Neelam and Nitin Sharma Road Pilot empowering truck drivers across India

Business Remedies | Rajshree Upadhyaya | Road Pilot began as a plainspoken solution to a persistent problem on Indian roads—a problem its founders knew intimately because they lived it. Nitin Sharma and his cofounder and wife Neelam built Road Pilot out of Lucknow to bridge the gap between truck drivers and fleet owners by creating what they describe as a digital employment exchange for truckers—an app-driven platform that lists verified jobs, links drivers to fleet owners, and bundles services such as access to dhabas, mechanics, and insurance in one place. The company behind the app was incorporated in 2021 and presents itself as a driver-centric platform that wants to restore dignity to the backbone of India’s logistics industry.

Their pitch to a national audience came on Shark Tank India, where the couple sought capital to scale their marketplace and deepen relationships across fleets and roadside services. On television, they asked for a significant cheque for a small equity share, pitching both the market pain and their traction while hoping to win not just money but mentorship to open up more routes and partnerships. The episode gave them wide exposure and put Road Pilot on the radar of truckers, fleet owners, and logistics observers across the country. Despite a polished pitch and clear product focus, the founders left the stage without a deal after the sharks weighed the size of the ask against unit economics and growth projections.

What followed was a familiar arc for many startups that come to national attention—some boost in brand recognition, new inbound users, and an opportunity to convert free publicity into paid customers. Road Pilot has used that attention to amplify recruitment efforts for drivers and to promote subscription plans aimed at mechanics, dhabas, and smaller fleet owners. The company’s website highlights its services and claims a growing community of drivers and partners served through their platform. The founders also shared reflections about their Shark Tank experience and continued to post updates showing the brand actively engaging with stakeholders after the show.

Operationally, Road Pilot presents the signs of an active startup. It maintains a working website, an active presence on social platforms, and an office in Lucknow while continuing to pitch its app to drivers and fleets. Public records and startup directories show the company registered as Road Pilot Technologies Private Limited in late 2021, which matches the timeline the founders have shared in interviews. While the business did not secure a Shark Tank deal, reports and company updates both point to efforts to convert the Shark Tank spotlight into user growth, partnerships, and incremental revenue rather than an immediate scaling spree backed by external investment.

The larger story of Road Pilot is less about a single investment and more about a social and commercial mission to digitize a traditionally informal sector. Nitin and Neelam have steered the venture from an operational pain point on their own fleet to a publicly visible attempt at systemic change, using technology to make work more discoverable, safer, and better remunerated for truck drivers. At present, the company remains operational and continues to promote its app and services while seeking the next inflection point—whether that comes through partnerships, product refinement, or fresh capital.

Written & Edited By:

Rajshree Upadhyaya