We live in the world of the app! In fact, according to DataProt, the average mobile phone user has 80 installed apps on their phone but only regularly uses nine. Whether you want to order a takeaway or see who is at your front door, there is an app to help.
Engineius has a network of more than 600 drivers and transport agents who cover the length and breadth of the UK. Successful logistics require planning, and thankfully, there are lots of apps to assist. We asked the drivers which apps they used and most importantly which they found most helpful in their working day.
It is worth mentioning that Engineius is a tech-enabled service itself, and all of its drivers use the Engineius app as an integral part of their job, so they are familiar with such technology. Its app provides the customer with real-time data and vehicle images at both ends of its journey. Text alerts provide notifications of progress and ETAs, while a full audit trail, GPS tracking, and timestamps provide full transparency to track the vehicle once it is on the move. But, which other apps do the drivers use to streamline their journeys?
Of the 122 respondents, 98% use an app for planning, with an overwhelming 85% choosing Google Maps to plot their routes. This comes as no surprise, as Zipdo reported earlier this year that Google Maps’ monthly active user rate was more than one billion! Google Maps dominates with a staggering 70% market share of the navigational needs of the smartphone user.
Waze was the only other planning app mentioned by the drivers and is favoured for its up-to-date traffic and congestion reporting. Globally, Waze is also a popular choice with more than 140 million users.
When it comes to booking public transport, more apps seem to come into play, but it is still dominated by one player, with Trainline at 51%. Drivers are savvy at buying their rail tickets in the most cost-effective way and will regularly pass tips on to other colleagues. The other apps voted by the drivers were: Trainsplit 19%, Splitsave 6%, Trainpal 10%, and then the minor players making up the remaining 14% are: LNER, Split Ticket, Split My Fare, Trip, and other regional train services.
The EV charging infrastructure is growing fast with new sites switching on each week, so keeping abreast of where they might be is perfectly assisted by the technology of an app. Any driver with a depleting battery and a journey to complete longer than their range needs to find an appropriate charging point. Once again, one player dominates among Engineius’ drivers with 84% opting to use Zap-Map. Other apps worthy of mention being used were BP Pulse, Chargemap, and Chargepoint.
Engineius’ customers are able to choose bespoke elements of their vehicle movement, one of which is getting a vehicle washed in close proximity to drop-off. An app to find the nearest car wash facility may not be a top choice for the average car owner, but it really comes into play for Engineius’ drivers. With 52% of drivers using Washlo in their mission to get the vehicle cleaned.
In the role of vehicle movement, a driver often needs to travel between drop-off and pick-up locations using public transport networks. A typical day can be a bit like planes, trains, and automobiles! Sometimes that day includes grabbing a taxi too. Uber is the dominant player here with 43% of drivers using this app, and Bolt coming in second at 7%.
Naturally, each app provider wants your business, and once you have downloaded their app, they can use this as a means to reach you, their customer. However, this can also offer you cost savings with discount codes and other marketing initiatives that are designed to encourage your repeat usage.
Nowadays apps are an intrinsic part of our domestic and work lives to the extent that their usage spreads through all aspects of our day-to-day life, and the lines are genuinely blurred. The app’s attraction is obvious, and its rich functionality accessed via a phone is set to dominate the preferred media choice of the masses, whether at work or play.
