AppAlert, a mobile application based real-time school bus tracking system based out of the US, has today raised close to $900,000 in a seed funding round from a group of angel investors. Along with that, company’s Indian subsidiary – AppAlert Online Services has launched a Cloud, Mobile only, real-time school bus tracking system.
The round was led by US based serial investor, Narinder Singh. Other investors remain undisclosed. As for deployment of this funds, AppAlert will use this capital to build and enhance the core application and to expand its service offerings in markets of Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and Australia. AppAlert has kicked off trials at more than 20+ schools in NCR and Mumbai encompassing 15,000 children.
Founded in 2015 by Ashuvinder Ahuj, AppAlert allows real-time tracking of school buses which exceeds the GPS compliance requirement by the Central Board of Secondary Education with roll-call capability from a complete list of children being ferried in the bus.
This interesting platform provides real time information to school authorities and parent alike, as to the whereabouts of the school bus en-route. In the event of an accident or breakdown, help can reach the school bus with immediacy.
AppAlert provides parents with a much needed alert system, to let them know when bus arrives at the student’s stop. For the school transport administration, the platform enables gathering information related to over-speeding, accidents/ breakdowns, unscheduled stops, harsh braking, traffic congestion and panic alarms.
The company only allows parent or parent-authorised individuals to receive the child and is planning to work with about 22 schools in the coming months.
AppAlert aims to bridge the gap between consumers and logistics, making it ubiquitous, reliable and secure. The mobile application sends live roll-call and instant boarding or deboarding notifications to parents.
This service is available on a subscription-based model for parents. The schools, who opts for the service, don’t have to pay anything other than buying a web-enabled Android phone where the driver taps the app each time a specific student has entered or exited the bus.
Ashuvinder Ahuj, co-founder of the company, said,
In today’s day and age when any and all information is available on one’s fingertips, it is unfair that parents and schools struggle with gathering and dissemination of such vital information on a daily basis. At AppAlert, we are working to provide meaningful solutions to this seemingly simple, yet emotionally draining problem.
We received funding to set up the app from a Delhi-based angel investor who is in the logistics business. We are looking to democratise the way in which the process of picking up children from the bus stop happens.
In its first release, the app has been designed to scale for over 2.5 million users. AppAlert parent app is available on Android and iPhone.
