Short answer
What should a travel agency check before choosing a transport partner?
Check that the cars are commercially permitted and insured, the drivers' licences are checked, the fleet covers your group sizes with a backup car, every car is GPS-tracked, you get the driver's details before pickup, the partner works white-label and never contacts your customers, the rates and extras are written down, a GST invoice is available, and someone answers the phone 24/7.
The checklist
What are the 12 checks?
Ask each question; a good partner answers without hesitation.
- Commercial permits. Are all cars on commercial (yellow-plate) permits? Private cars carrying paying guests are a risk for your agency.
- Insurance and papers. Are RC, insurance, permit, fitness and PUC valid, and will they show them on request?
- Driver licences. Is every driver's commercial licence checked before he drives? How experienced are the drivers?
- Fleet for every group. Can they supply sedans, MUVs, Tempo Travellers and buses, so you use one partner for every group?
- Backup car. What happens if a car breaks down halfway through a tour? There should be a replacement plan.
- GPS tracking. Is every car GPS-tracked, and can they share the live location with you?
- Driver details first. Do you get the driver's name, phone and car number before the pickup, so you can brief your guests?
- White-label. Will the driver hold your agency's name on the board and keep their own company in the background?
- Your customers. Do they promise never to contact or sell to your customers, during or after the trip?
- Written rates and extras. Are the per-km rate, the daily minimum, the driver allowance, the night charge and the extras clear in writing?
- Billing. Do they give a GST invoice in your agency's name, accept bank transfer, and offer a monthly invoice once you are regular?
- 24/7 contact. Is there one number that answers at 3 AM when a flight is late or a plan changes?
Our answers
How does Shiv Shakti answer the 12 checks?
Straight answers; ask us to show anything on this list.
| Check | Our answer |
|---|---|
| Commercial permits | Yes: all cars commercially permitted |
| Insurance and papers | Kept valid; shown on request |
| Driver licences | Each driver's commercial licence checked; drivers with 5+ years' driving experience |
| Fleet | Sedans, Ertigas, Innova Crystas, our own Tempo Travellers and buses |
| Backup car | Yes, on breakdown or driver absence |
| GPS | Every car; live location shared on request |
| Driver details | Sent to your agency before pickup |
| White-label | Yes: your agency's name on the board |
| Your customers | Never contacted or sold to |
| Rates | Public rates on our site; agent rates on request; terms in writing |
| Billing | GST invoice, bank transfer, monthly invoice with credit for regular agencies |
| 24/7 | +91 99745 30788, every day |
Red flags
What are the warning signs?
Walk away if you see these.
- Private (white-plate) cars offered for paying guests.
- "All-inclusive" prices that turn out to exclude tolls, the driver allowance or night charges, or a rate given only on the phone and never in writing.
- Drivers who hand out their own cards to your guests, or partners who ask for your guests' numbers "for follow-up".
- No backup plan when you ask what happens after a breakdown.
- Full payment in advance demanded for a short transfer.
- No invoice, or an invoice that cannot be in your agency's name.
Why it matters
Why does white-label matter so much?
Because the guest you send this year is the guest who books with you again next year, if nobody else gets their number.
Your name on the board
The driver meets your guests with your agency's name on the board, at the airport, the station or the hotel.
Your customers stay yours
The driver does not hand out our number or card, and we never contact your guests to sell them a trip.
Driver details to you first
Before pickup we send you the driver's name, phone number and car number, to pass on to your guests.
GPS on every car
Every car is GPS-tracked, and we can share the live location with you while your guests travel.
A backup car if needed
If a car breaks down or a driver cannot come, we send another car.
One number, 24/7
Your team calls one number at any hour for changes, delays or problems: +91 99745 30788.
Quote builder
Want to test us with one booking?
Send one transfer or one day tour. Judge us on the checklist, then decide.
Hi Shiv Shakti, agency quote request.
Send on WhatsApp Nothing is sent until you press the button. We reply with your agent rate and the cars.Questions
Questions agencies ask when choosing a partner
Anything else? Call +91 99745 30788.
What is the most important thing to check in a transport partner?
That the cars are commercially permitted and insured, and that the partner works white-label and never contacts your customers. Everything else can be fixed; those cannot.
Should a partner publish its rates?
Public rates, yes: they show the partner is consistent. Agent rates are usually given on request.
How do I test a new partner?
Start with one airport transfer or day tour, check the pickup, the driver and the invoice, then send a longer tour.
Is a big fleet better?
What matters is that the partner can supply every vehicle size you need and has a backup car when something goes wrong.
Does Shiv Shakti meet these 12 checks?
Yes. Our answers are in the table on this page; ask us to show the papers.
Keep planning
More for travel agencies
- All tours and services for travel agentsThe travel-agent hub
- White-label transportWhat we promise
- Agent rates and billingHow agencies pay
- How to choose a taxi service in GujaratThe checklist for travellers
- Why choose Shiv ShaktiWhat our customers say
- Ground transport partner for travel agenciesOur offer to agencies and tour operators