Log your trips & keep track of distances traveled via SMS

TripLog, a South African startup by the guys over at Platform 45, lets you log your daily trips via SMS. This is a simple and practical solution that meets local needs. Something that we discussed at Barcamp Johannesburg, most innovation and web solutions come out of Silicon Valley. This means that the solutions solves problems there which may not apply in other parts of the world.

Why Log your trips?

In South Africa, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) offers tax rebates on traveling done for business purposes. Though you have to keep a log of all your trips done for business purposes. Prior to TripLog, you either had to manually record this in a physical logbook and to this day there are still people who do this, or manually update on a spreadsheet. Both of these options are cumbersome and time consuming.
How does it work?

You simply register, with your email address, mobile number and password. Confirm your account via email, and you will receive a confirmation SMS and you are ready to log your trips. To log all you need to do is send an SMS to a short code in the following format:

Opening Kilometres, Closing Kilometres, Destination, Purpose

For example:
100000, 100200, Pretoria, Board Meeting

The information is almost immediately displayed online in your personal logbook.

The site allows you to export your log book for a sepcified that, which can then be printed and submited for your tax return. SMS’s are charged at R1.50 (+- $ 0.15c). TripLog is a web 2.0 startup with a real business model, that could prove to be quite lucrative and has enterprise applications as well. Companies with a large number of vehicles, sales people or reps would require a service like this. TripLog could be extended by catering for enterprises i.e multiple log books that can be viewed from a single account.

Popularity: 25% [?]