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I have survived on Rs.250/- a month. God has raised me to this level. Being
humane matters, not money.
Constantly updated through incessant incoming calls, he carries it all in his
head the departure/arrival of 104 trucks ever on the move across the country
with tight delivery delivery deadlines. "What else is my work?", asks Raj Singh
Narwal of Ahmedabad Bengal Roadways, sitting in his functional
office-cum-workshop near the Delhi-Gurgaon border. The largest truck contractor
for the fast-growing express cargo companies. Raj Singh's self
confessed single obession in life is Ahmedabad Bengal Roadways. And make no
mistakes, his mind is ever ticking on how to drive down costs and turnaround
time, how to fight the squeeze on margins.
But for the brick kilms in his
native village names Rithal, in Rohtak district in the North Indian State of
Haryana, Raj Singh, all probability, would have become a farmer like his father.
But the brick kilms - rather, the trucks that changed his lifes course. His
earliest childhood memories revolve around those powerful trucks that cast a
spell on the youngster.
Chasing his dream, Raj Singh left his 9th standard studies in 1975 and went
through the typical learning and start up process of an Indian trucker. An
apprenticeship with mechanic followed a helper's job with a trucker and
acquisition of the all-important driving license. He turn down a secure
government job - greatly coveted by villge lads - and instead to close drive
trucks. By 1978, he had saved enough to part-own and self-drive a second-hand
truck. All the earning went in to buying trucks for the four brother who
followed Raj Singh's example. 1982 and an Ashok Leyland Tusker joined Raj
Singh's stable. Thus began a tryst leading to a strong association and loyalty.
Raj Singh's truck fleet kept growing but the five brothers continued to drive
love driving anyway. The 44-year-old recalls a round trip he did the early 90s.
His truck loaded with high density (but-compact) metal spring, Raj Singh he
topped it with tyres. Enroute Delhi, outside bijapur he came across a loaded
truck, its cabin badly damaged in an accident. Its front tyres removed and front
mounted on his Delhi-bound truck, Raj Singh drove the makeshift "trailer",
earning the best in industry for a trip. "Those days, we had easy deliver
deadlines and could wait for market load", remembers Raj Singh.
Today delivery schedules have become tighter and meeting them without fail is
pivotal to the success Ahmedabad Bengal Roadways. "we manage 98% complains",
says Raj Singh who has award from a leading express cargo company for exemplary delivery record. Raj
Singh's covers the Delhi. Mumbai route in 38 Hours and Delhi Ahmedabad in 22
Hours. From October 2002, he has been able to slash running time for all routs
by around 10%. How he manage such efficiency.
Improvement is simple - befitting the simple man that he is. " we brothers
(the five are equal partners in the company) drives the trucks with our drivers
by our side, see the time is takes, the fuel consumption and expect them to
match it. we don't put pressure. It is no miracle either - after all, the route
are improving and so all the vehicles. Over 80% of his fleet are Ashok Leylend
Vehicles - their " reliability, lower maintenance cost and better fuel average
help us maintain delivery schedules and operate them in these times of thin
margins". His mind is already at work to further cut running time to command
more remunerative rates from the customer - and more trips.
For some one who can not stand waste, his closed fists loosen for essentials
without batting an eyelid, he flies down drivers as replacement for their
indisposed colleagues. A heart ailment or losing eyesight, his driver can count
on Raj Singh's benevolence. Raj Singh dismissed his acts of kindness by saying:
" I have survived on Rs. 250/- a month. God had raised me to this level. Being
humane matters, not money".
Raj Singh only other obsessions is the sat sang ( a prayer group literally
meaning, group of the God) held every saturday in his native village which non
of the 38 member will miss. He is a family of teetotalers. Raj Singh believes
his simple ways have helped in his success and is fiercely proud that success
has not spoilt him : he has not changed even his dress style, he has no fancy
for flashy cars. this distinctly hands on, Raj Singh is at his desk day or night
when ever business demands. " Timely service is not easy", he explains even as
answering in to his mobile - his only personal concession to modernity.
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