Rainham-based Forest Freight is rolling out Mandata’s Manifest transport management app across its 60 vehicles to help futureproof the business.

The investment will help the £9m turnover transport operator to migrate to a digital POD (proof of delivery) solution.

Drivers are currently being equipped with new smartphones to allow them to click into the app to confirm that deliveries have been completed before sending a confirmation to the customer.

In time, this will enable Forest Freight’s despatch department to reduce the period it takes to invoice for jobs as it moves away from paper-based systems.

The Mandata Manifest app sends work instructions to the driver enabling them to see the sequence of jobs, obtain signatures as proof of delivery and POD photos of paperwork and non-conformance.

Charlie Lunn, Forest Freight’s IT and communications manager, said: “We are investing now in the latest mobile app technology to drive significant cost and time saving advantages, and streamline our operations as we look to future proofing the company.

“The ability to easily and quickly call-up a customer expecting a delivery to let them know about any issues or delays due to traffic problems, is proving to be one of the app’s more popular features with drivers.”