The Hindu Business Line : Vi eTrans plans to expand operations — Truck operators to be brought under its network

VI eTrans Pvt Ltd, a logistics service intermediary and a joint venture between Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Venture Infotek and Winex Trans, proposes to expand its operations, both within the country and outside.

Right now the company provides tracking and tracing services to a large number of vehicles transporting goods for companies such as Maruti, Tata Steel, Hyundai, Hindalco, Balco, Sterlite, Glaxo and many others.

Under the proposed plan, the company, according to its CEO, Mr Shoummo Acharya, would like to bring under its network individual truck-owners constituting the vast majority of the vehicle operators in the country.

At least three hubs, located at Nasirabad (Rajasthan), Namakkal (Tamil Nadu) and Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar (Delhi) have been identified for the purpose. The individual truck operators located at these hubs will be issued a card that looks like a credit card, on payment of a nominal fee so that the vehicle can be traced by the concerned transport company no matter wherever it is.

There is a further proposal to extend the company's service to vehicles carrying exports for Bangladesh but going up to the last Indian point (e.g. Petrapole) on the India-Bangladesh border. There are also proposals to tie-up with foreign shipping lines to monitor the containers brought by them for movement by road within India.

For example, as Mr Acharya explains, imports in containers arriving in ports are often required to be transported by road deep into the country. Once the arrangement with foreign shipping lines have been finalised, it should be possible to track the movement of these containers, he says.

The worldwide concern over security and safety of consignments has prompted some of the western countries to utilise the services being provided by the company as a means to secure the whole gamut of information relating to the shipper, transporter, freighter forwarders and others involved in different stages in the handling of the consignments. "Negotiations are on", says Mr Acharya adding, "and once firmed up, it will throw open huge opportunities for us".

Right now the company's service covers about 6,500 dedicated vehicles and nearly 20,000 other vehicles engaged in undertaking single trip. "Our purpose is to bring all of them and many others under a single unified IT enabled network to provide a foolproof service", Mr Acharya adds.

The vehicle operators currently having the company's cards swipe them at various terminals located at BPCL pumps and dhabas all over the country. The number of terminals is 240, slated to rise at the rate of 40 per cent every year. As soon as the card is swiped, the information on the location of the vehicle is immediately transmitted to all concerned, namely, the shipper, the transport companies as well as the consignee.

"Ours is a unique business model and the system is totally transparent and aimed at improving the productivity of the rolling stock of the transport companies and reducing the inventories of the customers", adds Mr Acharya.

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