Being a truck owner is no easy feat as it comes with a lot of industry research and hard work, and neither is the struggle to find the right truck for your load requirements. But it’s not an impossible task. If you are uncertain about the things that you should consider before making the official purchase! Let us help you with a few things that can help you make an educated choice.
In the Indian online truck booking industry or the logistics business in general, it is very important to understand the landscape, geography, industry footprint, and shipping routes to understand what works and where! These factors will then help you decide what kind of trucks/lorries can be crucial for your business to make your business successful.
But with plenty of options available in the market, sometimes it can be really difficult to make that choice. So, let us break down the factors that you can consider while buying a truck for your load requirements.
Understand The Load Hauling Requirements You Want Your BusinessTo Fulfill:
The trucking industry is huge in India, with trucks being the centerfold of the logistics business. But the thing about trucks is that they come in different sizes, models, types, etc. But before getting into all that, we should consider the load size and hauling requirements you aim to ship and deliver through your truck. Different truck types are designed to carry different loads based on fluctuating payload capacity and the dimensions/nature of your cargo/shipment.
Let’s say you have a business that ships or transports heavy machines or construction equipment/ material. You might want to consider a heavy-duty truck like Ashok Layland. Heavy-duty trucks are equipped with powerful engines and robust build to be able to carry heavy loads seamlessly. Likewise, if your business was centered around handling last-mile deliveries within the cities and urban areas, a small and compact truck like Mahindra Bolero Pickup would make a great choice. In addition to this, it is always better to consider the load capacity of a truck in tonnes depending on the kind of shipments you want to transport.
Evaluate Your Travel Routes And Operational Terrains:
Now, understanding your load-hauling requirements and the size of your cargo is one thing, but your research is not really complete without evaluating the routes you want your trucks to cover and observing the operation terrain to overcome the possible hurdles on the road a truck might face. This increases your business efficiency better in the case of businesses that offer services related to booking trucks online.
As we have established before, each truck is different- some are designed to function on smooth concrete highways, while other trucks are built to function better on rugged mountain tracks and challenging routes.
If your business involves your trucks travelling to remote locations and construction sites, go for a heavy-duty truck with robust suspension, a strong traction system, and enhanced ground clearance. Some common examples of such trucks are Tata LPT 3118 & Ashok Leyland U-3523. On the other hand, if your online trucking business involves operation within a city and urban parts, a more manoeuvrable and fuel-efficient option is the way to go. While ensuring emission compliance. Some ideal choices for such trucks would be Tata 407, Bharat Benz 1014R, Tata Ultra 1012, Eicher Pro 1059, Mahindra Furio 12, and more.
Carefully Consider Operating Cost & Fuel Efficiency:
The trucking landscape in India is very competitive. In such a cut-throat space, the best way to ensure your survival is to cut down on extra costs for your business to succeed and be able to make hefty profits. So, let’s clear some things that you might need to consider while choosing the right truck for your load shipments, like fuel efficiency and the cost of operating a truck. Each truck has its own fuel consumption levels and maintenance costs. This can impact your profit margins and savings for each shipment.
Let’s look at it like this, larger and heavy-duty trucks are necessary for some specific shipments, but they often have higher fuel consumption and managing costs involved. Whereas smaller trucks are more fuel efficient and can run on little to no maintenance costs. Although they only carry limited and small payloads.
It is always important to have a balance between the cost-effectiveness of a truck and operational needs while choosing the right type of truck for your business needs. Assess your workload thoroughly, along with your preferred trucking routes and fuel consumption rate, to make an informed decision that maximizes your operational efficiency and makes a profitable choice.
Check For Vehicle Compliances & Traffic Regulations:
Vehicle transportation is surrounded by a lot of regulations and safety standards for the secure and seamless movement of goods, especially in the online truck booking industry. This means selecting a truck that adheres to all these vehicle compliances and traffic regulations as per the size/ dimensions and weight limit attached to your vehicle type, along with things like emission norms and licensing needs.
So, always prioritize these things before investing in a truck or shipping business. Also, it is always better to get professional advice from someone who knows about trucks and trucking business on a ground level and all the technological advancements happening in the transportation industry.