Text2Drive

What Text2Drive does

Text2Drive is a US-based vertical SaaS platform that provides text-messaging, video, and mobile-bill-payment automation to franchised automotive dealerships. The company was founded in 2008 and operates as a subsidiary of Vehlo, an automotive-SaaS strategic parent. Its platform is built around customizable SMS templates, automated messaging workflows, and a suite of fixed-operations modules — Service Reminders, Video Tools, MPI+ multipoint inspections, Recall notifications, Lease Expiration alerts, Speed Checkout with FraudProtect, Parts Obsolescence, and a Compliance module that records and archives TCPA/FCPA-compliant communications. The product integrates with major Dealer Management Systems (DMS) and is delivered as a cloud-based, mobile-first application accessed via web and mobile login.

The company monetizes through annual SaaS subscriptions sold on a quote-based enterprise model, supplemented by a credit-card and remote payment-processing stream that charges transaction fees on dealership payments. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales targeting fixed-operations directors and sales managers at dealership groups, with a parallel top-down channel via OEM partner relationships that validate and recommend the platform to their dealer networks. Roughly 18 enterprise dealer-group customers are publicly named, including Billion Auto Group (35 stores), SaffordAuto (26 stores), Marino CDJR (500 employees), Zeigler, Fields, Earnhardt Lexus, Lester Glenn Group, and Sheehy. Headcount sits in the 11–50 range, and the company holds two granted US patents (8.907.816 and 10.586.292) covering dealership communication technology, with additional applications pending.

Operationally, the company positions itself as a people-first communications platform purpose-built for the dealership fixed-ops workflow, claiming a 98% text-message open rate, a 45% sales and service response rate, $20,000 in additional monthly revenue per full-solution client, and CSI-score improvements (e.g., from 40% to 90% at Flow, and a top-10-in-region ranking within 30 days for Sheehy Glenn). Revenue, funding, and detailed growth metrics are not disclosed in the source data, and the company appears to be self-funded with no venture rounds in evidence.

Name

Text2Drive

Legal name

Text2Drive

Website

https://text2Drive.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Dealership Communication Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

SMS/MMS & Messaging Marketing Services (Text, RCS, WhatsApp/OTT) (MPAAAIAB)

Keywords

• Dealership communication platform
• Automotive SMS messaging
• Dealership mobile payments
• Automotive customer engagement
• Fixed operations software

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. SaaS Platform Subscription: Subscription-based communication platform for automotive dealerships providing text messaging, video tools, inspections, and checkout capabilities
2. Credit Card Processing: Credit card and remote processing services for dealerships - mentioned as beating bank rates with 26 stores on platform

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Text2Drive provides a unified, mobile-first SaaS communications platform built specifically for automotive dealerships, enabling customizable text messaging, automated service reminders, video communication tools, multipoint inspections, recall and lease expiration notifications, and contactless mobile bill payment with FraudProtect. The platform integrates with Dealer Management Systems (DMS) and is designed to help dealerships streamline compliance with FCPA and TCPA regulations, improve CSI scores, retain customers, and drive fixed-operations revenue.

Product overview

TEXT2DRIVE is a unified dealership communications platform built for automotive dealerships, providing customizable text templates and automated messaging capabilities. The platform includes multiple integrated modules: Service Reminders, Video Tools, Multipoint Inspections (T2D MPI+), Recalls, Lease Expiration alerts, Contactless Checkout/Speed Checkout with FraudProtect, Compliance management, and Parts Obsolescence tools. The platform integrates with dealer DMS systems and is designed to work on mobile devices. Key claimed metrics include 98% text message open rate, $20,000 in additional monthly revenue potential, and 45% sales and service response rate.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Speed Checkout™: Mobile bill payment with FraudProtect™ and contactless checkout for streamlining the payment cycle from start to finish.
• FraudProtect™
• MPI+

Products and services

• Service Reminders Automated text-based service reminder messaging that prompts vehicle owners to schedule maintenance appointments, driving customer retention and service revenue for automotive dealerships.
• Video Tools Video creation and sharing capabilities that enable dealership service and sales teams to create repair and vehicle demo videos and send them directly to customers, increasing transparency and trust.
• Multipoint Inspections (T2D MPI+) Integrated multipoint inspection solution that helps service advisors show and sell recommended services, build trust, drive retention, and generate fixed-operations revenue.
• Recalls Recall notification module that enables dealerships to pull reports of customers impacted by recalls and notify them via text, maximizing efficiency while building customer relationships.
• Lease Expiration Automated lease expiration alerts that help dealerships retain customers and boost revenue through proactive text messages for lease renewals, upsells, and new vehicle sales.
• Speed Checkout with FraudProtect Mobile bill payment with FraudProtect fraud protection and contactless checkout that streamlines the dealership payment cycle and integrates seamlessly with dealer DMS systems.
• Compliance Communication compliance module designed around FCPA and TCPA consumer laws, featuring recorded and archived text communications with customer opt-out options for legal peace of mind.
• Parts Obsolescence Inventory management and customer communication tool that reduces parts obsolescence through streamlined inventory management and timely special order parts notifications.
• TEXT2DRIVE Communications Platform Unified, mobile-first SaaS communications platform built for automotive dealerships, offering customizable text templates, automated messaging, video tools, multipoint inspections, recall and lease notifications, contactless bill payment, and compliance, integrating with dealer DMS systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% text messaging open rate
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VehlocoreOthersParent company powering TEXT2Drive platform. Footer indicates 'Driven by Vehlo' with link to vehlo.com. Vehlo appears to be the parent organization behind TEXT2Drive.
• OEM PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOEM partner program for automotive manufacturers. Page exists at /oem-partners/ listing OEM partnerships that validate and recommend TEXT2DRIVE to their dealer networks.
• Preferred PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreferred partner program for third-party vendors and integrators. Page exists at /preferred-partners/ for ecosystem partnerships.
• DMS VendorscoreTechnology or IntegrationDealer Management System integration partnerships enabling seamless connectivity with dealership DMS platforms. Mentioned as working 'seamlessly with your DMS'.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Birdeye: Birdeye is a customer experience and messaging platform that explicitly serves automotive dealerships with SMS, reviews, and surveys. It overlaps with Text2Drive's service-reminder, survey, and customer-feedback workflows and competes for the same fixed-ops buyer.
• Kenect: Kenect is a texting, reviews, and payments platform purpose-built for automotive dealerships. It targets the same dealership fixed-ops and BDC personas as Text2Drive and offers comparable SMS, video, and contactless payment capabilities.
• Podium: Podium is a leading customer messaging and review platform with deep penetration in automotive dealerships. It competes head-to-head with Text2Drive on SMS-based service-to-sales communication, online reviews, and contactless payments for dealer fixed ops.

Emerging players

• Reputation.com: Reputation.com offers a customer experience platform with surveys, messaging, and listings management that overlaps with Text2Drive's review/survey and customer-feedback workflows for dealers and other multi-location businesses.
• Dealer Center / DealerCenter: DealerCenter offers an all-in-one dealer management platform with built-in texting, CRM, and desking tools. It overlaps with Text2Drive's SMS and BDC use cases as an integrated alternative for independent and small franchised dealers.

Others

• Twilio: Twilio is a communications-platform-as-a-service provider that powers SMS, voice, and messaging APIs. While not a direct competitor to Text2Drive's dealer workflow UI, it is the underlying messaging infrastructure competitor could use or that Text2Drive itself may rely on.

Broad incumbents

• CDK Global: CDK Global is the largest US DMS provider, with growing native CRM and customer-engagement capabilities. Its scale and OEM relationships make it the dominant incumbent Text2Drive must integrate alongside rather than displace.
• Salesforce (Automotive Cloud): Salesforce offers automotive CRM and customer engagement tooling at large enterprise dealer groups. It is not a specialist messaging vendor but represents the broad incumbent CRM that large dealer groups may consolidate toward over time.
• VinSolutions (CDK Global): VinSolutions, owned by CDK Global, is a major dealer CRM with built-in messaging, lead handling, and customer engagement. It represents the DMS-aligned incumbent that can bundle messaging into a wider stack, pressuring standalone dealers like Text2Drive.
• DealerSocket (PBS Systems): DealerSocket (now part of PBS Systems) is a broad dealer CRM and marketing platform that includes SMS messaging, BDC tools, and customer engagement features. It competes as a full-suite incumbent where Text2Drive is a specialist communications overlay.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/text2drive

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Text2Drive