The verdict in three sentences
A B2B booking platform for three HGV inspection centres costs, as a 2026 ballpark, 15,000 to 35,000 EUR excl. VAT with a European agency (about 13,000 to 30,000 GBP in the UK), over 8 to 14 weeks. The core value lies in multi-vehicle fleet accounts, managing 4 inspection lanes per centre and SMS reminders, which cut missed appointments by about 30 %. Payment at booking and automatic delivery of test certificates turn the tool into a sales argument with hauliers.
What the platform must do, module by module
The manager of three Authorised Testing Facilities around Leeds currently takes bookings by phone and email, with lane slots blocked in a shared spreadsheet. Hauliers run 10 to 200 vehicles and want to plan annual tests and retests without calling. Here are the modules and their weight in the budget.
| Module | Function | 2026 ballpark |
|---|---|---|
| Slot engine | 4 lanes per centre, durations by test type (rigid, tractor unit, trailer) | 3,500 to 7,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Fleet accounts | Registration import, due dates, several users per haulier | 3,000 to 6,500 EUR excl. VAT |
| SMS and email reminders | D-7, D-1, retest follow-up | 1,500 to 3,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Payment at booking | Card, deposit or direct debit for key accounts | 2,000 to 4,500 EUR excl. VAT |
| Document area | Upload and download of test certificates, history per vehicle | 2,000 to 5,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Centre back office | Planning, staff absence, lane closures, statistics | 3,000 to 9,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Total | Three centres, B2B | 15,000 to 35,000 EUR excl. VAT |
At Kolonell, a medium-complexity application of this kind costs 4 M to 7 M FCFA, i.e. 6,100 to 10,670 EUR. If the project includes a connector to the testing system or monthly invoicing per fleet account, it moves into the complex bracket, 7 M to 15 M FCFA (10,670 to 22,870 EUR). Maintenance costs 35,000 to 120,000 FCFA per month depending on the support level.
Missed appointments: the figure that justifies the project
An idle HGV lane is expensive, because the tester and DVSA-approved equipment are paid whether the lorry turns up or not. The table compares five common set-ups.
| Set-up | Observed no-show rate | Effect on planning |
|---|---|---|
| Phone and spreadsheet | 12 to 18 % | Lost slots, manual overbooking |
| Online booking without reminders | 9 to 13 % | Fewer calls, same absences |
| Online booking with SMS reminders | 6 to 9 % | About 30 % fewer no-shows |
| Booking with online deposit | 3 to 6 % | Rare no-shows, earlier cancellations |
| Fleet accounts with automatic due-date schedule | 3 to 5 % | Tests planned weeks ahead |
These ranges are field estimates. The most lasting effect comes from the per-vehicle schedule: once the platform knows each vehicle's annual test date, it offers the slot to the fleet manager before they think about it.
Regulatory and technical points to scope
HGV testing in Great Britain follows a strict framework: annual test, retests within set time limits, and results recorded in the DVSA system with a certificate issued to the operator. The platform does not replace DVSA's MOT testing service used on the lane; it organises the flow around it. Three questions should be settled at scoping: who uploads certificates (automatic import or manual upload), how long documents are kept, and how drivers' personal data is handled under UK GDPR. Hosting in the UK or the EU makes tenders from large hauliers easier to answer.
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Mark, who runs three HGV testing centres around Leeds, carries out about 1,100 tests a month at an average of 160 EUR excl. VAT. His no-show rate is 14 %, around 180 lost slots per month, of which he manages to resell 40 %. The 108 slots truly lost represent about 17,300 EUR of monthly revenue. A 30 % reduction in no-shows recovers nearly 32 slots, about 5,200 EUR per month. On a 25,000 EUR platform, payback is around 5 months, before counting time saved on the phones. This scenario is illustrative.
FAQ
How long does it take to launch the platform?
Allow 8 to 14 weeks, including 2 weeks of scoping and 2 weeks of testing with pilot hauliers. Rolling out one centre at a time limits risk on the planning.
Will hauliers really book online?
Fleets of more than 20 vehicles adopt quickly because they save planning time. Plan hands-on support for the 10 largest accounts, which often make up 40 to 60 % of volume.
Should payment at booking be mandatory?
For owner-drivers and small firms, an online deposit brings no-shows down to 3 to 6 %. For key accounts, monthly invoicing with cancellation terms remains preferable.
Can the platform connect to the testing system?
Only through what DVSA and your lane software allow, often a file export, which usually adds 3,000 to 8,000 EUR. Otherwise, uploading a certificate manually takes less than a minute per test.
What recurring costs should we expect?
UK SMS cost around 0.04 to 0.07 GBP each, about 130 GBP a month for 1,100 tests with two reminders. Add hosting and maintenance, 35,000 to 120,000 FCFA per month at Kolonell.
Let's scope your project. Tell us how many centres, lanes and fleet accounts you run: we price the booking MVP first, then the payment and document modules. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
