BPP Partnership Impact Series: Connecting commercial drivers to customers in rural Sri Lanka

Since its launch, the Business Partnerships Platform (BPP) has worked with ambitious partners to deliver meaningful, lasting change in communities across the world. Our BPP Partnership Impact Series celebrates the outcomes and lessons from partnerships, highlighting their contributions to inclusive economic growth, resilience and sustainable development.

Our COVID-19 Recovery partnership in Sri Lanka was established in response to the urgent social and economic impacts of the pandemic. The partnership ended in 2024 after delivering impressive outcomes and continues to have lasting impacts benefiting livelihoods and supply chains.

Delivering for small businesses

Pick My Load was launched in 2021 as a partnership between DIMO and the Australian Government to transform Sri Lanka’s transport sector. By empowering small businesses and independent drivers, the platform has made reliable, cost-effective logistics accessible in an industry long dominated by large operators.

Like a ride-share app but for freight, Pick My Load connects consumers directly with independent drivers and small haulage businesses, offering a convenient and affordable way to move heavy goods.

Drivers using the platform gain access to high-quality training and more consistent work, creating lasting benefits for their families and communities.

About the partnership

The partnership’s purpose was to grow the Pick My Load platform, supporting more small business owners and consumers. A key focus was also to support greater gender equality in Sri Lanka’s male-dominated logistics sector.

Pick My Load encouraged greater participation for female drivers, fleet managers and vehicle owners within the haulage sector by providing safety features, training and financial incentives. This boosted the number of female drivers and vehicle owners on the platform.

It also sought to increase the number of women and female-led businesses using the Pick My Load platform through large-scale awareness campaigns about the service.

While the BPP partnership has formally concluded, Pick My Load continues to grow. The platform continues to deliver a real alternative that gives affordable local haulage to business owners and much-needed stability to small businesses across Sri Lanka.

Impact

During the BPP partnership period, the impact included:

• Affordable local haulage – providing a competitive and cost-effective local service for consumers and small businesses.
• More local jobs – Onboarding 300 drivers from the Northwestern Province alone.
• Support for women – Pick My Load campaigned for women transport owners to join the platform, boosting their income and work opportunities.
• New training and skills – drivers and business owners supported with customer service, communication training and using smart phone technology
• Cutting carbon emissions – Local back haulage initiatives saved 821 kgs of CO₂ which is equivalent to travelling 5,500km in a car.  

Support through COVID-19: Securing fuel and sustaining livelihoods

The partnership played a critical role in providing employment and stability for small and independent haulage owners in response to COVID lockdowns. It also continues to support hundreds of drivers navigating crippling fuel shortages across Sri Lanka.

At the height of the pandemic response, lockdowns meant all but the most essential businesses were closed, including independent and small haulage companies.

Leveraging its large userbase, Pick My Load worked with government officials to obtain special approvals so the drivers registered to its app could continue their deliveries. Pick My Ride also used social media and special deals to incentivise services to choose local providers through their platform.

This allowed haulage owners to safely continue and, in some areas, grow operations – protecting incomes and supporting local supply chains.

Pick My Load has also been able to support drivers by securing fuel through its parent company DIMO. This has helped small businesses stay on the road, providing a reliable alternative to major delivery companies.  

View the full partnership impact story below or download here.