Before you book a truck in Bangladesh, check five things: that the driver holds a professional licence for the truck’s weight class, that the truck has valid registration, fitness, tax token and route permit papers, that the route and timing are allowed (large trucks run inside Dhaka only at night, and highways close to trucks around Eid), what the fare includes and what it does not, and that your goods fit within the truck’s legal load. Each one, if missed, can mean a truck stopped by police, a missed delivery, a surprise bill or a forced unload at a bridge.
Here is what to check on each, and why.
1. A verified driver with the right licence
A driver without the right licence can get your goods stopped at the first checkpoint. Bangladesh’s Road Transport Act 2018 sorts driving licences by vehicle weight, measured by the vehicle’s registered laden weight:
| Licence class | Vehicle weight (registered laden weight) | Typical vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Up to 7,500 kg | Pickups, small trucks |
| Medium | 7,501 to 12,000 kg | Mid-size trucks |
| Heavy | More than 12,000 kg | Large trucks, ten-wheelers |
Source: Road Transport Act 2018, section 2. A heavy licence also covers light and medium vehicles, but not the other way round.
Anyone driving a truck for pay needs a professional licence, which requires a minimum age of 21. Since 2022, a dope test certificate has been required for every new or renewed professional licence. Since June 2026, BRTA has also deducted points for offences such as speeding, signal violations and overloading, and a driver who loses all 12 points loses the licence and cannot renew it.
On long routes, helpers sometimes take the wheel so the driver can rest. A helper without a professional licence is, in law, an unlicensed driver, and if the truck is stopped or crashes, your goods are caught up in the case. Ask who will actually drive.
What to check: Ask to see the driver’s licence and check that it is professional, in date and covers the truck’s weight class. Note the driver’s name and phone number. On a booking platform, check that the driver is registered and look at their rating and trip history.
2. A verified truck with valid papers
A truck that breaks down halfway, or is stopped for missing papers, puts your goods and your schedule at risk. Every goods truck needs four documents:
| Document | What it proves | Penalty if missing (Road Transport Act 2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Registration certificate | The truck is registered and the number plate is real | Up to 6 months, Tk 50,000 or both |
| Fitness certificate | The truck has passed BRTA’s roadworthiness check | Up to 6 months, Tk 25,000 or both |
| Tax token | Road tax is paid | Fine of up to Tk 10,000 |
| Route permit | The truck may run on its routes | Up to 6 months, Tk 20,000 or both |
Penalties as reported by Prothom Alo and TBS when the Act came into force in 2019.
Age matters too. Trucks and covered vans have an economic life of 25 years in Bangladesh, and in April 2025 BRTA counted 46,481 goods vehicles older than that, about 12.5% of the total, Prothom Alo reported. An older truck is more likely to break down, and its legal status may change if the age limit is enforced.
What to check: Look at the papers or a photo of them, check that the dates are current, and note the registration number before loading. A quick look at the tyres, lights and load area also tells you a lot about how the truck is kept.
3. Route, timing and traffic rules
Not every truck can go every road at every time, and getting this wrong can cost a fine or a wasted trip.
Inside Dhaka. Large trucks are kept out of the city during the day. On Truck Lagbe, trucks longer than 12 ft can only be booked for trips inside Dhaka after 10:00 PM, so daytime city deliveries need a pickup or a 12 ft truck.
Expressways. Mini, medium and large trucks can use the Dhaka Elevated Expressway if they pay the toll, the Financial Express reported. Trucks have lower speed limits than cars: 50 km/h on expressways and Category A highways, 45 km/h on Category B highways and district roads, and 30 km/h in towns under the 2024 speed guideline, The Daily Star reported. Build that into delivery times.
Around Eid. Trucks, covered vans and lorries are kept off the highways for about a week around each Eid. In 2026, the Eid-ul-Fitr ban ran from 17 to 23 March, with exemptions for essentials such as perishables, medicine, garments, fertiliser and fuel, TBS reported.
Bridges and ferries. Axle-load stations at the Padma and Jamuna bridges weigh trucks, and ferry crossings close in dense winter fog. Allow extra time on routes through them.
What to check: Tell the owner the exact pickup and drop-off points, including lane width and floor, and confirm the truck can legally run there at the time you need. For long routes, ask how long the trip will really take at truck speeds.
4. A fare agreed in advance, with nothing left out
A verbal price that grows at the destination is one of the most common complaints in truck hiring. Avoid it by agreeing every part of the fare before the goods go on.
Inside Dhaka, these are Truck Lagbe’s fare ranges from its Dhaka fare chart of 12 September 2026:
| Truck | Fare range (Tk) |
|---|---|
| 1 ton, 9 ft pickup | 800 to 2,200 |
| 2 ton, 12 ft truck | 1,200 to 2,700 |
| 3.5 ton, 14 ft truck | 1,500 to 2,800 |
| 7.5 ton, 16 ft truck | 2,500 to 4,500 |
| 15 ton, 18 ft truck | 3,500 to 5,000 |
| 25 ton, 23 ft truck | 5,000 to 6,000 |
The chart was set before diesel rose to Tk 135 a litre in September 2026, so expect bids near the top of each range. Long-distance fares rose too: after the September increase, a truck from Khulna to Dhaka cost about Tk 17,500 and a truckload from Kushtia to Khatunganj in Chattogram about Tk 40,000, the Dhaka Tribune reported.
The fare is not the only cost. Agree these too:
- Tolls. On Truck Lagbe, bridge and road tolls are included in the bid. Elsewhere, ask. The Padma Bridge toll is Tk 1,200 for a pickup and Tk 1,600 to Tk 2,800 for trucks up to 11 tons, TBS reported.
- Waiting time. Truck Lagbe’s chart adds Tk 300 to Tk 1,000 when loading or unloading runs past six hours.
- Labour. Loading and unloading workers are usually extra.
- Payment. Agree whether you pay in cash at the end, in advance or after the trip on a business account.
What to check: Get the full price in writing or in the app before loading. Comparing several bids, rather than taking the first quote, is the simplest way to know the price is fair.
5. Load and truck capacity
Overloading is dangerous and expensive. It wears out brakes and tyres, makes the truck harder to stop and can cost the driver up to Tk 1 lakh, a year in prison and 2 licence points. At the Padma and Jamuna bridges, overloaded trucks are made to unload the excess before they cross.
Each truck has two limits: its registered laden weight on its papers, and the legal limit by number of axles. A two-axle truck may carry 13 to 22 tonnes in total depending on its wheel layout, a three-axle truck 30 tonnes and a seven-axle truck 52 tonnes, under a 2016 RHD order. The risks of overloading a truck go well beyond the fine.
What to check: Estimate the weight of your goods from invoices or bag counts, not by eye. Dense goods such as cement, rods, rice and tiles reach a truck’s limit long before they fill the deck. Choose a truck with some margin, and if the load is too heavy for one, book two. The payload of each size is a better guide than its length, and choosing between a pickup and a mini truck usually comes down to weight.
A quick pre-booking checklist
| Check | Done? |
|---|---|
| Driver has a professional licence for the truck’s weight class | |
| Registration, fitness, tax token and route permit are valid | |
| Truck can legally run on the route at the booked time | |
| No Eid highway ban or other closure on the travel dates | |
| Fare agreed, with tolls, waiting time and labour settled | |
| Goods weight is within the truck’s legal load | |
| Driver’s name, phone and truck registration number noted |
Most of the problems that come up on the day, from the wrong size to a missing address, can be avoided with a few habits at the booking stage.
How Truck Lagbe makes these checks easier
On Truck Lagbe, owners register their trucks with documents before they can bid, and every bid shows the truck size and type. Shippers see the fare before they accept, a 1 ton pickup inside Dhaka has a fixed fare, and tolls are included in bids. The app applies the Dhaka night rule when you book, and there is a customer care line if anything goes wrong. Download the Truck Lagbe app to post your next trip.
Frequently asked questions
What licence does a truck driver need in Bangladesh?
A professional licence in the right weight class: light up to 7,500 kg, medium up to 12,000 kg and heavy above that. A heavy licence also covers light and medium vehicles.
What papers should a truck have?
A registration certificate, a valid fitness certificate, a current tax token and a route permit.
Can a large truck run inside Dhaka during the day?
On Truck Lagbe, trucks longer than 12 ft can only be booked for trips inside Dhaka after 10:00 PM. Pickups and 12 ft trucks can run during the day.
Are tolls included in the truck fare?
On Truck Lagbe, yes, bridge and road tolls are included in the owner’s bid. For other bookings, ask before you agree the fare.
What happens if a truck is overloaded?
The driver can be fined up to Tk 1 lakh, jailed for up to a year and lose 2 licence points, and the excess must be unloaded at axle-load stations before major bridges.
