Kiwi tech entrepreneur Steph Kennard has developed a product to centralise heavy vehicle administration tasks in one easy-to-use app.
The Bonnet app is free to download and allows users to upload a fleet of heavy vehicles from freight trucks to farming equipment by entering each license plate number.
The app takes care of everything else, pulling in each vehicle’s data from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport agency and notifying the user of everything from inspection dates to mileage, registration and WOF in one place.
For fleet owners and trucking companies, it replaces manual systems that run the risk of hefty fines if records are not kept correctly.
Kennard worked in the vehicle industry and says she spotted a gap in the market for simplified vehicle admin.
“The app completely changes how fleets, heavy vehicles, farming equipment and family vehicles are managed.
“You get alerted on your phone and via email and you can update and book services on your phone or computer in the office.
“It’s seamless and we hope its simplicity means we can ease the burden on businesses managing multiple heavy vehicles,” Kennard says.
The app launched four weeks ago, debuting at number one in the New Zealand app store and has already amassed 12,000 users with over 25,000 vehicles loaded.
“The new update means no inspection or Warrant of Fitness is missed and heavy vehicles on New Zealand roads are safe,” she says.
“Each vehicle can be nicknamed for easy identification and users are guided by a traffic light system. The red, most urgent deadlines come up first in your dashboard so users will never be worried if they’ve missed an inspection or registration again.
“We’ve had amazing feedback about Bonnet so far. One user found his odometer was out by 40,000 kilometres and an alarming number of users have found their Warrant of Fitness is months overdue,” Kennard adds.
Soon the app will also help monitor tyre tread and educate users on the differences between tyres on the market. It will also have videos explaining how to change your tyres, oil and water plus other car education tips aimed at domestic vehicle users.
“We need more education on what makes a car unsafe on the road,” Kennard says.
“The number of unregistered and unwarranted cars on the road, not to mention the road toll is horrifying. Through Bonnet we are making it much easier for vehicle owners have access to knowledge and education to keep their cars and families safe,” she says.
*Go to bonnet.co.nz for more information or download the free app via the Apple or Google Play store.
