Leuven-based OTRA Solutions gets protection from its creditors. Entrepreneur Marc Coucke, through his vehicle Alychlo, invested in the platform that has the ambition to grow into a European Booking.com for truck parking.
OTRA wants to make a difference with a mobile reservation tool that allows drivers to make a guaranteed booking in a secure car park based on real-time parking information and make an insured payment online. Drivers will receive a QR code after reservation to enter the car park. The system is reminiscent of Booking.com for booking holiday accommodation.
Difficult waters
OTRA appears to be in difficult waters. The Leuven business court recently agreed to judicially organise the company. So reports business newspaper De Tijd. This is a system in which a company, under the supervision of a judge, has the chance to draw up a restructuring plan. In recent years, the Leuven-based company’s figures have coloured increasingly red.
The business model around secure truck parks seems to be struggling to get off the ground. In October last year, Group Bruno announced it would stop its secure truck parking operations. As a reason, the operator pointed to the too low profitability of the Limburg facilities.
Willingness to pay
However, the need for safe and comfortable parking spaces is high, the sector has pointed out on several occasions. At a conference in the European Parliament on the subject, the need for a change in mentality was raised. “Everyone wants secure and well-equipped car parks, no one is against it,” said Dirk Penasse of ESPORG, an organisation dedicated to safe truck parking in Europe. “For the business model of secure truck parking to succeed, there must be a willingness to pay to use such parking.”
