Ashok Leyland, one of the country’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with FlixBus India, a global travel-tech leader of affordable and sustainable travel.

Under this partnership, FlixBus’ operating bus partners will have access to Ashok Leyland’s advanced chassis and aftersales services, which they say will ensure seamless operations across the country. Also, Ashok Leyland and FlixBus will provide efficient and seamless travel options while empowering local bus operators through state-of-the-art technology.

The MoU was signed by Mohan K, Head – Bus Vertical, Ashok Leyland; Max Zeumer, COO, FlixBus and Surya Khurana, MD, FlixBus India.

Shenu Agarwal, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland said, “Ashok Leyland is delighted to partner with FlixBus. At Ashok Leyland, our focus has always been on delivering cutting-edge technologies that prioritise safety and performance. Our products, featuring innovative technology, offer industry-leading total cost of ownership, ensuring maximum profitability for our customers. We remain committed to delivering exceptional customer experiences and continue on our path to innovate and leverage new technology to be a sustainable CV Manufacturer.”

Surya Khurana, MD, FlixBus India said, “FlixBus is committed to making intercity bus travel in India more accessible, sustainable, and passenger friendly. This collaboration with Ashok Leyland reinforces our vision of providing efficient and high-capacity travel options while empowering local bus operators through technology. With our rapid growth of passengers and revenue, we look forward to creating a fleet of networks that meets the highest standards of safety and comfort, driving further innovation in India’s transportation landscape.”

FlixBus India states since it started its operations in the country, it has already had more than 300,000 passengers, with its revenue growing sixfold since the first six months of operations. In addition to the launch of operations in South India, connecting key cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai, FlixBus aims to increase its fleet size and expand its network to more regions across India. This MoU builds on that momentum, positioning FlixBus India for further expansion and increased efficiency.

The new collaboration is founded on a shared vision of driving innovation, enhance operational efficiency, providing eco-friendly travel solutions, and shaping a sustainable future for commercial vehicles through advanced, cutting-edge technology, and also contributing significantly to the decarbonisation of India’s transportation sector.

Scania India has appointed Silvio Munhoz as the new Managing Director, effective 1 September 2024. He succeeds Johan P. Schlyter. 

Bringing decades of extensive experience in the automotive industry to his new role, Munhoz has held key positions such as Managing Director of Codema, and interim President and CEO of Scania Brazil. 

He has, throughout his career, demonstrated a strong strategic vision, a customer-centric approach, and a deep commitment to sustainable innovation, driving success across multiple markets. His appointment marks a new chapter in Scania India's growth as the company continues to focus on delivering state-of-the-art transport solutions and reinforcing its sustainability initiatives in the region. 

Under the leadership of Munhoz, Scania India continues to underline its commitment to provide complete solutions to the transport and energy industries. 

Softlink Global has introduced LogiBRAIN, a business intelligence tool poised to reshape the logistics landscape. It is supplementary to Logi-Sys, an integrated supply chain platform by the same company. 

Tailored for the freight forwarding community by harnessing real-time data, the tool offers users precise and up-to-the-minute insights into shipments, costs and overall performance, which enables streamlined decision-making for crucial aspects such as routing, forecasting and inventory management. 

The key features of LogiBRAIN include a dashboard that showcases essential metrics like monthly and branch performance, and performance by Line of Business (LOB). The tool also boasts of advanced filters that facilitate in-depth data analysis, enabling users to identify trends and anomalies and customisable reporting features cater to individual user requirements. 

Amit Maheshwari, Founder, Softlink Global, said, "LogiBRAIN is more than just a tool – it's an innovation crafted to give businesses the competitive edge they seek. It empowers them with the ability to drive efficiency, reduce costs, and truly thrive in the dynamic landscape of logistics." "Extracting nuanced insights from massive data sets, LogiBRAIN is poised to be a game-changer for businesses of all sizes within the freight forwarding ecosystem. We're confident in its ability to serve as a valuable asset to our clientele," he added. 

Truck rentals continued their upward trend in August 2024, marking the second consecutive month of growth, as per the recent Shriram Mobility Bulletin. 

The festive season’s approach, coupled with increased post-election activities, has significantly driven demand across various transportation routes. Fleet utilisation in the India-Bangladesh border region saw a significant improvement, rising to nearly 60 percent from the previous 40 percent. 

The resumption of trade activities between India and Bangladesh has particularly increased truck rentals in the Kolkata-Guwahati-Kolkata route, registering the highest surge at 3.0 percent. The Delhi-Kolkata-Delhi and Delhi-Hyderabad-Delhi routes also witnessed increases of 2.7 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively. 

Apple harvest and poll bound activity pushed up freight rates in the Srinagar region. Freight rates rose by nearly 10 percent in August 2024 in this area. The Wayanad region experienced a rise in freight rates due to a reduced number of trucks, many of which are engaged in rehabilitation work.

Referring to the above development, YS Chakravarti, MD and CEO, Shriram Finance Ltd, said, "As the festive season approaches, companies across India are intensifying their efforts to boost production and supply, causing an uptick in truck rentals on key routes. The Srinagar area is particularly active due to the apple picking season and pre-election activities, which are driving up freight rates. Additionally, the reopening of trade at the India-Bangladesh border is leading to higher fleet usage in that region. However, the recent floods in Gujarat have led to logistical challenges. As we observe the situation, there is a cautious anticipation to see how quickly Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will recover from the devastating floods.”

Image for representative purpose only.

Ashok Leyland announced today that Shenu Agarwal has been appointed as Managing Director and CEO of the company, with immediate effect. Assuming charge, Agarwal will drive the technology development, growth and future strategy for the company towards achieving the company’s vision to be among the top 10 commercial vehicle players globally. Ashok Leyland claims that Agarwal joins the company from Escorts Kubota Ltd, where he was President. He was Chief Executive for the agribusiness for more than seven years. According to Ashok Leyland, he is associated closely with the transformation of escorts into a leadership position by ushering in contemporary global standards of design, quality and manufacturing.

Dheeraj Hinduja, Executive Chairman, Ashok Leyland, said, “Shenu has a proven track record as a leader from a business conglomerate and is an all-rounder, having worked in different capacities in many disciplines. Our focus on reliability, ambition to achieve global scale and our constant pursuit of enhancing stakeholder value at Ashok Leyland all will get further strengthened with Shenu at the helm. I am optimistic that the company will carve new niches in the mobility sector soon under his stewardship and I wish him the very best for the future."

Sharing his thoughts on this new position, Agarwal said, “I am honoured and feel privileged to be part of Ashok Leyland, an institution with a rich 75-year legacy of pioneering technology leadership. I look forward to working closely with all the stakeholders and employees to help achieve in an accelerated manner Ashok Leyland’s vision to be among the top 10 CV manufacturers globally.”