In the Age of Glorious Humdinger

Ramesh Kumar from New Delhi

Like it or not, the hitherto transport segment has been whiplashed by the government at last.

No question of "will you please!" approach.

The government patiently listens to their laundry list and marginal tweaking which is in the national interest, it concedes. Other sectoral agenda with personal glory tag visible 100 km away is just brushed away. Want to take photos with us in the corridors of power? Take it. No problems. But go almost empty handed because your thought process is NOT in sync with the national agenda. Got it?

Bright transporters -there are many, of course - smell it quickly and re-calibrate their thinking. Others fall by the wayside.

Transportation undoubtedly is the backbone of any economy and India, no exception. Hence the patient hearing the lobby groups gets in government corridors.

Whiplash? Yes. This segment has been shaken ... rather woken up from its several decades self-imposed slumber of "we are different and leave us alone". This strategy won't work any longer post-GST.

In that respect, GST is a glorious humdinger.

This time, next year (Circa 2018) we will notice a different India. My focus is only on the behavioral or attitudinal transformation of the massive unorganized and most competitive (thanks of undercutting one another to grab a slice of business, without realizing how their freight calculations are unworkable!) transporter fraternity.

Get educated on taxation and join the ranks of responsible corporate citizens.

Corporate citizens? Yes, big boys of  transportation (we all know them by names!) will gobble up the pigmies. There are millions awaiting this "swaha" ceremony.

Nothing wrong. Survival of the fittest. For growth, compliance with the laws of the land is a necessity. Transporters are waking up to this reality. Good.

Honestly, I see the greenshoots of such a positive transformation in the offing. Back of the envelope costing and bribing logistics heads or sucking upto the brokers' whims and fancies will go away gradually.

The Genext at chota-mota transport outfits is emerging as catalysts with their penchant for tech-savviness and hunger for growth in double quick time. Go-getters. Go, go and get business - profitable business at that.

All said and done, the inefficiencies/wastages of logistical operations is not entirely transporters. Mostly this crime is being committed by 3PLs kullan kulla.

The Genext is open, upfront and unlikely to sit quiet and gulp insults or blames which they don't deserve. So 3PL honchos, watch out. Life for you will be on fire, equally in the days to come. Good for all.

Consolidation of small fries, corporatized or business like transport management and better onground facilities (removal of checkposts, octrois etc and the impending e-way bill) and a dynamic and mature political leadership at the national level and the most active transport minister perhaps in the history of India post-liberalization....

By the way, big boys of transportation are roping in  the residents of hole in the wall type dukaans floated by IIT/IIM grads  salivating to grab business by introducing data analytics to improve their operational efficiency. Good, no?

Well, the list is endless. All this augurs well for the nation.

I believe. What about you?