Truck Lagbe: Redefining traditional trucking

Trucks have always played a critical role in the economic and logistics development of Bangladesh. Not only are they a reliable method of transporting large quantities of goods across distant areas, but their versatility in construction, mining and manufacturing jobs also makes them an irreplaceable asset in the transport industry. However, despite the necessity of trucks, finding one for a transport job proves to be difficult without the right contacts, and usually requires a hefty amount of money even for short trips.

Launched in 2017, Truck Lagbe brought forward a unique solution: an online platform where you can hire trucks of different sizes to transport goods across all 64 districts in Bangladesh. The platform offers both short and long-haul freight trips and is currently the home to over 80,000 registered trucks - all accessible via a nifty app downloadable from Google Play Store. The platform connects truck owners with both businesses and individuals who are in need of transporting large-scale goods.

By introducing a modern solution to everyone's trucking needs, Truck Lagbe effectively redefined the trucking industry and reshaped the public availability of traditional trucks for everyday transport needs. It has helped streamline the transport industry in Bangladesh as well by reducing the cost of large-distance transport and eliminating many hassles and inefficiencies associated with traditional trucking methods. As such, both businesses and individuals can now avail of a cost-effective method to transport products all across the country.

Local MSMEs, being small-scale businesses with not a lot of revenue to spare, are dependent on trucks to have their valuable products transported from manufacturers. Vehicles of any other kind won't do a good enough job: regular cars don't have sufficient cargo space and anything else is too small for efficient transport. However, the general unavailability of reliable trucking services combined with steep pricing - which can get steeper depending on the demand for the services - can be a big blow to MSMEs with a limited budget. Furthermore, the strong presence of third-party intermediaries and transport brokers in the traditional market increases the trip fare. This is where Truck Lagbe offers an invaluable helping hand - reducing costs by eliminating the intermediaries and connecting shippers with drivers directly.

The general cost of small shipments via trucks in Bangladesh can start from thousands in taka and can go as high as tens of thousands for bigger shipments. There are also various other costs involved, including moving big cargos and equipment, safely storing them, ensuring they are loaded and unloaded safely, and of course, checking the route to and from the destination for a successful delivery. By helping local truck drivers directly connect with customers, Truck Lagbe eliminates the need for any middlemen and increases the transparency and thus the reliability of transport services. MSMEs, with the help of the Truck Lagbe app, can save costs by being offered a fixed rate for deliveries within Dhaka, similar to how Uber and Pathao function. Furthermore, the app's 24/7 customer service support combined with trained drivers makes it a lot more user-friendly than traditional trucking methods - where you would struggle to book a delivery or even get a quotation within reasonable timeframes. Truck Lagbe also has a dedicated enterprise service that caters to large corporations through dedicated key accounts manager.

Truck Lagbe's mobile app is a fundamental proponent of the company's contribution to redefining the local trucking industry. Registering in the app is super easy, and only requires a phone number, and after you set your pickup and drop points, the app will show you a range of fares for trucks ranging from small 7-feet, 1-tonne pickups to big 23-feet, 25-tonne trucks. The app also specifies what kind of materials you can expect the vehicle to carry, and it gives you a count of how much extra you might have to pay for bigger or heavier materials. The bigger trucks also have the option of carrying livestock, and you can also choose to employ more workers for the delivery if you have a large quantity of products that need to be loaded. While a fixed rate is shown in the app from the start for smaller pickups, you will have the option to 'bid' for the bigger trucks. Even in that instance, you can get a direct quotation from the assigned truck driver and set the fare according to your needs.

With the advent of Truck Lagbe, Bangladeshi MSMEs now have a reliable and cost-effective transportation solution: a process that was previously filled with high-paying intermediaries and unreliability in service. Not only has Truck Lagbe allowed individuals to quickly get trucking services for house shifting and other transportation necessities, but the platform has also enabled smaller businesses to avail their trucking needs at minimal cost, with ease of access and guarantee of satisfactory service. Truck Lagbe was the winner of Startup Bangladesh Challenge 2017 and received the Best Technology Innovation Award 2018 - recognitions which motivates the company to truck forward and leave behind a trail that has efficiently redefined traditional trucking.