Govt must standardise the time taken for loading and unloading trucks and mandate timelines. It would be a significant step forward in improving turnaround times and reducing bottlenecks, says Reema Jogani, Chairperson, Women’s Wing, All India Transporters’ Welfare Association (AITWA).
Ritika Arora Bhola
What are the biggest challenges facing the transport sector in India?
Transporters today are burdened by challans — local and centralised — many of which impose high penalties for even minor violations. There is a need to standardise enforcement and introduce a reasonable tolerance in speed monitoring. Penalising a vehicle for clocking 43 kmph in a 40 km per hour zone with a Rs. 4,000 fine is unfair and counterproductive. A 10 kmph buffer could create a fairer
system, while still promoting road safety.
Another long-term challenge attracting quality to the industry is — that many businesses are built with the goal of being sold or raising private equity, rather than being scaled as institutions. This short-termism often leads to a focus on margins at the expense of vision, innovation and workforce development. Endless construction work and poorly managed detours delay deliveries, damaging vehicles and increasing fuel costs.
These issues are painful for time-sensitive sectors such as pharma and perishables. Highway congestion leads to hours of unproductive vehicle time. System glitches and long queues remain common despite FASTag. Lack of rest stops, good roads, sanitation facilities and food access on key highways compounds the issue, hurting driver morale and retention.
Toll expenses have spiralled, especially for long-distance routes. For many small and mid-sized operators, these rising costs are unsustainable when the road quality does not justify the toll amount. The non-uniform tolling systems across states make matters worse. India is also facing a
severe shortage of trained commercial drivers — only 750 drivers per 1,000 trucks.
How has the rise in fuel prices, environmental regulations and infra changes impacted your members?
Transporters in India are under pressure due to rising fuel prices, stricter environmental regulations and ongoing infrastructure changes. Frequent hikes in diesel prices have impacted margins. Environmental mandates, such as the shift to BS-VI and vehicle scrappage policies have raised fleet upgrade costs and compliance burdens. While the push for EVs is growing, limited infra and high initial investment make adoption challenging.
Infra projects — necessary for long-term growth — are a reason for delays, congestion and detours that reduce efficiency and lead to driver fatigue. Rising toll costs without matching improvements in road quality strain transporter finances. Fuel is uncertain due to geo-political tensions, which means we end up doing business with uncertain margins to retain clientele.
What is AITWA’s role in advocating transport policies at the state and national levels?
AITWA plays a key role in driving policy-level interventions, primarily at the central level. Our efforts are focused on engaging with the government to promote overall growth and efficiency of the transport and logistics sector. This includes advocacy on critical matters such as GST reforms, amendments to the Carriage by Road Act, taxation policies and other regulatory issues that impact the industry.
We recently raised concerns with the Reserve Bank of India related to the impounding of trucks by financiers, especially where these vehicles transport cargo. Such actions severely disrupt logistics operations, causing delays, financial losses and operational uncertainties for all stakeholders involved — transporters, customers and financiers.
Do you believe the government should implement policies to support transporters?
One key area where support is needed is standardising the time taken for loading and unloading trucks. If the govt mandates timelines for these processes, it would be significant in improving turnaround times and reducing operational bottlenecks.
Another area of concern is the issuance of challans, especially for speeding or traffic violations committed by drivers. Digitising and making challans instantly accessible to drivers can serve as a valuable tool not only in raising awareness but also encouraging behavioural changes. The development of more driver rest areas along highways is essential.
How is AITWA promoting sustainability in transportation — EVs or green logistics?
The association has been contributing to sustainability initiatives in the transport sector. The association is part of the think tank at the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries and NITI Aayog, where the focus is on accelerating adoption of zero-emission trucks and promoting cleaner logistics solutions. In line with this vision, we have established the GreenGrid Forum — a dedicated platform designed to bring together electric vehicle (EV) fleet owners, prospective adopters, technology providers and policy stakeholders.
The objective is to facilitate a smoother transition to electric mobility, address practical challenges and drive policy reforms supporting the growth of green fleets in India.
What are your top priorities as the chairperson of the association?
Unite women in the transport industry to collaborate with purpose, lead change and engage in dialogue with government bodies for impactful advocacy. Bring more women and drivers into the system. To partner with association leaders to support industry welfare and contribute to important initiatives, including promoting recent projects and developments.
Promote unity among the transporters by encouraging collaboration and facilitating knowledge-sharing sessions equipping them with practical insights and expertise. Liaise with stakeholders to identify pressing issues, present them through appropriate association channels and advocate for their resolution at higher levels.
Support the vision of the association by aligning efforts with its core objectives and helping drive its mission forward. Championing the welfare of drivers and working towards ensuring they gain the respect and recognition they deserve.
