Ritika Pandey
Be it tracking the maintenance of your vehicle (like changing a tyre or insurance renewal) or getting reports on vehicle efficiency and other data, it mentions no debate on technology beating manual efforts. Both B2C and B2B logistics derive with the basic necessities like GPS tracking, but B2B needs more customized technology as it works differently in terms of volume and speed.
This idea persists behind the Mumbai-based startup The Transport Hub (TTH), that uses IoT in logistics. Technology, apart from GPS, hasn’t yet entered into the sector to build efficient and optimised functioning of resources. By providing integrated solutions to users on a pay-as-you-go model, the startup is bringing up automation in logistics to a further enhanced level. It also lends a hand towards you to avoid unauthorized usage of a vehicle as well as immobilise it remotely, providing its technology. Also, you get instant alerts on call and email if there is an emergency and no GPS signal is available.
Loaded with the founder’s investment of nearly Rs 2 crore, The Transport Hub (TTH) states to be the country’s first fully automated transport aggregator. Its Founder-CEO Rohit Chaturvedi is a technology and logistics expert with more than 18 years of experience at companies that includes KPMG, AF Ferguson and Deloitte, and CRISIL. Known to be an alumnus of IIM Bengaluru, this engineering graduate was also named to be the part of the startup team at Jasper Infotech, promoters of Snapdeal.
TTH stocks up services such as Vehicle Optimisation and profitability Solutions (VOPS), Improvement in Cold Chain Efficiency (ICE), Warehousing and Transportation Turnaround Solutions (WATTS), and Technology-enabled Real-Time Inventory Management (TRIM) for segments like transportation, retail, e-commerce, banking, pharmaceuticals, BPO, FMCG, and automobile industry. It is further aiming to optimise warehousing, cold storages, transport, and inventory management.
The platform utilises predictive analytics to twin shippers or consignors and transporters most efficiently, for both of them to rate each other. TTH’s electronic Proof-of-Delivery (POD) system can be integrated with the customer’s ERP (enterprise resource planning) system. While, based in Mumbai, headquarters to most potential clients, have been a benefit for the company. Presently, the customers include JNPT, KPMG, Express Roadways, Adani Wilmar, Allana, and Maharashtra Road Transport, among other public and private sector companies.
However, Rohit marks that the talent pool for IoT is minor, stating, “The majority of this limited talent pool is concentrated in Bangalore as it is the startup hub of the country. This makes employability an issue in such specialised sectors in engineering.” Half the members of TTH’s team of 15 concentrates on tech. Stepping forward, the company is also about to establish two more products based on machine learning. Although TTH is not a capital-intensive business, yet it raised Rs 3.5 crore from angel investors currently, and seeks to raise Rs 20 crore in the coming six months for expansion of the startup.
