TRUCKING INDUSTRY * India - The healthy 25% export cargo growth. Iminent diesel price hike keeps transport freight firm across the country

* Truck Sales Trend

New Delhi,India -Truck India/Linkedin -31 May 2011: --  Truck sales (5 ton - 49 ton) during May 2011 surprised the market with 9.3% growth, an increase of 2077 units with May'11 sales being 24330 units as against 22253 units in the same period last year. The most significant has been the growth in LCVs (29.9%) and ICVs (17.3%) segment as these categories of goods carriages mostly cater to short and medium haul and have lower variable operating expenses such as diesel and tyres in comparison to heavy duty category of MCVs. The stupendous arrival of seasonal agri fruits and vegetables along with record wheat and pulses crop has kept the truck rentals high on short / medium haul with an increase of 8% - 10% on various routes and at the same time, the truck rentals have remained firm by an increase of 2% on various long trunk routes due to regular availability of cargo, for exports and manufacturing sector though little timid, helped the trucking business to remain actively buoyant during May 2011. This is the reason that despite increase in prices of truck chasis, CV tyres and increase in truck crew salary, the truck sales have displayed overall good numbers contrary to the dismal picture being painted by a section of automotive industry last month in April 2011...  (Photo from BiglorryBlog (UK): A new Tata Truck)

* OPINION

(Photo from helloji: driving in india)

New Delhi,India -Truck India/Linkedin -31 May 2011: -- With migration of about 20% long distance truck fleet to short and medium haul due to buoyant demand for cargo movement due to record agricultural products / commodities transportation, truck rental on short / medium up by 10% during May'11 while timid manufacturing performance does not permit truck rentals to move up more than 2% on long haulage. The healthy 25% export cargo growth and imminent diesel price hike keeps transport freight firm across the country...

* Truck Rentals:  Up by 10% on medium haul and 2% on trunk routes

New Delhi,India -Truck India/Linkedin -31 May 2011: --  Over 6% growth in agriculture sector and consequent boost in cargo offering in the current quarter, the truck rentals on short and medium haul are booming with an increase of 10% as trucks (5 ton - 16 ton capacity) migrates to these routes from long haul travel. This 20% migration to medium distance routes has provided strength to long haulage trunk route truck cargo movement as rentals instead of dropping due to timid performance from manufacturing sector have moved up by 1.5% - 2% on trunk routes. Moreover, the export cargo has been maintaining a robust 25% growth over the same period last year and at the same time the imminent diesel price hike within a range of Rs.2/- - Rs.3/- per litre by public sector oil companies is keeping the truck freight market firm. In nutshell, the bountiful farm output has generated higher farm income and increased rural spending leading to boost in demand for fast moving consumer goods and consumer durables in rural markets / small towns bringing in more cargo to the retail parcel booking transport firms as general freight rates remain robust and stable... (Photo from outlookindia: Hundreds of tomato-laden trucks get stranded outside Attari-Wagah border after Indian exporters refused to export any vegetable to Pakistan in protest against its onion export ban, near Amritsar)

* Haryana - Profit Jumps at Transport Corporation of India. 'Aggressive growth' sparks 20 percent surge for logistics provider

Gurgaon,Haryana,India -The Journal of Commerce Online -Jun 2, 2011: -- Transport Corporation of India, the Asian country’s largest integrated supply chain and logistics service provider, on Thursday posted net profit of $11.4 million for fiscal 2010-11, a 20 percent jump over the year earlier, despite a 23 percent increase in operating expenses... Operating profit climbed 21 percent to $390 million, with the freight division posting an 11 percent increase, to $180 million... For the fourth quarter, TCI had net profit of $2.83 million, up 2 percent year-over-year. Revenue in the quarter increased 19 percent to $106 million... With a fleet of more than 6,000 trucks and five container vessels for coastal shipping, TCI has a pan-Indian distribution network covering some 13,000 locations. It recently entered a joint venture with state-owned rail operator Container Corporation of India to provide end-to-end multimodal logistics services in the country... (Photo from projectsmonitor: Transport Corporation of India Ltd, a leading integrated logistics solutions provider,)