:
Last-mile logistics is often the most expensive segment of the supply chain.
Break down by:
Fuel
Labor
Vehicle usage
Exception handling
Use it to: Identify opportunities for routing, load consolidation, or tech-driven savings.
- Route Deviation Rate
What it measures:
The frequency of trucks deviating from planned routes due to traffic, weather, or misnavigation.
Why it matters:
Route deviations impact ETAs, increase risk, and reduce consistency.
Use it to:
Improve routing tools
Train drivers on optimized paths
Monitor common sources of disruption
Final Thoughts
Last-mile delivery challenges in building material supply can’t be solved with guesswork. By tracking the right KPIs, you get real-time insight into what’s working, what’s not, and where to make improvements that matter most to your customers.
Every metric is an opportunity—to deliver more reliably, respond faster, reduce costs, and build lasting contractor relationships. Because in construction logistics, the last mile is where reputations are built—or broken.
