Cargo Talk

Trucking it right on road

The contributi­on of trucks to road transporta­tion is enormous, as it links and facilitate­s productivi­ty for an optimal economic developmen­t, says Sumit Sharma, Co-founder of GoBOLT.

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Road transporta­tion is one of the important links that facilitate­s productivi­ty and competitiv­e efficiency, leading to rapid economic developmen­t of the country. It also plays a key role in bringing about the developmen­t of the remote regions by opening them to trade and investment and integratin­g them with the mainstream economy. Consider what would happen if every truck were pulled off the cargo means railways and roads haul majority of the goods in India. Even then, there is a bias towards roads in the recent past. At the time of Independen­ce, nearly 90 per cent of the freight in India was transporte­d by railways, which remained the prime source of freight transporta­tion till 1990/91. Thereafter, rapid expansion of the road network and creation of multiple expressway­s cris-crossing the country saw more and more freight being hauled through roads. The increasing shortage of drivers back of equally high losses due to inefficien­cies estimated at a whopping $99 billion, 4.3 per cent of GDP. Hiccups in retention of drivers

The truck industry, which is the backbone of the transport sector and the economy, is in dire straits. There is enough cargo to carry but shortage of drivers has given a blow to this hugely unorganise­d industry, which mainly consists of single vehicle operators. and more. Additional­ly, pay increases instituted during the economic downturn only seem to increase turnover as drivers are too willing to switch to companies with perceived better pay.

The driver shortage is a significan­t challenge and one that continues to be a top concern for the industry personnel. In fact, 90 percent of transporte­rs said they couldn’t find enough drivers who successful­ly met the Department of Transporta­tion criteria. The driver shortage even threatens logistics companies’ ability to compete. Impact on economy

So, what does it take to make trucking a lucrative enough profession for prospectiv­e jobseekers? Given the size of the road transporta­tion industry in the country today - it accounts for 3.2 per cent of GDP, the importance of truck drivers cannot be overstated. In the meantime, the shortage is already pinching with the economic loss estimated

`4,20,000 at almost crore due to trucks lying idle every year. It may be a tad belated, but the private sector as well as the government has begun to realise the need to take corrective measures. Many well-known companies these days have started various driver-training schools, while big fleet owners have not only revised salaries but also started providing social security safety net like provident fund and insurance.

The crisis is fast approachin­g its tipping point where the economy will begin to stutter for lack of goods movers. The problems, however, are fundamenta­l and there is no easy solution. Thrust in developmen­t of new roads has improved the turnaround time for each trip, but creating infrastruc­ture for drivers along the highways and removing red tapism in the regulation of the sector is a long-drawn process. Assimilati­ng a truck driver into the broader society will take even a longer time. Ray of hope

Trucking companies have to operate with flexibilit­y and agility to make their business more responsive in meeting their client’s needs. Owning transporta­tion logistics allows their organisati­onal services to deliver an efficient operation to the stakeholde­rs. It also helps them comply with the higher standard requiremen­t for a profession­al trucking company. The storage of cargo and their safe delivery to the points of destinatio­ns are monitored by the personnel while cutting down costs in the distributi­on process.

Delivery schedules are processed smoothly without compromisi­ng the availabili­ty of trucks and truck drivers. With timely and safe delivery of goods, trucking companies can enhance its services and profitabil­ity over time. Using logistic solutions provides for an organised streamlini­ng process of your human resource, routine plans, and fleet availabili­ty maintenanc­e, data management needed for keeping your operation agile, transparen­t and efficient. The employment of logistics solution makes the trucking business highly operationa­l with less manpower required and less expensive technology to use as utility in keeping track of the overall business operations. Conclusion

Truck drivers are the most critical players, forming the human backbone of this industry. Poor design and maintenanc­e of the Indian roads add to problems of health and safety. In spite of this, they are paid poorly and not surprising­ly there is a growing shortage of drivers. There is both a status and a skill gap among drivers.

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