"We are hopeful. They (the government) are in a positive way. Let's keep our fingers crossed," All India Motor Transport Congress member Gurinder Pal Singh said after a meeting with Transport Ministry officials.

He said the truckers and the government were exploring modalities to reduce tax burden on truckers. The meeting is being attended by Secretary and Joint- Secretary of Transport Ministry, NHAI chairman and representatives of AIMTC.

"We want a complete roll-back of toll-tax hike in February. We have given government some alternatives and they have also given us some. We are in the process of working out the modalities," Singh added.

Asked if a solution was expected soon, he said: "We are hopeful of a solution to emerge out from today's meeting."

He said the truckers would call off the strike only after inking an agreement with the government even if a solution was worked out at the meeting.

The striking truckers, who had stopped service since July 2 midnight, have been holding a series of meetings with government officials, including those from transport and finance ministries.

AIMTC, the apex body of transporters that claims to represent nearly 4.8 million truck and two million tempo operators, is demanding roll-back of hike in toll tax, honouring of service tax agreement of 2004, removal of speed governors on highways and rationalisation of duty on diesel.

The apex body of truckers - All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), has claimed that the strike on the first day had an overall impact of about 85 per cent in halting the movement of goods carrier.

The Transport Ministry officials, however, said the impact in the first day was much less at about 10 per cent to 35 per cent depending upon different areas.