Taupo-based startup Road Ninja is set to launch its new peer-to-peer employment platform and app, aimed to “revolutionise” the recruitment and labour-hire market across New Zealand’s transport industry.
Dubbed the ‘Uber of commercial driving,’ Road Ninja connects businesses requiring additional drivers with a network of skilled, ready-to-work driving professionals.
The app officially launches next month, and will use a subscription-only offering.
“My passion for the transport and logistics industry began over two decades ago when I worked as a driver guide, showcasing New Zealand to tourists,” said Bodhi Vette, CEO and founder of Road Ninja.
“Recognising the potential professional driving offers, I advanced my career with additional licences, drove a range of heavy-good vehicles, and eventually ran my own driver-hire business. This experience sparked the idea for Road Ninja.”
Designed in New Zealand, Road Ninja caters specifically to businesses in the transport market. Offering a fixed monthly or annual subscription fee, businesses gain unlimited access to the platform, allowing them to recruit skilled drivers permanently or through the gig economy model, without any restrictions, additional charges, or commissions.
To ensure quality and reliability, Road Ninja also thoroughly vets every driver before making their profiles public. It also provides a comprehensive tech-based ecosystem designed to support both businesses operating in the driver-hire market and the drivers themselves.
“To help businesses streamline the recruiting and hiring process, we verify each driver’s licence, conduct criminal history checks, and carry out reference checks to make the onboarding process as seamless as possible. Businesses can also use the platform to analyse key statistics to better manage both jobs and driver,” said Vette.
“Our ultimate goal for Road Ninja is to sign up as many businesses as possible and deliver exceptional value to the industry,” he said. We will therefore introduce the industry’s first-ever subscription-only driver-hire and recruitment plan to the market and will not charge any commission fees. This is a game-changer for the entire transport and logistics industry.
Vette adds: “Unlike traditional recruiter models, where fees and commissions are often hidden and factored into the costs businesses incur, thereby reducing the wages passed on to drivers, Road Ninja is setting new precedents.
“We will be the first platform within our industry to introduce a subscription-based model designed specifically to support drivers and businesses,” Vette said.
“This innovative approach ensures drivers earn their full wage without any deductions for commissions or fees added on top of their rate, truly reflecting our commitment to putting drivers first. And for businesses, there is just one fixed cost, regardless of how many people they hire or recruit, making the platform extremely cost efficient.”
Drivers can create a professional profile at no cost, set their own hourly rates and terms based on their experience, and access a wide array of job opportunities from various companies.
Additional Road Ninja features include:
- Access to a suite of industry-leading tools to help drivers effectively showcase their work experience, credentials, and qualifications.
- The ability for drivers to receive and display job reviews, adding transparency and credibility.
- Advanced digital CV capabilities, along with the opportunity to create a video profile. This helps drivers stand out to potential employers and secure employment, ranging from short-term gigs to permanent positions.
- Assistance with managing legal documents.
- Access to Log Ninja, a complimentary digital logbook.
“After years of development, seeing Road Ninja launch nationally is incredibly gratifying,” said Vette.
“Our dedicated, Taupo-based team is immensely proud of our achievements and we are excited about the future opportunities our platform will create in New Zealand, and potentially beyond.”
