DHL has launched DHL SmarTrucking, a new trucking solution across a line-haul express road network in India.

According to DHL, SmarTrucking is the company’s first official move to accelerate the development of technology-enabled logistics solutions around the world, under its newly formed board department Corporate Incubations, which was launched in April this year.

Neeraj Bansal has been appointed as CEO of DHL SmarTrucking and will be responsible for leading the company’s growth in India.

“India is an incredibly important market for Deutsche Post DHL Group,” said Juergen Gerdes, board member for Corporate Incubations at Deutsche Post DHL Group. “Presently, road freight comprises the majority of the total freight movement and is the largest transportation segment in India. With greater efficiency from DHL SmarTrucking, we expect to transport 100,000 tonnes of cargo and cover a distance of approximately 4 million kilometres across India daily.”

DHL SmarTrucking was tested over a three-month pilot which covered over 2,770,000 kilometres and uses Internet of Things technology and data-driven insights for route optimization. This reduces transit times by up to 50% compared to the traditional trucking industry and provides over 95% reliability with ease of use, end-to-end consignment visibility, temperature-controlled capabilities and real-time tracking.

IoT-enabled sensors monitored through a centralized control tower provide real-time temperature and consignment tracking. Alerts and status updates are sent to customers and DHL SmarTrucking’s operations teams through the customer portal and external and internal mobile applications.

Drivers are rotated at predetermined stops located across the country, with the original driver returning to the point of origin with another truckload.

“This transportation model not only helps optimize efficiency but also reduces fatigue among drivers who spend less time on the road, enabling them to go home to their families every two to three days,” said Malcolm Monteiro, CEO of DHL eCommerce India. “Additionally, with the demand for temperature-controlled transportation in India estimated to grow at 15% per annum from 2016 to 2020, DHL SmarTrucking allows our customers in India to scale up and streamline their business operations to meet consumers’ needs.”

DHL SmarTrucking and DHL SmarTrucking Coldchain will be able to provide road freight solutions for all sectors, including the automotive, dairy, e-commerce, packaged foods, pharmaceuticals and fast-food industries.

“DHL SmarTrucking’s emphasis on TechLog will change the game for customers in India,” said Bansal. “Leveraging the potential of the infrastructural transformations in India’s logistics ecosystem and our innovations through DHL SmarTrucking, we can help Indian businesses reach customers and markets in a faster and more secure way.”