The State of Trucking, Logistics, Commercial Vehicle Startups in India in 2017 and 2018

The Indian Logistics sector , especially for start-ups, had a bitter sweet year in 2016 and 2017. The beginning of the year 2017 bought with it the effects of demonetisation which affected both demand and supply to some extent considering that the industry operated a whole lot on cash. However it also bought savings for them with cashless transactions, waiver of toll by government voluntarily for some time, and some relief in the budget.

Some startups also had to wind-up in 2016 itself due to it being a credit driven fragmented business.

Then in mid 2017 , after the roll-out of GST, there was positive impact as well and increase in efficiency for logistic providers. This was because stopping for checking and payment of various taxes became a thing of the past as most taxes were merged into GST.

The Innovations which Logistic Apps are bringing to this Sector

Logistics app have been trying to solve myriad problems of the commercial road transportation sector in India since last 2-3 years. Some of the innovations which the Startups have brought to the Logistics sector through App and back-end technologies are:

• Relay and Pitstop System by Startups such as Rivigo
• Advanced Tracking, Real-time Tracking & Distance – Mileage Calculations by Porter, Blackbuck etc.
• Load Sharing and Part Load Pickups
• Real-time Pickup / Drop-off Info. with Signature collection
• Route Optimisation and Traffic Management
• Pilferage Checks and Asset Management Integration
• On Demand availability of Carriers and Reverse Bid Pricing

Are you looking for a Logistics, Trucking or On Demand Transport App Development Company? We may be able to help you out with our expertise in more than 5 such projects earlier.

With the above innovations in mind, lets look at 6 Logistic Apps and their corresponding companies which are driving the biggest changes in Indian road freight and logistics sector.

First, let’s look at the Criterion for Selection in this List
a) At least a few hundred reviews and more than a thousand downloads
b) At least 6 months since launch
c) Highly Awarded or Highly Rated . At-least better than 3.5 rating
d) Company or Business Strength.
e) Uniqueness, Feature Rich, Usefulness
f) A new app may be considered if a very unique and different idea

Note & Disclaimer: E-commerce, Courier & Food delivery Apps have been kept out of purview and will be tackled in another review. Creative Spark Solutions has no commercial relationship with any of the App providers at the time of publishing of this list.

We’ve also tried to provide a diverse range of apps and startups which service multiple sectors ranging from last mile delivery providers to inter-state deliveries, to large scale delivery networks to movers and packers.

1. Rivigo App

RIVIGO Pilot App for it’s Truckers to Manage Duty and Trips

What does Rivigo do?
Rivigo is a prime entrant in our list – but not really because of its App. Rivigo’s business model requires more than 1 App apart from many other technological components, services and infrastructure. But the main innovation brought about by Rivigo has to do with its innovative approach to Trucking.
Rivigo’s differentiation is the ‘Relay’ methodology used by its fleet is lowering delivery time considerably while increasing satisfaction, safety and efficiency of drivers. As an example: the 2121 km between Delhi to Bangalore is broken up into 16 relay stations, with drivers instructed by smartphone about the exact time of each handover. Since no resting or layover time is required due to relays – journey time is reduced considerably and efficiency increases.

Apart from this, Rivigo is using Data science, Analytics, Advanced tracking, Safety and Pilferage checks using technologies and other such innovations to become one of the biggest and a very very efficient commercial logistics provider in India.

Ratings and Users
(Multiple Apps by them – Pilot App Ratings considered here)
4.7/5 over 161 reviews (as on Nov 30, 2017).
Installs: 5000 – 10,000
Coverage / Services: According to the company , it has it’s own fleet of 2000 along with 70 + pit stops. And claims to reach any location within 3 days as compared to 7-8 day industry average.

2. Porter App

Porter App for Logistics, Top Logistics mobile app

What does the Porter App do ?
Porter was in the news in December 2016 for securing a Series B investment. Founded in August 2014 by IIT Kanpur alumni, it provides intra-city logistics for new and existing businesses. Its App provides a Book Now, Book Later service allowing current Pickups nearby as well as scheduling a pick-up in advance. The Quick Book option also allows a booking without needing to fill receivers name , address etc. , if such a booking has already been done earlier. It appears to be providing prominent options for hiring smaller vehicles such as Ace, Intra-City Tempo etc. as well.

Ratings and Users
4.0 / 5 from over 2,028 reviews (as on 30 Nov 2017)
100,000 – 500,000 Installs
Coverage / Services / Unique Points: Available in Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. Provides users with vehicles ranging from 7 Feet to 19 Feet. Using innovative load management and order allocation, able to offer most of its drivers a return trip load as well, according to this recent article.

3. Blackbuck App

Blackbuck app for Logistics, Freight Management

What does the Blackbuck App do?
BlackBuck serves 200 + customers which include Unilever, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, Jyothy Laboratories, Amul, Britannia, Godrej, Asian Paints, ITC etc. It claims to have more than 200,000 trucks em-panelled on the platform from 250 locations across India. It’s App also assists its partners by providing details such as: highest diesel savings, discount on the purchase of tyres and lubricants, low premium truck insurance etc on the booking made.

Blackbuck also appears to be allowing load sharing and has launched a unique Load-Finding app as well. However these apps appear to be having low usage currently, based on the stats available on Google Play page.

Ratings and Users
For SME App: Android: 4.2/5 over 51 reviews (as on 30th Nov 2017)
5000 – 10,000 installs.
For Load Sharing App: 4.3 /5 in over 149 reviews
10,000 – 50,000 installs.

Coverage / Services: (According to their Google Play Store page) “We have a pan India Presence with 250+ Locations, 200,000 + Reliable High Quality Trucks, 500+ Satisfied Customers.”

Cities covered include:
• Gujarat: Kandla, Mundra, Morbi, Gandhidham, Jamnagar
• Rajasthan: Udaipur, Kishangarh, Rajsamand, Vallabhnagar
• Haryana & Punjab: Karnal, Panipat, Ludhiana, Amritsar
• Maharasthra: Raigad
• Tamil Nadu: Tuticorin
• Karnataka: Hosur

4. Lynk App

Lynk Mobile App for Logistics

What does the Lynk App do?
According to their Google Play store page: You can use it to Hire a mini-truck or goods carrier within minutes using the Lynk Android app and track it on your screen right through delivery – hassle-free, haggle-free trucking. Say goodbye to KM based pricing and get 10% cashback on every Lynk money booking.
So basically you have more choice here with lower loads and smaller vehicles. Web platform is also available. Seems to be making good use of cashback, coupons etc.

Ratings and Users
4.4 / 5 over 2172 ratings.
1 Lakh – 5 Lakh installs.
Currently Servicing: Chennai, Hyderabad

5. Trukky App

Trukky is one of the top 6 Trucking and Logistics App

What does the Trukky app do?
Trukky is an aggregator and online logistics platform and claims to be servicing more than 50 locations in India. Established since 2015, it’s going strong and has received some funding as well. Trukky’s unique value proposition is based on providing not just full body but also load sharing services to clients in India. According to a recent article they are doing around 400 transactions per month with an average ticket size of Rs. 15,000.

Ratings and Users
4.1 / 5 in over 107 ratings.
Installs: 1000 – 5000 installs.
Currently Servicing: More than 50 locations in India. Both Full-Load and Load Sharing. Claims to have a Network of around 5000 truckers.

6. Packerswala App

Packerwala a Top Moving and Packing App

What does the Packerwala app do ?
Packerswala is our pick of the logistic apps in the moving and packing category. Other Apps which appear to be doing well are Professional Packers, Aggarwal Packers and Movers etc. But Packerswala appeared to have a decent no. of installs and decent positive reviews, and hence our selection. The app itself seems to be simple enough with simple booking options allowing you to provide a list of items to be moved or photos. The main thing which makes packing and moving a professional business is the service behind it and the app or IT is only the enabler.

What customers are looking for packing and moving companies is:
– Transparent quotation which does not get changed
– On Time service and no false commitments on arrival and delivery times
– Safe movement of goods without scratches
– Courteous and understanding staff.

Ratings and Users
4.2 /5 over 115 reviews (as on 30-Nov-2017)
Installs: 10,000 – 50,000
Currently Servicing: Claims to cover 38 cities in India including the metros and major cities.

Looking for Logistics Iphone or Android app development from India ? With more than 5 Logistics / Moving related apps already built , we can help you out. Creative Spark is a Logistics / Shipping Mobile app Development Company operating from Delhi, serving global clients out of India. Trucking and Moving , Shipping Packing Apps are now important for any Shipping, Trucking, Logistics and Courier company. We have app development template for such companies and can help you build a Logistics app to transform your business. We have office base in Gurgaon as well and Gurgaon is one of the Logistics hub of North India. So we can provide you onsite support and services and cost effective app development in Delhi, Gurgaon, NCR , Mumbai, North India.
OR
Are you looking for mobile app developer for App like Porter, mobile app developer for app like Trukky, Blackbuck etc.

Inquire to Get the details.

*Image Credits: Google PlayStore page , App’s Website . All rights with App owners