When Progress Slows – But the Journey Does Not Stop

As 2020 began, things slowly started moving again. Businesses were reopening, supply chains were finding their rhythm, and the logistics ecosystem was learning how to operate in a new reality.

However, a large part of what we had planned toward the end of 2019 came to an abrupt halt.

Pilots that were designed to convert into long-term industry rollouts were paused.
Investments made in enterprise integrations, on-ground execution, and technology readiness were left underutilized.
Not because the solutions did not work, but because the environment was no longer ready to adopt anything new.

COVID-19 changed priorities overnight.

Proof of Value – Industry Pilots That Worked

What made this phase particularly difficult was that the solution had already proven its value.

In 2019, TruckSuvidha successfully executed multiple industry pilots across manufacturing-heavy sectors including seeds, chemicals, agrochemicals, detergents, and specialty chemicals. These pilots were designed to improve freight efficiency without disrupting existing transporter relationships.

It was never about replacement.
It was about optimization.

Below are a few pilot case studies that validated the model.

Case Study – Pilot 1

Industry: Seeds Manufacturing (Large Indian Producer)

Problem Statements:

• Timely placement of vehicles
  
• Lack of transparency in the vehicle placement process
  

Outcome:

• Improved visibility in vehicle placement
  
• Better coordination between dispatch teams and transporters
  
• Reduced uncertainty during peak dispatch periods
  

Case Study – Pilot 2

Industry: Detergent Manufacturing (Large FMCG Producer)

Problem Statements:

• Dependency on contractual transporters
  
• Freight cost inefficiencies with vendors

Outcomes:

• Competitive freight discovery alongside existing transport contractors
  
• Ability to source vehicles from the open market during shortages
  
• Average freight reduction of 5% without operational disruption
  

Case Study – Pilot 3

Industry: Agrochemicals (Large Indian Producer)

Problem Statements:

• Lack of live vehicle status
  
• Poor visibility into vehicle placement and dispatch milestones
  
• Freight inconsistencies with vendors
  

Outcomes:

• Location-based tracking implemented across dispatch stages, such as:
  • Truck out for loading
    
  • Truck reached
    
  • Material loaded
    
  • Truck in transit
    
  • Delivered
    
• Centralized MIS dashboard for real-time visibility
  
• Ability to source vehicles from the open market when required
  
• Average freight reduction of 4.3%
  

Case Study – Pilot 4

Industry: Specialty Chemicals (Sodium Cyanate Manufacturer)

Problem Statements:

• Open market vehicle placement challenges
  
• Lack of real-time location visibility
  
• Freight cost inefficiencies

Outcomes:

• GPS and SIM-based tracking for owned and market vehicles
  
• Centralized MIS dashboard for operations and logistics teams
  
• Seamless integration of existing transporters with open market vehicles
  
• Average freight reduction of 7.8%
  

Also Read:- When the Highways Did Not Stop, But Dreams Almost Did

When Results Are Not Enough

On paper, everything worked.

Enterprises saved money.
Operations became more transparent.
Dispatch teams gained control.

Yet, conversions did not happen.

Why?

Because during COVID-19:

• Companies were in survival mode
  
• Decision-makers avoided new initiatives
  
• Budgets were frozen
  
• Innovation took a backseat to continuity
  

This is one of the hardest lessons in a startup journey – sometimes things do not move forward not because you failed, but because timing failed you.

The Reality of External Shocks

In startups, not everything is within your control.

Sometimes:

• Government policies change
  
• Market sentiment shifts
  
• Industries freeze
  
• Human behavior overrides logic
  

And when that happens, execution alone is not enough.

What matters then is the ability to adapt.

Read More:- When a Startup Voice Reached the National Logistics Policy Table

Finding New Ways Forward

When enterprise adoption slowed, we did not stop.

We explored new revenue streams.
We built adjacent verticals.
We doubled down on services that were immediately relevant to the ecosystem.

Because that is what startups do.

They pivot without losing purpose.
They adapt without losing belief.
They survive long enough to grow stronger.

This phase was not a failure.
It was a reminder that a startup journey is not a straight highway – it is a series of detours, breakdowns, and restarts.

And TruckSuvidha’s journey has always been about figuring out a way forward – no matter how tough the road gets.