An AI representation of what a friendly healthcare logistics driver may look like. Source: Adobe Stock
The Market Online - At The Bell

Join our daily newsletter At The Bell to receive exclusive market insights

Fleet management solutions provider Orcoda (ASX:ODA) has announced it’s heading into Q2 with four new clients under its belt in healthcare logistics arm, according to a press release supplied to The Market Online.

While Orcoda’s operations predominately focus on the commercial fleet hire sector, it has long maintained a division within its corporate structure that provides for the transport of mostly elderly Australians to and fro healthcare appointments.

Leveraging a Federal government-linked pilot program, Orcoda is jumping on board a program spearheaded by the federal Department of Health and Aged Care.

“Orcoda’s Community Transport software (OCT) has been selected to take part in the … trial and will play a crucial role in enhancing operational efficiency,” the company wrote on Wednesday.

“During the trial, OCT will enable providers to manage operations seamlessly while providing real-time data for informed decision-making.”

In this way, Orcoda remains uniquely placed as a non-healthcare stock with exposure to the ASX healthcare sector.

Orcoda’s OCT product finds itself embedded in the Canberra pilot by way of an admission from Albanese’s cabinet itself that the current systems in place to transit vulnerable Australians between appointments is lacklustre at best.

“At the core of the pilot’s reasoning lies the acknowledgment of deficiencies within the current transport pricing policy,” Orcoda said.

“The existing framework inadequately considers critical factors such as distance travelled, fuel costs, market dynamics, and the socio-economic factors of transport services.”

A look at the new clients picked up on Wednesday, according to Orcoda, makes clear what the company is signalling by looking at socio-economic factors.

Its new clients are the Derby Home and Community Care facility, a regional WA centre handling large volumes of Aboriginal Australians unable to get to appointments easily without assistance.

Similarly, the Noarlunga Volunteer Transport Service has followed in South Australia, a district handling elderly citizens otherwise at disadvantage to make it to appointments (and do daily chores and recreational activities.)

A second WA player, Astley Care, is located in Gosnells and largely deal with senior Australians. Finally, TransCare Hunter in NSW is a similar peer which will take on board Orcoda’s OCT product in an attempt to optimise operations.

“The collaboration between Orcoda and these important community service organisations signifies a commitment to enhancing community transport solutions and fostering greater independence and inclusion for individuals across Australia,” Orcoda said.

Orcoda shares last traded at 22.5c.

ODA by the numbers
More From The Market Online

Will copper prices continue to run? A look at how we got here & what experts think

Copper is having a bull run in YTD – that much is clear. So where do…

Aspire Mining secures approval for Ovoot Coking Coal Project road in Mongolia

Aspire Mining (ASX:AKM) has announced the approval of the Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) for the…