Mobile app connects goods owners with drivers

(LSO) – A mobile app connecting goods and vehicle owners in an area with vibrant trading activities like Lang Son province has helped not only goods owners to save time and costs and but also drivers to improve their incomes.

About 400,000 vehicles carrying exports and imports go through local border gates each year. Among them, up to 200,000 empty vehicles return after goods are unloaded. In fact, exporters and importers who need vehicles to ship goods to warehouses or from warehouses to border gates, as well as vehicle owners who want to transport goods on the way back, often have to seek vehicles or goods via intermediaries. This has raised costs for both owners of goods and vehicles.

Recognising that fact, Pham Tuan Hoang, Director of the IZIVAN Investment Technology Co. Ltd., based in Dong Dang town of Cao Loc district, came to an idea of building a freight exchange linking goods and vehicle owners via a mobile app.

Hoang said his job is to connect exporters/importers with drivers/vehicle owners in Cao Loc district. He realised that each people can manage information on just around 20 trucks because each vehicle has a different size, capacity and delivery cost.

Pham Tuan Hoang (first, right), Director of the IZIVAN Investment Technology Co. Ltd., receives the third-place prize of the startup competition of Lang Son province in 2019.

Hoang said his job is to connect exporters/importers with drivers/vehicle owners in Cao Loc district. He realised that each people can manage information on just around 20 trucks because each vehicle has a different size, capacity and delivery cost.

With his major in information technology, Hoang began developing a freight exchange in early 2019 and after six months, he successfully developed his mobile app IZIVAN.

Users can download IZIVAN to their smart phones from Apple Store or Google Play Store. This app has separate versions for goods and vehicle owners.

The one for goods owners provides information about goods to seek suitable trucks. Aside from seeking vehicles, goods owners can also order unloading and storage services. In the version for vehicle owners, users can see orders made by goods owners and quote them delivery costs. After that, goods owners can choose carriers suitable for them.

The app also enables users to track the shipment journey.

It is running on a trial basis at Huu Nghi International Border Gate. About 20 goods owners and 50 vehicle owners are using this app regularly. During the trial period, all transactions made on this platform are free of charge. After that, goods or vehicle owners will have to pay 2 – 3 percent of an order’ value for each successful transaction.

IZIVAN helps goods owners to have more options on vehicles and shipment costs while saving time and expenses. For vehicle owners, it helps them raise their incomes.

This freight exchange app won the third-place prize at the startup competition of Lang Son province in 2019. It is also the only project successfully pitching for 20,000 USD from local investors.

As Lang Son serves as a gateway for trading between Southeast Asian countries and China, the province is always busy with trading activities. Therefore, this app will be a practical support for goods and vehicle owners in export – import activities.