Redefining logistics in India
Technology adoption has played a crucial part in reshaping the logistics business, which is also TruckBhejo’s core competency. Nilesh Ghule, Co-founder and CEO, TruckBhejo, sheds light on how technology is revolutionising the logistics sector.
Please elaborate on TruckBhejo and the services it offers.
TruckBhejo is a technology-led logistics company that focusses on providing reliable, efficient and capacity-agnostic trucking solutions to its customers. It also provides end-to-end trucking solutions across the supply chain, be it the first, middle or the last mile of delivery catering to all major industries, such as leading FMCG, manufacturing, telecom, e-Commerce, e-Grocery and retail companies as its clients. Facilitating growth in scale and providing smart solutions by leveraging technology is the core differentiator.
Truck drivers have indeed come out as unsung heroes offering service relentlessly during the pandemic. What is your take on it?
It is worth praising the way truck drivers have operated in the pandemic, against all odds. They went above and beyond the call of duty without taking a single day off, criss-crossing through the country to keep the economy moving. Just like doctors, nurses, and the paramedic staff that did their best to save as many lives as possible.
With an unprecedented rise of the e-Commerce industry, how has the logistics sector coped with the demand?
The logistics industry has done well, because the micro entrepreneurs saw an opportunity and gave it their all. For any e-Commerce set-up to survive, it needs to ensure its products reach the consumer as fast as possible. The Indian trucking community has around 15 million commercial vehicles. Of these, almost three million vehicles are run by people who are micro entrepreneurs, that is, people who own and also drive their vehicle. These micro entrepreneurs offer reliability in the service, and are costeffective. Then of course, there are companies with large fleets, who are also constantly upgrading. All in all, the Indian logistics sector is becoming efficient and growing in reach.
How has technology redefined the logistics sector in making it more seamless and visible?
Technology adoption has played a key role in redefining the logistics industry and incidentally that is the core competence of TruckBhejo too.
Technology reduces redundancies and fosters scales, both of which are key tasks of the logistics industry. Be it the
unlimited amount of paper work, seamless coordination across geographies or multiple touch points in the supply chain, technology adoption eliminated all these speed breakers. Additionally, it provided visibility of order-book to truck owner drivers, customers and the platform, enabled traceability, and reverse logistics management, thereby, fostering a rapid rise in scale without any disruption in the supply chain across industries.
With cost-effective internet data packages, technology adoption has grown multifold in the recent past on both fronts – truck owner drivers and customers, who acted as a boon for the logistics industry, and specifically players like us who offer technology-enabled logistics solutions.
The logistics industry has done well, because the micro entrepreneurs saw an opportunity and gave it their all