Group V has always believed in being a responsible social corporate entity. Through the years we have helped social organizations with their development projects aimed at alleviating the misery of downtrodden people. Perhaps this is a quality we have imbibed from our founder Shri K.K.Shah who was a prominent social worker.

In 1962 when Kutch suffered from frequent droughts, Shri K.K.Shah was made the President of Central Drought Relief Committee, Kutch. He helped to arrange fodder for cattle and sustenance for the affected people, thus saving the lives of thousands of cattle and deprived people. His excellent work was appreciated and he was felicitated by many high ranking politicians and social workers like the then Governor of Gujarat, Chief Minister, Gujarat Revenue Minister and others.

Later when Kutch came under the onslaught of floods and cyclones, Group V came to the aid by offering free transportation of relief materials from Mumbai to Gujarat. Again during the earthquake in 2001, we realized our responsibility by offering more than 100 trucks to transport relief materials to Kutch.

Health is another area close to our hearts. Considerable contributions have been made towards a heart foundation, sanatorium and other health projects in Gujarat.

Group V also works towards uplifting the weaker sections of society through comprehensive community welfare and development programs. Significant contributions have been made towards a residential home for the underprivileged at Kutch.

Road Safety our Responsibility

As per the World Health Organization's Global Status Report on Road Safety, more people die in road accidents in India than anywhere else in the world. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) at least 13 people die every hour from road accidents in the country.

Group V respects human lives, values its employees, and invests in innovative technologies and solutions towards the improvement of road safety and protection of economic wealth.

By providing proper training and counseling to our drivers, we have been able to minimize the number of accidents. All the drivers of Group V are trained in safe and defensive driving. Group V in association with WIAA (Western India Automobile Association) has started ongoing training for our drivers. To take this ahead, towards establishing better industry standards, we are opening a training school in Gujarat where Group V would train not only its staff members but would also welcome participants from the industry.

Further, in order to reduce the incidences of accidents, Group V advises its drivers to rest compulsorily between 2 am to 5 am, the time during which maximum accidents occur. Comfortable resting places and wash room facilities have been provided to the drivers / laborers at major transshipment hubs so that they may take rest, thus reducing road fatigue and improving road safety. In adherence to road safety rules, we ensure that apart from bonafide occupants our drivers do not carry any other person on board.

Enviromental Protection

Initiatives which have a direct effect on the environment:

• To control fuel emissions Our vehicles adhere to Stage II Health Safety and Environmental Performance (HSE) specifications. Almost 95% of our vehicles are less than 8 years old. Vehicles that are 8 years and above are gradually phased out. We use clean and undiluted fuel only for our fleet, that too from fixed, reliable and trusted petrol pumps on regular routes. To ensure this, all our vehicle drivers have been provided with petro-cards to discourage fuel refilling from unscrupulous dealers.
  To conserve trees we purchase only Company built vehicles where tin plates or aluminium containers are used to make the vehicular body instead of wood.
  Overloading of vehicles is strictly not allowed since overloading is responsible for added pollution, damage to roads and is responsible for accidents.
  Apart from the above our vehicles also undergo scheduled PUC checks. They are also on an annual maintenance contract to keep them fuel efficient and minimize harmful emissions.
• With a view to conserve our natural resources we have set up solar panels at most hubs. The lighting system in some of our hubs is operated on solar energy. Especially at our Vapi Super Hub solar energy is used to operate the hot water geysers used by the aprox.200 nos of labour, drivers and staff staying there.
• Rain harvesting techniques (recharging of water) has also been introduced at our Vapi Super Hub, Aslali, and Neelmangala and Gandhidham premises to prevent depleting our resources further.
• We had a sapling planting drive at Vapi in association with Vapi Industrial Association, whereby employees planted around 200 saplings marked with their individual names on them, thus making them responsible for their individual sapling.
• At Golden chokdi transhipment, Baroda we have planted 12 trees.
• At Gandhidham we have planted around 150 saplings of neem suitable for surviving in the local environmental conditions.
• • To maintain food chain balance, at Rudanagar, Rajkot and Gandhidham we have created 30-40 nesting spaces for sparrows where they could rear their young ones. This will soon be replicated in Bangalore and Vapi.
• With 99% of our branches computerized, we have handed over the responsibility of recycling our ewaste to Eco Recycling Ltd.

Initiatives which are beneficial to the environment in an indirect way:

• Regular workshops are conducted for employees where they are educated on how to conserve energy by optimally using the resources at their disposal.
• 99% of our branches are computerized, thus all transactions are done online, reducing the use of paper.
• All paper used in the office is reused and recycled.
• We have set up environmental friendly water coolers at all our Regions to offer cool water to the citizens at large.

In recognition of the above initiatives we have won the Ceat India Road Transportation award for Environment Conservation for the year 2011.

Fully Air Conditioned and Computerized Panchayat Ghar at Patri Village

The New Panchayat Ghar constructed and donated at Patri Village is another of our Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

Taking around 6 months to construct, the Panchayat Ghar is fully Air Conditioned and Computerized and equipped with all the latest office equipments. It has become one of the first Panchayat offices with a true corporate look and is the first such Panchayat office in the whole of Gujarat and perhaps in India. Named after our founder Shri K.K.Shah this Panchayat Ghar was inaugurated on March 28 by State Minister � Gujarat, Mr. Vasan Ahir. Shri Hemchand Shah who is also the President of Patri Jain Mahajan acted as the coordinator between the village Panchayat and V-Trans to make this a reality.

Shri K. K. Shah put in a lot of efforts to provide Roads, Electricity, Water, and Telephone to Patri by networking with the Gujarat Government. In appreciation of this the bazaar chowk in Patri village has also been named after him. Shri V.K.Shah has also been appreciated by the village for his support and community activities by naming the Vivihant Khand after him. The road passing in front of his house has also been named the Shri V.K.Shah Marg.

Shri Mahendra K. Shah, expressing his gratitude said in his speech, �Shri K.K.Shah following in the footsteps of Gandhiji and Vinoba Bhave believed that strong villages build strong nations and worked very hard to obtain basic facilities like road, electricity, telephone for his Patri village.
Our contribution towards an air-conditioned computerized Panchayat Ghar is keeping in line with Mr.Narendra Modi's dream of making Gujarat on par with international standards as far as technology is concerned. We would readily provide any other support that the village may need at a later date.

The entire village turned out to witness this event. It was graced by Ministers, MP Poonamben Jat, many other dignitaries, other prominent people from the village and the entire Group V promoter family.

HR Initiatives for Drivers and Labourers

We feel responsible for our drivers and labour who are working with us and we have made a conscious effort to uplift these sections.

Dignity to Drivers: We treat drivers as an integral part of our business, our extended arm and equal partners in progress. We also conduct regular training programs for drivers of our own and attached vehicles in association with WIAA & Castrol Institute to hone their driving techniques and changing trends. We also engage them in regular training and counseling workshops organized in association with Brahmakumaris towards health related issues like AIDS awareness, de-addiction of vices such as alcohol and tobacco consumption. Through an NGO we organized eye check camps for our drivers.

Drivers often tend to neglect their nutritional requirements. We are in the process of carrying out a study to determine and suggest a dietary plan for drivers as well as closely work with the Dhabas to see that this plan is implemented, whereby they are able to provide wholesome food to them.

We have also created rest rooms and wash rooms at our transhipments for drivers and labour.

We have also started mess facility at our Vapi transhipment.

We treat our drivers and labour like family members, addressing them by their first names. The promoters personally participate in their celebrations like satyanarayana puja, dussehra/diwali festivities.

These initiatives for drivers has given them a sense of belongingness and responsibility and has helped us in reducing road accidents to 16 nos out of total number of trucks (trips) operated during 2011-12.

We have invested in Mechanized Equipment (MHEs) to protect the health of our labour. They are imparted training on a regular basis on use of this equipment to prevent injuries.

Infact the Mathadi labour board, an organization comprising representatives of labour, government and transport industry has honoured V-Trans with their best employer award.

We also sponsored HUM kits for poor mothers at our Vapi Superhub.

In recognition of our HR initiatives with regards to our staff, drivers and labour alike we have received industry recognition through CEAT National Award for Personnel Management for two consecutive years in 2010 & 2011.