One of the most frustrating things for a delivery driver is when you’ve clearly arrived at the drop-off location, but Google Maps says you’re not there. In this post, I’ll share some of the weirdest situations I’ve encountered and how I handled them.
Common Issues with Position Drift and Misplaced House Numbers
The most common issue: positioning drift.Sometimes, even when you’re standing right in front of a store, Google Maps shows you as being three blocks away. This kind of “location drift” is particularly common in the alleys and side streets of Taipei. The most extreme case I’ve personally experienced was when my location drifted a full 400 meters.
Why is that?There are several main reasons:
- The alley is too narrow, and the GPS signal is blocked by buildings.
- Poor-quality GPS chips in cell phones
- In areas with too many high-rise buildings, multipath effects interfere with positioning.
Another major problem: the government has the wrong address.This is really messed up. The government’s address system can sometimes be inaccurate—for example, “No. 3, Section 1, Zhongshan North Road” might actually be on the opposite side of the street, not the one you’re expecting. The address the customer enters looks correct, but the place can’t actually be found.
My approach.Here’s a look at my own habits:
- Once you arrive at your destination, check the actual house number first—don’t just rely on the map.
- If you can't find it, call the customer right away to find out exactly where it is.
- You can open two navigation apps at the same time (Google Maps + Standby) and view both at once.
- For addresses located in alleys, stop at the entrance to the alley and use Street View to confirm the location.
Advice for guests.If you're a customer, please make sure your phone is available when the delivery driver contacts you. Sometimes we really can't find the location, so we rely on you to guide us there.