Guides
Shipping guides, written by people who move freight
What we explain to new customers every week, written down once, with the rules linked to their source.
3PL vs 4PL in India: what a logistics control tower does
What 3PL and 4PL mean in India, when a 4PL control tower pays off, what it measures each day, and how to judge a control tower provider.
8 min read →Guide · TechnologyAI in logistics: what a freight control tower really does in India
What AI and data do in Indian freight today: live GPS and temperature, indent vs placement, detention, one reconciled number, and what to ask a provider.
8 min read →Guide · AirAir freight from India: a practical guide for businesses
When air freight pays for itself, the documents you need, how airport handling and screening work, and how chargeable weight is worked out.
7 min read →Guide · Fleet partners and driversAttach your truck or drive with SSL: how to start, step by step
Own a truck, run a fleet or drive for a living? See how to attach your vehicle to SSL lanes or apply as a driver, what to keep ready and what happens next.
4 min read →Guide · DistributionC&F and distribution in India: how plant, depot and distributor connect
What a carrying and forwarding agent does, how stock flows from plant to C&F depot to distributor, and what to plan before you appoint one.
6 min read →Guide · ChartersCargo charter flights and helicopter charters in India
When a cargo charter or helicopter charter makes sense in India, what the desk needs from you, and how the road legs and permissions fit together.
6 min read →Guide · Cold chainCold-chain shipping in India: a practical guide for shippers
How to move frozen, chilled and pharma goods by reefer in India: temperature classes, pre-cooling, airflow, data loggers, FSSAI and CDSCO GDP.
8 min read →Guide · Cold chainCold-chain transport checklist: choosing and auditing a reefer transporter
A buyer's checklist for frozen and chilled food, dairy and ice cream: temperature bands, pre-cooling, logging, breaches, dock time and carrier audits.
7 min read →Guide · CustomsCustoms clearance in India: steps, documents and duties
How import and export customs clearance works in India: ICEGATE filing, documents, how duty is assessed, examination, release and how to avoid delays.
7 min read →Guide · ContractsDedicated fleet vs spot truck hire in India
How dedicated trucks and spot hire work in India, when dedicated pays off, utilisation and empty-return risk, contract structures and service levels.
7 min read →Guide · Charges explainedDemurrage and detention explained: trucks and containers
The difference between demurrage and detention for shipping containers, what truck detention means in Indian road freight, how free time works, and practical ways to avoid the charges.
6 min read →Guide · For investorsEvaluating an Indian road logistics company: a guide for investors and lenders
What private equity, lenders, debt funds and bankers check in an Indian trucking company: fleet model, concentration, receivables, contracts, data, governance.
8 min read →Guide · ExportsExporting from India, step by step: from IEC to bill of lading
A plain guide for SME exporters: IEC, HS codes, Incoterms 2020, invoice and packing list, shipping bill on ICEGATE, stuffing, port haulage and B/L.
9 min read →Guide · PlanningFestive season truck capacity: how to plan for Diwali and year-end
Why trucks get scarce around Diwali, Durga Puja and wedding season, when to lock capacity, dedicated vs spot hire, and a pre-season checklist.
7 min read →Guide · ForwardingFreight forwarding from India: a plain guide for exporters and importers
What a freight forwarder does, sea versus air, Incoterms in plain words, customs clearance steps and the documents you need, for India exports and imports.
8 min read →Guide · Choosing a modeFTL vs PTL: choosing between full truckload and part-load
When a full truckload beats part-load in India, and when it does not: break-even by weight and volume, transit, handling risk and a decision table.
7 min read →Guide · GovernmentGovernment and PSU logistics tenders in India: a buyer's guide
How government departments and PSUs in India buy road transport: GeM, CPPP tenders, the documents a transporter provides, and how to evaluate bids.
7 min read →Guide · GST and complianceGST and e-way bill for goods transport: a shipper's guide
GTA, reverse and forward charge, SAC codes, and the e-way bill: threshold, Part A and B, who generates it, validity, extension and common mistakes.
9 min read →Guide · Small businessHow a small business can send goods across India, step by step
A plain guide for shop owners, retailers and small makers who ship parcels and part loads: what to prepare, how to book, what to check at pickup and delivery.
4 min read →Guide · PricingHow road freight is priced in India, and how to read a quote
What drives truck freight rates in India: lane, vehicle, diesel, tolls, return loads, seasonality, detention and GST on GTA, and how to read a quote.
8 min read →Guide · ProcurementHow to choose a transporter in India: checks, RFQ and SLAs
What to check before appointing a road transporter in India: GST and GTA status, carrier registration, IBA approval, insurance, POD, RFQ and KPIs.
8 min read →Guide · Part-loadHow to ship a part-load (PTL) in India, step by step
A practical guide to part-load shipping in India: booking modes, the LR, packing and marking, chargeable weight, e-way bill, hub transit, delivery and claims.
8 min read →Guide · Last mileLast-mile delivery in India: a guide for businesses
How business last-mile and city delivery works in India: vehicle types, delivery windows, proof of delivery, returns and what to tell your carrier.
6 min read →Guide · Road freight documentsLR, GR and lorry receipt explained for road freight
What a lorry receipt (LR), goods receipt (GR) or consignment note is in Indian road freight, what it must show, how it links to GST and the e-way bill, and how to use it to track and claim.
6 min read →Guide · SourcingMaterials sourcing and trading with delivery in India
How sourcing plus delivery works in India: one order for material and freight, what to ask a supplier, documents to expect and common mistakes.
6 min read →Guide · RetailModern trade logistics in India: delivering to retail DCs on time
How to replenish retail and e-commerce DCs in India: appointment slots, ASN and e-way bill, part load vs full truck, rejections, returns and contract KPIs.
8 min read →Guide · ODC and project cargoODC transport in India: moving over-dimensional cargo by road
Over-dimensional cargo in India: CMVR size limits, MoRTH and state permissions, route surveys, escorts, trailer types, e-way bill validity and documents.
8 min read →Guide · RelocationOffice, plant and home relocation in India: a planning guide
How to plan an office, plant or household move in India: timeline, inventory, packing, documents and the insurance questions to ask before you book.
7 min read →Guide · Bulk liquidsPetroleum and bulk liquid transport by road in India
How petroleum products and bulk liquids move by road tanker in India: tanker types, safety rules from PESO and MoRTH, and the documents that travel.
6 min read →Guide · EXIM roadPort haulage in India: moving containers to and from JNPT and Mundra
How the road leg to and from JNPT (Nhava Sheva), Mundra and other ports works: containers, documents, cut-offs, congestion, detention and planning a pickup.
7 min read →Guide · BasicsPTL full form: Part Truck Load, what it means and how it works
PTL stands for Part Truck Load: sending a shipment that does not fill a truck and paying for the space and weight you use. Process, pricing factors and when to choose FTL instead.
4 min read →Guide · RailRail freight in India: a practical guide for shippers
When rail beats road in India, how rakes, containers and parcel vans work, the Dedicated Freight Corridors, documents, and how to plan rail with road legs.
7 min read →Guide · Cross-borderRoad freight from India to Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh
How a truckload crosses from India into Nepal, Bhutan or Bangladesh: border crossings, documents, customs, what slows a load and how to plan one.
6 min read →Guide · SeaSea freight from India: FCL vs LCL, containers and documents
How sea freight from India works: FCL vs LCL, common container types, the port to door chain, and the documents an export shipment needs.
7 min read →Guide · SafetySecure transportation in India: what to ask any freight provider
What secure freight transport should include in India: tracking, documented handover, verified drivers and vehicles, insurance and proof of delivery. A checklist to use before you book.
4 min read →Guide · Mergers and acquisitionsSelling a logistics business in India: how to prepare and what to expect
For owners of transport, PTL, warehouse and freight firms in India: how to prepare for a sale or merger, how buyers look at the business, and the steps.
8 min read →Guide · ProcurementTransport RFQ checklist: how to write a road freight tender in India
How to write a road freight RFQ in India: lane sheet, volume data, service levels, contract clauses, bid comparison beyond price, and a printable checklist.
8 min read →Guide · WarehousingWarehousing in India: choosing space, dispatch and a contract
How to choose warehousing in India: types of space, inventory and dispatch, what to agree in the contract, and how to link storage with transport.
7 min read →Rather just ask?
Our desk answers on WhatsApp, usually within minutes.