India’s mobility and logistics activity remained stable in March, with truck rentals across key trunk routes holding firm and witnessing marginal month-on-month (m-o-m) increases, Shriram Mobility Bulletin, said.
However, LPG tanker movement was significantly impacted during the month due to curtailed supplies.
This firmness was supported by year-end dispatches and rising operating cost pressures, even as overall freight movement remained steady.
On a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis, trucking activity showed resilience across most routes. The Delhi-Kolkata-Delhi corridor recorded a 10 per cent increase, followed by the Bengaluru-Mumbai-Bengaluru route at 9 per cent.
Limited increases were observed across several corridors, indicating stable demand conditions, on a monthly basis.
The firmness in rentals can be attributed to continued industrial and consumption-led movement at the close of the financial year, coupled with stable fleet availability and the absence of major supply-side disruptions.
Looking ahead, the ongoing conflict in West Asia is likely to exert further pressure on logistics operations through rising costs.
Tyre manufacturers have announced price hikes effective April 1, driven by higher crude oil prices and increased input costs. This, along with the seasonal increase in toll charges from April 1, is expected to push truck rentals higher in the coming months.
Additionally, an early onset of summer could lead to some moderation in activity levels, read the bulletin.
Published on April 7, 2026