The GST 2.0 reform from September 22 triggered a surge in demand for new passenger cars, which became significantly cheaper. However, this spurt has created a shortage of car carriers to ferry new vehicles from factories to dealers across India.

There are around 15,000 car carriers operating in the market, each capable of hauling 6 to 8 vehicles , depending on their size and model. At any point in time, nearly 2,000 carriers are off the road due to mechanical issues. However, since September 22, very few were idle, allowing OEMs to deliver vehicles on time, said sources.

Rising demand

Dharmvir Sharma, Managing Director of Chennai-based ICM Logistics Pvt Ltd, which operates about 550 car carriers, said that until September 21, dispatches from OEMs were very slow. However, from September

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