Planning guide · Delv guide
Fleet plan
A guide to planning vehicles for your lanes. Decide how to buy capacity, which vehicles fit, what paperwork each run needs and how you will know it is working.
Dedicated, per-trip or hybrid
| Model | Best when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated | The lane runs every day with a steady load. | Paying for idle time on quiet days. |
| Per trip | Loads are irregular or the lane is new. | Less certainty at peak, and a higher price per trip. |
| Hybrid | There is a steady base plus peaks. | Agreeing the base size and the surge rules. |
A common route is to start per trip, learn the real pattern for a few weeks, then dedicate the steady part and keep per-trip for the rest.
Choosing the vehicle
Pick for the load and the road, not for habit. A vehicle that is too big wastes money; one too small means extra trips.
- Bikes and 3-wheelers for light parcels and dense urban drops.
- Small trucks for mixed city loads and short runs between hubs.
- Mid and large trucks for pallets and long, steady lanes.
- Check body type, load height, tail-lift needs and door sizes at both ends.
Electric vehicles
Electric vehicles suit lanes with predictable distances and a place to charge. Map the daily distance against the range, and plan where and when each vehicle charges. Keep a petrol or diesel option as a backup for peak days and long reaches.
Inter-state runs: permits and e-way bills
Crossing a state border brings paperwork. Sort it out per lane before the first trip.
- Vehicle permit valid for each state on the route.
- E-way bill generated for the consignment, matched to the vehicle number.
- Invoice and goods description carried with the driver.
- Driver licence, vehicle registration, fitness and insurance papers up to date.
- Toll and entry charges decided: who pays, and how it is recorded.
The control tower
A control tower is one screen that shows every vehicle, trip and exception. It should answer three questions at any moment: where is each vehicle, is it on plan, and what needs a call.
- Live position and trip status for every vehicle.
- Alerts for late placement, long stops and route deviation.
- A single record of proof of delivery, seals and handovers.
The SLA scorecard
Agree what is measured and review it on a fixed rhythm. Measure the same things the same way each time.
| Measure | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Placement on time | Whether the vehicle arrived when you needed it. |
| On-time departure | Whether loading finished as planned. |
| On-time arrival | Whether the delivery landed in its window. |
| Transit time | How long the trip took against plan. |
| Idle time | How long vehicles waited without moving. |
| Damage and shortage | Whether the goods arrived complete and intact. |
Peak season and surge vehicles
Peaks are where plans break. Decide early how extra vehicles will be added, how much notice that needs and who approves it. Size your dedicated base for the normal day, and cover the rest with surge vehicles that you only pay for when used.
- Mark the heavy weeks on a calendar with your expected lift.
- Agree the notice needed to place extra vehicles.
- Brief extra drivers on the same procedures and paperwork as the regular crew.
Your first-trip checklist
- Lanes described with origin, destination, load and timing.
- Buying model chosen, with a review date.
- Vehicle types matched to the load.
- Permits and e-way bill process confirmed per lane.
- Tracking and proof of delivery tested on one trip.
- Scorecard measures and meeting rhythm agreed.