The Chamber approved this Wednesday the MP (Provisional Measure), but with several changes in relation to the text edited by President Lula (PT). The matter establishes measures to tighten cargo transport rules and reinforce compliance with the category’s minimum standards, but passed with “a tortoise” to grant amnesty to truck drivers in 2022.
“The fines for cargo transporters, individuals and legal entities, and drivers who have been penalized as a result of their participation in demonstrations, blockades or related acts that occurred in the national territory in the year 2022 are annulled”, says the text of the rapporteur, the deputy.
In 2022, truck drivers blocked highways in demonstrations against the election results. The group’s leaders, including now deputy Zé Trovão, did not accept Lula’s victory.
The text of the MP, which if approved by the Senate will become law, requires prior registration of paid road transport operations, through the Transport Operation Identifier Code.
The project also determines the preparation of a minimum freight spreadsheet based on total operating costs. The document determines that, if the price of fuel fluctuates by 5% or more, there will be an adjustment to the floor within three business days.
The price would be adjusted by ANTT (National Land Transport Agency) and Infra SA, a public planning and innovation company for the transport sector.
The text also establishes punishment for companies that fail to comply with the rules. There is a provision for a precautionary suspension of registration with the RNTRC (National Register of Road Cargo Transporters) until the authorization to operate in the sector is canceled for up to two years. The rule does not apply to independent transporters.
The approved proposal provides for between R$100,000 and R$1 million in cases of repeated non-compliance with the minimum wage. In addition, a national salary floor of R$5,000 was established for professional drivers employed in long-distance transport.
The text also creates Procargas (National Cargo Transport Development Support Program) for the modernization and renewal of the national fleet, in addition to the implementation, expansion, maintenance and operation of PPDs (Stop and Rest Points).
Deputy Zé Trovão also tried to include the possibility of cooperatives, unions and associations installing fueling stations for their own fleet. The measure caused a bad reaction in the fuel sector, which feared difficulties in monitoring, especially regarding compliance with the biodiesel mixing rate.
This authorization was not supported by the original content of the MP and ended up being withdrawn at the last minute by the deputy. Until the vote, the opinion had undergone six changes, three of which were published hours before the text went to the plenary.
