Cut Google Maps API Spend

My ride-hailing and delivery platform serves about 7,500 registered users and thousands of completed trips, all running on a Laravel backend with customer and driver apps in Flutter. Lately each ride is costing an extra dollar or two purely in Google Maps fees, which is eating into margins.

From the data I can see, the backend server appears to be the main culprit for redundant requests. I need a developer who knows both Laravel and Flutter—and who has already tamed runaway Google Maps usage—to step in, audit the codebase, and bring those costs back under control.

Scope of work
• Trace every Maps call issued by the backend and the two apps, identify duplication or unnecessary refresh loops, and map out the call flow.
• Propose and implement smarter strategies such as server-side caching, request throttling, address lookup optimisation, or alternative mapping endpoints—whatever cuts the bill without compromising real-time tracking.
• Ensure all current features in the mobile apps remain fully available after the fix. Riders and drivers should feel no difference except faster loading times.
• Provide a concise report that outlines the problems found, the changes made, and the percentage drop in daily API calls.

Tech stack you’ll touch: Laravel (PHP 8.4), Flutter (Dart), Google Maps SDK & Directions API, Firebase Cloud Messaging, MySQL.

Acceptance criteria
1. No regression in live trip tracking or feature availability.
2. Google Maps bill reduced to an agreed target range (we’ll benchmark against the current bill before work starts).
3. Code changes pushed to Git, peer-reviewed, and deployed to staging for validation.

If you’re confident you can slash the overhead while keeping the ride flowing smoothly, let’s talk.