Tech startup firm KeepTruckin rolled out its first product this morning-- a mobile- and web-based driver log and fleet management platform offered as a free Android or iPhone app. The company noted that their solution is designed for use by truck fleets as well as by individual truckers.
CEO Shoaib Makani told FleetOwner that KeepTruckin is being offered “completely free” because the company’s “ultimate goal is to build a suite of technology products and services to improve efficiency and profitability for America’s truckers.
“Log-tracking is just the start,” Makani continued. “The free KeepTruckin log-tracking and fleet-management product gives us the digital connectivity with truckers that is necessary to deliver additional technology- enabled services in the future.” He said this may include low-cost freight factoring, automated brokerage and “dynamically priced insurance.”
According to Makani, more than two-million truckers still track their Hours-of-Service (HOS) logs on paper and then submit them to dispatcher via fax or mail.
He noted that “the process is tedious, the driving rules are overly complex and the fines for accidental over driving are punitive. And the new HOS rules aren’t making it any easier.”
Makani said the KeepTruckin solution “brings log-tracking into the mobile age” for drivers by:
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Tracking driver logs on an iPhone or Android device
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Providing alerts when logs have HOS violations
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Allowing easy editing of logs to correct mistakes
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Allowing signing and submitting logs via email or fax
As for dispatchers and fleet managers, he said KeepTruckin does the following:
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Automatically audits drivers’ logs
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Tracks drivers’ current location (with drivers’ consent)
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Send load details to drivers
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Allows exchanging messages with drivers
KeepTruckin is free for drivers and fleets, Makani emphasized, noting that drivers can create and send as many driving logs as they choose as the logs are stored “in the cloud at no cost” and that, likewise, fleets can manage as many drivers as they want with the solution.
Makani said he co-founded KeepTruckin with the firm’s CTO, Ryan Johns. Makani’s background includes working as a venture capitalist at Khosla Ventures; business development director at AdMob, and product manager at Google. Johns previously held the position of vp of technology at TapJoy.
According to Makani, KeepTruckin is funded by $2.3 million and its lead investor is Google Ventures.
Click here to view a YouTube video that presents an overview of the app: http://youtu.be/FWk86X6TZwQ.
