Why army driver project failed to take off

Ramesh Kumar from New Delhi

"I admit, it is a failure," concedes Ramesh Agarwal of Agarwal Packers & Movers.

What failure?

As we sat in the Conference Room lobby in the Labour Ministry for an interaction with Joint Secretary of Ministry of Skill Development & Employment Rajesh Agarwal to deliberate on the Driver Training Initiatives being bluepencilled by Automatic Skill Development Coulcil and Logistics Sector Skill Development Council, he blurts out.

More about the core theme later.

Back to Agarwal & the failure issue. Agarwal took the initiative to induct ex-Army personnel as truck drivers as part of  providing them post-retirement job opportunity and also to mitigate the driver shortage (18-20% as indicated by Mumbai-based Consultant Sushil Cherian).

"They were unable to adjust to the truck driving ground realities. Dealing with police and RTOs en route to whom these ex-fauji-drivers were expected to kowtow did not appeal to them. Hence, they dropped out," explains Agarwal.

Indeed, he is not off the mark. Three years ago, DRIVERS DUNIYA took the initiative with Brigardier (Retd) Vivek Sohal facilitating the interaction with the Army HQ. Subsequently, even Transport Mitra Founder Selvan Dasraj met the Army Welfare Placement Organisation Managing Director Maj Gen Deepak Sapra SM (Retd)* and Director *H(igh) V(oltage) Sharma* in Delhi in the same regard. It is  no exaggeration to say that the kind of conditions he was laying down to induct ex-fauji drivers were unimplementable.

Five days a week. Proper timing. The list is endless. These ex-fauji drivers are still expect the disciplined and regimented life they were exposed to all their lives in the Army. Expecting the same from the unruly highway authorities across pan India is  asking for the moon. What about the motor maliks? We know the reality about their humaneness!

It is a mindset challenge. Sarkari naukri, sarkari naukri hai. Transportation is not sarkari.

"How do you expect me to beseech a police or RTO?" is the key concern. Another challenge is their desire to be closer to their family. Having spent their entire career spanning 20+ years away from their family, they don't cherish long hauls which again will entail away from family for longer duration.

Will the much-trumpeted Rest & Relay format by Rivigo with no driver driving more than 250 km and returining home every alternate day is the remedy? No idea. Perhaps Rivigo can throw light. This  R&R format is very expensive proposition and the grapevine has it that even Rivigo is in the process of discontinuing. 

It is a sad state of affairs. Transportation segment will be glad to absorb them. But the job seeking ex-fauji drivers have to accept the ground reality. No one can change the corrupt, rent-seeking officials at state level through which the highways passes through. Eliminating this disease is a lifelong battle. Not on the borders. But right across the society.

What about the veteran non-fauji traditional drivers? What is their reaction to the ex-fauji induction into truck driving? Says Manohar Tiwari from Lucknow: "fauji kaam bahut asaan. Koi bhi kar sakte. Drivery us se jyadda mushqil hai. Woh log ayaga to bhi, tike ga nahi."

DRIVERS DUNIYA carried a cover feature on the same (December 2016 issue) ... 

This is what Brigadier (Retd) Vivek Sohal wrote:

The soldier-drivers retire at a rather young age, many of them before they touch 40, and they do need a second career. They mostly are trained and employed as drivers, besides basic military training, and thus would have little option for reemployment. They are disciplined, industrious, focused and task-oriented. Beside, the country needs them to 􀏐ill a major void in keeping the economy moving and robust; it’s a national commitment after all!



Sentiments are wonderful. Laudable. Both Ramesh Agarwal and Sohalsaab deserves a fresh round of applause for espousing the ex-fauji drivers'cause. But....

I rest my case.