How an Indian startup improved incomes and efficiency of truck drivers

In the last couple of years, a quiet revolution has swept through the dusty bylanes of Bahadurgarh, Haryana. For decades, it has been the hub of a highly unorganised and fragmented trucking business. But in the last two and a half years, a smartphone-based app is transforming the way truckers operate. 

“When we conceptualised BlackBuck in 2015, our idea was to use technology to improve the income and efficiency of truck drivers and connect them directly with customers," says Chanakya Hridaya, who co-founded the Bengaluru-based startup with Rajesh Yabaji and Ramasubramaniam B. “The app eliminates middlemen, ensures customers get reliable service and the drivers reduce their ‘idle’ time between jobs.” Today, with 60,000 fleet owners and 300,000 trucks using BlackBuck across the country, this online marketplace, not unlike Ola and Uber, is set to modernise India's freight market, estimated to be worth about $275 billion. 

The BlackBuck app has separate interfaces for customers, fleet owners and truck drivers. Customers can book a truck as per their requirement and track it till its destination. Fleet owners can track their trucks in real time, 

keep accounts and make or receive payment on their smartphones. 

Ramasubramaniam B, Rajesh Yabaji and Chanakya Hridaya, co-founders of BlackBuck

Dalbir Singh of Srikrishna Transport in Bahadurgarh has been in the business for over 30 years and started using the BlackBuck app two and a half years ago. "The app has increased my earnings by almost 30 per cent," he says. BlackBuck incentivises drivers to upload loading documents and way bills on the app itself, which has significantly reduced Singh's paperwork. Once the order is delivered, customers pay directly on the app. BlackBuck takes a commission on each payment. "Earlier my time was spent in office, keeping tabs on my drivers, following up on payments and looking for business," he says. "Now I can do it all on my phone!" This new-found ease of maintaining his fleet has enabled him to grow his fleet from 30 to 140 during the time he's used BlackBuck. 

The interface for drivers includes an audio option and notifications about every incentive they can get. "I receive Rs 2,000 for every on-time performance and up to Rs 200 for uploading photographs of bills and receipts," says Farukh, who prefers to not use a surname. "I used to drive about 5,000 kilometres a month earlier; now I'm able to drive over 7,000 kilometres." He avers that he receives over Rs 18,000 a month in incentives alone. 

Another driver, Rahad Khan from Bulandshahr, UP states his monthly earnings increased from Rs 18,000 to Rs 42,000 because the app enables him to make four trips a month instead of three. 

For Farukh and Khan, BlackBuck has taken some of the uncertainty out of their profession. "Unlike earlier, we get our payments on time now," says Farukh. "And I usually get my next assignment even before I finish unloading the previous one!" he adds. 

Today, other freight aggregators have adopted tech-based freight solutions like BlackBuck, something which is bound to modernise and standardise this huge, unregulated industry in India. Meanwhile, BlackBuck has raised a total of $230 million from Accel Partners, Goldman Sachs, Flipkart, Sequoia Capital and several other investors, and has received several awards including CNBC TV18 Start-Up of the Year 2018 and Zee Business' Company of the year Logistics 2018.  "BlackBuck has already impacted the lives of the 300,000 truckers who have used it," says Hridaya. "In the coming years, we hope to reach many more…"

To learn more, visit www.blackbuck.com