India Partial Truck Load Market Research Report: Forecast (2026-2030)

Market Definition

A Partial Truckload (PTL) is a freight shipping method in which shipments only fulfill some portion of the truck’s capacity while sharing the remaining space with other shipments going in the same direction. They are too large for less-than-truckload but do not require a full truckload trailer.

Market Insights & Analysis: India Partial Truck Load Market (2026-2030):

The India Partial Truck Load Market size is valued at around USD 23,324.24 million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 37,029.90 million by 2030. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 9.7% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026-30.

Numerous factors contribute to the market growth. Digital toll and fuel solutions are helping to save time and costs for the fleets, while logistics parks and express corridors are improving connectivity. The manufacturing sector is creating steady demand for smaller shipments. Government investments in infrastructure and policy support are boosting efficiency. The fast growth of e-commerce is increasing the need for frequent mid-sized deliveries. Cold chain PTL is rising with higher demand for food and pharma transport. Vehicle telematics and route optimization are further enhancing reliability and fleet productivity.

The evolving dynamics of India’s Partial Truck Load logistics sector have amplified the need for greater operational transparency and cost control. This is especially due to the high frequency of intercity and regional movements across diverse shipment sizes. In Partial Truck Load operations, companies need flexible routes with quick turnarounds and cost efficiency to stay competitive. A major challenge in achieving this is the high share of toll and fuel expenses in overall costs. Fleet operators are turning to digital payment systems that make toll and fuel management faster and more transparent to tackle this challenge. The introduction of FASTag has played a key role by allowing seamless toll payments and cutting down long wait times at plazas. More than 98% of toll transactions in India are processed through FASTag, which helps in reducing average stoppage time from 8 minutes to under 1 minute as per the National Highway Authority of India. This further helps the PTL carriers operating on a fixed time & multi-drop schedule to save time on toll tax and deliver efficiently.

Additionally, digital fuel payment platforms offered by HPCL, BPCL, and Indian Oil are being integrated with fintech and fleet-tech systems. These solutions are gaining strong adoption among PTL-focused logistics firms while allowing operators to track fuel usage in real time, along with controlling expenses and reducing cash handling.

The market is undergoing a structural transformation because of the rapid development of logistics infrastructure and the expansion of express cargo networks. These shifts are enabling cost-effective and fast scalable freight movement across fragmented & mid-volume consignments, which is the core of the PTL model. At the center of this transformation are government-backed initiatives such as the Bharatmala Pariyojana, which includes the development of 35 Multimodal Logistics Parks strategically located along freight corridors. These MMLPs were announced by the government of India in 2025 and are designed to improve freight aggregation while optimizing modal connectivity (road, rail, and waterways) and reducing overall logistics costs by 20–25.  The rise of these integrated logistics hubs makes it easier to consolidate loads and plan routes more effectively for PTL operators. This leads to shorter transit times and improved efficiency in mid-mile and intercity deliveries.

Simultaneously, private logistics players are investing in robust express networks and digitalized freight ecosystems. Companies like Delhivery, XpressBees, and TCI Express have built extensive PTL-compatible networks with automated sorting centers and real-time tracking, along with hub-and-spoke routing algorithms. These networks enable time-bound deliveries over medium-distance corridors (300–800 km) while aligning well with the operational sweet spot of PTL logistics.

Moreover, Government-led investments in national highways, access-controlled expressways, and Dedicated Freight Corridors have enhanced cargo mobility and route efficiency, which is critical for PTL operations. A cornerstone of this transformation is the Bharatmala Pariyojana, which aims to develop over 83,000 km of highways by 2027.  More than 45,000 km of highway work has already been completed under the project while significantly improving last-mile and inter-regional connectivity as of 2024. Also, India had developed approximately 146,195 km of National Highways and 2,474 km of high-speed corridors by 2024. Key arterial routes such as the Golden Quadrilateral (5,300 km) and the North–South & East–West Corridors have enabled efficient inter-regional freight movement. Additionally, expressways like the Delhi–Mumbai (1,386 km), Mumbai–Nagpur (701 km), and Bengaluru–Chennai (260 km) corridors have helped reduce transit times by up to 50%. This comprehensive infrastructure upgrade allows PTL players to improve delivery frequency while reducing the vehicle turnaround time and the operational costs. Hence, all these factors are augmenting the size & volume of the Indian Partial Truck Load Industry.

India Partial Truck Load Market Driver Scope:

India Partial Truck Load Market Driver:

Booming E-commerce Driving Market Demand – India’s booming e-commerce sector is sharply increasing demand for Partial Truck Load services as shipments become smaller, more frequent, and widely distributed. In 2024, the Indian e-commerce market was worth about USD147,300 million and is expected to grow to around USD 3,63,300 million by 2030. Also, the shopper base is projected to reach 400-450 million by 2027. This will further drive the market by adding significant mid-mile freight requirements. Flipkart alone has invested nearly USD1,200 million to expand 3.5 million square feet of supply chain capacity across fulfillment centers and last-mile hubs to meet festive season demand in India in 2025, over 21,000 pin codes.

Quick commerce players like Blinkit and Instamart generated orders worth approximately USD 11.92 million in FY25, with volumes expected to triple to about USD 391.96 million by FY28, directly feeding PTL networks with high-frequency consignments. These factors indicate that the growing e-commerce market in India will continue to drive the market during the forecast period. 

India Partial Truck Load Market Opportunity:

Rising Demand for Cold Chain Truck Loads Offering Lucrative Opportunity – India’s growing demand for temperature-sensitive deliveries in pharma, FMCG, seafood, and perishables is making cold chain PTL a valuable opportunity. This is because the country’s fragmented cold chain infrastructure is controlled by 90% of small players, leading to waste and lost revenue. PTL can directly address this problem with smaller & consolidated shipments across many destinations.

Various companies have already started to capitalize on this opportunity. For instance, Snowman Logistics is rolling out advanced 5PL services with IoT monitoring and solar-enabled facilities to ensure faster, greener, and more reliable PTL freight for food and medicine. Also, ColdStar Logistics has launched a new temperature-controlled distribution hub in Visakhapatnam with 3,500 pallet capacity to support the marine, pharma, and FMCG sectors, enabling seamless PTL consolidation and last-mile dispatch in 2025. These moves show how cold chain PTL has become a key opportunity for market players that can solve logistics inefficiencies and become a high-growth segment where better visibility and integrity will win clients with efficiency while generating large margins in the long run.

India Partial Truck Load Market Challenge

Driver Shortage Intensifies Operational Risks in India’s PTL Segment – Truck drivers are the operational backbone of India's freight economy, responsible for transporting over 70% of the country's cargo volume. However, this sector is facing a significant attrition rate estimated at 20–25%, translating to a deficit of over 1.2 million drivers relative to fleet size. The gap is widening directed to declining job attractiveness, poor working conditions, informal employment structures, low pay, long hours, and limited social security. Young entrants are opting for urban gig economy alternatives, including ride-hailing or food delivery, leading to a structural talent drain in long-haul trucking. This poses a disproportionately high risk to the Partial Truck Load segment as the operations depend on frequent and multi-stop routes that require higher driver availability per ton-kilometer.

A tightening labor pool results in reduced route flexibility with delayed dispatch cycles and underutilized capacity, directly impacting service level agreements and operating margins. As PTL demand rises from MSMEs and intercity e-commerce, the driver shortage could lead to a 15–20% increase in cost per shipment and erode reliability in key lanes, particularly across Tier 2 and 3 markets.

India Partial Truck Load Market Trend:

Vehicle Telematics & Route Optimization Shaping Market Dynamics – Vehicle telematics and route optimization are reshaping the Partial Truck Load Industry in India by improving fleet visibility, safety, and efficiency. Telematics allows real-time tracking, driver performance monitoring, and predictive maintenance, which is important for PTL operators handling fragmented loads.

Various companies have started to consolidate these services to cater to the rising trend. For instance, Tata Motors has integrated its Fleet Edge platform into commercial vehicles to help businesses save fuel and reduce downtime. Also, Ashok Leyland offers iAlert to provide detailed vehicle insights for logistics clients.  Additionally, startups like Fleetx are also helping over 3,50,000 vehicles with AI-powered route planning and telematics to ensure on-time deliveries while cutting down the cost in India. With government mandates on GPS tracking and toll automation, adoption is growing rapidly, giving PTL providers a clear competitive advantage.

India Partial Truck Load Market (2026-2030) Segmentation Analysis

The India Partial Truck Load Market study of MarkNtel Advisors evaluates & highlights the major trends and influencing factors in each segment. It includes predictions for the period 2026–2030 at the national level. Based on the analysis, the market has been further classified as:

Based on Load Type:

• Domestic
• Cross-Border

Based on the load type, the domestic segment dominates the India Partial Truck Load Market. It holds around 78% share of the entire market value. This is because the smallest and fragmented shipments occur within the country rather than across borders. India’s retail sector is highly fragmented, with over 13 million Kirana Stores depending on frequent small deliveries between warehouses, regional hubs, and local distributors. E-commerce platforms such as Flipkart and Amazon rely on domestic PTL to move goods from fulfillment centers to last-mile partners in Tier II and Tier III cities. Manufacturing MSMEs, which contribute nearly 45% of India’s exports but also serve a vast domestic base, depend on PTL for regular shipments to wholesalers and OEMs. Since these shipments need flexibility and shared trucking capacity rather than full loads or long cross-border routes, the domestic PTL segment remains the market leader.

Based on Size of Truck:

• Ultra Heavy Trucks (>20 Tons)
• Heavy Trucks (16.1 Tons to 20 Tons)
• Medium Trucks (8.1 Tons to 16 Tons)
• Light Trucks (Up to 8 Tons)

Based on the size of the truck, the light trucks (Up to 8 tons) segment dominates the India Partial Truck Load Market with a significant market share of around 38%. This is because of its flexibility in handling short and medium-distance shipments. These trucks are ideal for navigating through the congested urban and semi-urban roads while increasing the delivery frequency and reducing shipment sizes. According to the Niti Aayog, over 70% of India’s freight moves by road, with a large share carried in smaller trucks that serve retail hubs and local distributors. Models like Tata Ace and Mahindra Bolero Pik-Up are widely used by logistics providers for last-mile and intercity PTL deliveries to serve kirana stores, pharma distributors, and regional wholesalers. The light trucks have become the preferred choice of multiple medium & small businesses due to their ability to provide frequent cost-effective shipments to regional buyers.

India Partial Truck Load Industry Recent Development:

• January 2025: DHL Group plans to add 30% freight capacity in India in the period of the next 3-5 years in anticipation of its business in the country doubling by then. With announced investments of USD 288.3 million in 2024, the company is moving forward to increase its freight capacity, including its truck loads, aircraft, and others.  
• May 2024: Delhivery Ltd. partners with Sugar Cosmetics to provide them with Pan-India B2B shipments using Delhivery's superior express part truckload service, delivering B2B consignments at e-commerce speed.

Gain a Competitive Edge with Our India Partial Truck Load Market Report

1. India Partial Truck Load Market Report by MarkNtel Advisors provides a detailed & thorough analysis of market size, growth rate, competitive landscape, and key players. This comprehensive analysis helps business organizations to gain a holistic understanding of market dynamics & make informed decisions.
2. This report also highlights current market trends & future projections, allowing business organizations to identify emerging opportunities & potential challenges. By understanding market forecasts, companies can align their strategies & stay ahead of the competition.
3. India Partial Truck Load Market Report aids in assessing & mitigating risks associated with entering or operating in the market. By understanding market dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and potential challenges, business organizations can develop strategies to minimize risks & optimize their operations.

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