Choosing a transporter is not a purchase — it is a bet on your delivery promise to your customer. For an MSME shipping ₹5-50 lakh worth of goods every month, the wrong partner shows up as delayed dispatches, damaged shipments, missing paperwork and, worst of all, lost repeat orders. This 12-point checklist is the one we hand to every prospective client at FAST INDIA TRANSPORT before we start work.
1. Are they legally registered as a Goods Transport Agency (GTA)?
The transporter must have GST registration, a PAN, and — for anyone quoting FTL and inter-state work — a national permit for their fleet. Ask for the GSTIN and verify it on the GST portal. No registration means no valid tax invoice, no input-tax credit, and legal risk for you if goods are seized in transit.
2. How many owned vs. attached vehicles?
Every mid-size transporter uses a mix. Owned trucks give control over quality and driver behaviour; attached vehicles give scale. Ask for the split. A company that runs 100% attached vehicles is essentially a broker — they will disappear the moment your consignment has a problem.
3. What is their on-time delivery rate on your specific lane?
National averages are meaningless. Ask: "In the last 90 days, what percentage of Mumbai-to-Delhi consignments delivered within your promised transit time?" A serious transporter will have a number. A ₹99.4% or higher figure is the industry benchmark for reliable FTL operators.
4. GPS tracking — real, not promised
Ask them to demonstrate live tracking on a running consignment during the sales meeting. Screenshots don't count. Every FAST INDIA TRANSPORT vehicle carries an active GPS with owner and client dashboard access.
5. Insurance — Goods-in-Transit vs. Carrier Liability
Under the Carriage by Road Act 2007, an Indian transporter's default liability is ₹10 per kg or the invoice value, whichever is lower — pathetic for high-value cargo. Insist on Goods-in-Transit insurance that covers the actual invoice value. Confirm who pays the premium (usually the shipper), what the deductible is, and how claims are settled.
6. What is their handling of damages?
Ask for their damage claims process in writing before you sign. A good transporter has a written 30-day claim window, requires signed POD with photos of damage, and settles claims via bank transfer within 45 days.
7. GST & E-Way Bill compliance
The transporter must generate Part B of the e-way bill for every consignment worth over ₹50,000. Missing e-way bills lead to consignment detention and 200% penalty. Ask: "Do you generate Part B, or do you expect us to?" — the answer tells you whether they understand compliance.
8. Documentation delivered digitally
LR (Lorry Receipt), POD (Proof of Delivery), invoice, e-way bill — all should reach you as digital PDFs within 24 hours of dispatch and 24 hours of delivery. Paper-only transporters cost you 2-3 hours of admin per shipment.
9. Transit time — worst-case, not best-case
Any transporter can quote a best-case transit. Ask for the worst-case — the P95 (95th percentile) transit time. On Mumbai → Delhi (1420 km) our worst-case is 4 days including one rest day; anything longer is a red flag.
10. Rate transparency — per-kg, per-km or flat?
Ask for the rate structure in writing, with GST, fuel surcharge, loading, unloading, detention, and demurrage lines separated. On our 10 core lanes we publish an official per-kg rate card — Mumbai → Delhi at ₹10/kg, Delhi → Jaipur at ₹3/kg, and so on. Nothing hidden.
11. Customer support hours
MSME shipments run on WhatsApp, not tickets. Confirm you have a direct WhatsApp number that reaches a human within 30 minutes on business hours and 4 hours outside. Our head-office WhatsApp is +91-9284049919.
12. References — same industry, same lane
Ask for two references from clients in your industry running your lane. Call them. If the transporter refuses, walk away.
Final scorecard
Give each of the 12 questions above a score of 1-5 and total it out of 60. A score below 40 is a rejection; 40-49 is worth a trial shipment; 50+ is a keeper.
At FAST INDIA TRANSPORT we hand this scorecard to prospective clients along with our own audited numbers — no marketing spin. If you'd like a printed copy or want to run us against this checklist, WhatsApp us.
