A team of local experts created an application that should help drivers across Europe, and later in America. The app was recently launched and is already seeing great results and a large number of downloads.
Mirnes Spahić from Gračanica, who lives in Austria, and the Sarajevo company AppDelegate are behind everything. Spahić talks exclusively to BiznisInfo.ba about this interesting project.
“Four years ago, the idea for TruckersApp began. I noticed a lack of a platform in the market to connect drivers, regardless of whether they drive 40 ton trucks or up to 3.5 ton vans. To better understand the challenges drivers face on the road, I conducted a survey of nearly 1,500 drivers. The results of the survey inspired the main function of the application: the SOS option for quick help,” Spahić tells.
After detailed market research, which lasted about two years, the development of the application began. First of all, he designed and branded the app himself. After that, he starts looking for a company that will program and implement it on mobile devices.
“I chose the young Sarajevo company AppDelegate, which specializes in creating mobile applications. A team of top young engineers worked for 18 months on the programming, with an additional two months of testing in real conditions with 50 drivers. More than 10,000 hours of work were invested in this programming process, with the involvement of at least six people at any time,” interlocutor points out.
He is especially glad that this innovative application was implemented by a domestic company, which emphasizes the quality of our domestic IT industry.
In October 2023, before they launched the app on the market, Spahić founded Truckwise Innovations GmbH in Graz, Austria, under whose roof TruckersApp is located. Towards the end of the first development cycle, he formed a partnership with AppDelegate to continue developing the app together.
“As the initiative envisioned, TruckersApp is a social network for truck drivers. Users can create their profiles, add friends and track their location on a map. Given that drivers often spend a long time on the road, often longer than three weeks, they feel lonely and find it difficult to find company. This function allows them to see where their friends and colleagues are and thus plan common breaks,” explains Spahić.
One of the key features is the SOS button, which allows drivers to quickly ask for help from other users nearby for problems such as a flat battery, tire problems or not being able to find a parking space. Example: the driver can ask for help anytime and anywhere, not only from his friends, but also from all the users of the application who are nearby.
“So, for example if the driver has a minor breakdown, by sending an SOS it can very easily happen that our driver from BiH is offered help by a colleague from Turkey, Poland or Slovakia. The notification comes via a notification that a colleague needs help, and those who have time and are nearby offer help by responding to that SOS. In addition, the application also has a messenger for correspondence,” says Spahić.
TruckersApp has already achieved significant success after being launched on the market on 16.01. this year. It is available for Android and iOS platforms.
“From 25.01. so to date, with a little marketing effort and investment, we already have over 3,000 active users. We are available in 43 countries, and the application is translated into 8 languages (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, English, German, Turkish, Polish and Italian). Other languages are in preparation. We plan to appear on the North American market later. We have already started working on the 2nd phase. We continue to develop the application with a focus on the Job Portal and business profile for companies,” he says.
As for the business profile, this tool will be offered to companies to facilitate their contact and communication with drivers within their company. Business profile tools will be customized exactly as the company wants.
Several companies from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and Austria have already expressed the need for such a profile within the application.
The third phase of the application, which is planned for Q1/2025, will get a PRO version for both drivers and transport companies.
“Our goal is to be the leader in the field of communication among truck drivers and the leading tool for internal roadside assistance. We are also open to potential investors who recognize the potential of our application,” concludes Spahić.
