Intra-city logistics provider Porter has announced its expansion plans into Kozhikode (Kerala), Tiruppur (Tamil Nadu) and Rajkot (Gujarat). This multi-city foray is part of its larger goal of expanding its footprint in four-five cities year on year.
The company is slated to commence operations in these cities with two-wheeler services in the first phase, with plans to introduce additional vehicle categories, including three-wheelers, Tata Ace and other options in the coming months. Driver-partners have already been onboarded in each of these cities and the company has a targeted base of 10,000-15,000 customers per city in the first year.
Porter also stated that all of its offerings will eventually be available across all geographies, enabling faster and more reliable intra-city deliveries.
Gig opportunities
Speaking on the announcement, Ankit Dwivedi, VP - Expansion Head, Porter, said, “Expanding into tier-II cities is a major step in Porter’s mission to transform intracity logistics across India. By leveraging technology and local partnerships, we are creating flexible earning opportunities for gig workers and empowering MSMEs to overcome logistical challenges.”
The company aims to target the local opportunity in these cities with Kozhikode’s trading ecosystem and tech-savvy consumers, Tiruppur serving as a garment hub with high B2B delivery demand and Rajkot’s industrial base and booming e-commerce sector. Porter aims to tackle challenges such as fragmented operations, lack of scalable two-wheeler options, suboptimal reliability and limited customer support, streamlining delivery operations for SMEs and retailers alike.
Founded in 2014, Porter currently operates in 26 cities and employs over 2,600 people. In March, the company closed its Series F funding round, led by Kedaara Capital and Wellington Management.
According to a 2023 Grant Thornton Bharat report, India’s logistics sector is growing at an annual rate of 10-12 per cent, contributing 14.4 per cent to the GDP and employing over 20 million people.
With inputs from businessline intern Nethra Sailesh