The federal government has tightened its stance against companies that fail to comply with the minimum freight rate and has signaled that it may prevent irregular carriers from operating in the country. The measure is part of a package to contain truck drivers’ dissatisfaction and avoid a national strike, announced by the Minister of Transport, Renan Filho, in a press conference this Wednesday (17).
The strategy, according to the minister, is to stop practices that are considered recurring in hiring below the established freight floor. The idea is to reach not only those who provide the service, but also those who hire freight outside the price list.
According to the proposal under discussion, companies that insist on not complying with the rule that limits the value of freight to a minimum may lose the right to transport cargo. Contractors who use lower freight rates may also be prevented from signing new contracts.
“The focus will be on stopping illegality. Both the company and the transporter will be penalized. The key message is that now, this table will make the minimum price work”, stated Renan Filho.
The assessment is that non-compliance with the table is no longer a specific problem and has started to be adopted as a business model by the sector. Therefore, the response will be directed to repeated practices, and not to isolated cases.
The logic follows the same line as programs adopted in other areas, such as the fight against persistent debtors, with a focus on separating occasional errors from systematic behaviors.
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The offensive seeks to ensure that the minimum freight value is effectively respected, guaranteeing remuneration for truck drivers and more balanced conditions of competition between companies.
In the government’s diagnosis, the lack of effective supervision ended up putting downward pressure on the market, forcing drivers to accept lower prices to maintain their activity.
“With this, the message is: the government wants to separate those who make mistakes from those who make them [o erro] a business model. It’s the market working better, without anyone having to be forced to break the table to compete with those who purposely break it”, said the minister.
The new approach aims to correct this distortion and prevent companies that follow the rules from being harmed by competitors who operate outside the law.
Rest and planning come into play
In addition to the measures on freight, the government also intends to review points of legislation that deal with truck drivers’ working hours and rest. The topic gained relevance after decisions by the Federal Supreme Court (STF) on the right to rest.
The assessment is that, although the guarantee is legitimate, the way in which the rule has been applied can make travel planning difficult, especially due to the lack of adequate infrastructure on the highways.
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“The government defends a middle ground between complying with the rule and facilitating the planning of truck drivers in Brazil. It is not just a point for the Ministry of Transport, but with the AGU together, we will work to find a transition in this model that allows truck drivers to better organize their trips”, stated the head of the Department.
The measures come amid rising operating costs, especially with the increase in diesel. The government states that it has already taken actions to mitigate the impact and has also asked states to evaluate additional measures.
Planalto’s expectation is that the tightening of freight rules, combined with fuel initiatives, will reduce pressure on the category and help avoid a large-scale strike.
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