St Helens-based firm to receive a 50,000 loan via Liverpool equity and loan provider MSIF and a £68,000 grant from Innovate UK and will take on four members of staff. Tony McDonough reports

A Merseyside business behind a mobile app that offers improved efficiency to logistics and delivery firms has secured £118,000 of funding.

St Helens-based DriverNet has secured a £50,000 loan via Liverpool equity and loan provider MSIF and a £68,000 grant from Innovate UK.

DriverNet claims to”bridge the gap in connections and information between drivers, driver management and customers” to improve all-round performance, driver and customer experiences as well as reduce emissions.

The application is operated from an iPhone, and allows the company to track the whereabouts of the driver and also alerts depots/customers when the driver is nearing their location, with a 30, 15 and five-minute alert.

The £50,000 loan comes from the NPIF – BFS & MSIF Microfinance Fund, part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.

DriverNet was incorporated in 2016, by creator Ant Chisnall. The business was in the research and development stage for some time, as the application was developed and perfected.

Mr Chisnall has more than 15 years’ experience in logistics, covering numerous roles within the industry including transport planner and logistics manager. He possesses significant knowledge around the time management, efficiency and issues of HGV delivery drivers.

DriverNet was created after Mr Chisnall became interested in increasing the efficiency of deliveries, reducing delivery times and keeping clients regularly updated and informed on their delivery progress.

The £118,000 will fund a range of things, including four new staff members, new laptops and software that is required as well as working capital for the business.

DriverNet also benefits the driver as he or she receives notifications in advance about where or which bay is most efficient for their delivery, allowing for a quicker drop off.

Drivers can also view video footage showing the best access to their delivery location, meaning they get it right first time and do not go through the customer car park, or an entrance that is not built for their vehicle size.

Mr Chisnall said: “We saw a gap in the quality and services provided to drivers by telematics systems, and also became aware that the majority of fleet operators can’t afford the systems. DriverNet is a low cost network that solves both of these problems.

“We are now about to embark on launching customer trials in the New Year and generate our first revenues shortly afterwards. Our aim to create a new online national network to connect any driver to a site in swift, safe and sustainable ways.”