He assures that it is necessary for the Government to rethink the way of calculating fuel increases and accept other calls from the union.
Fedetranscarga insists that the Government should rethink the Colombian formula for fuel prices.
Arnulfo Cuervo, president of Fedetranscarga, revealed in an interview with RCN Radio’s Nocturna, a worrying panorama that the drivers of the union see in the face of the decisions made by the Government without taking into account the reality of the economy for the pocket of each transporter, mainly with regard to the price of fuel, tolls and the issue of scrap metal.
About fuels, Arnulfo Cuervo iHe indicated that the problem lies in the fact that the Government seeks to maintain prices with international standards despite the fact that most of these are produced in the country. and therefore they should be cheaper. “The diesel that is consumed in the country in addition to gasoline, and produced by the Cartagena and Barrancabermeja refineries, is Colombian oil, so to talk about subsidies, let’s say in the most basic terms, that would apply if that oil were imported, since that then production costs would be higher and that would merit higher rates, but that is not the case,” he explained.
The union leader also indicated that the recent increases in ACPM and gasoline generated the strike announcements because they broke the agreements that were agreed upon in November.
“What happens is that the Government says that these increases are not part of what was agreed because they are generated by production costs and increases in the profits of chain agents that are established by decree,” he added.
Likewise, he highlighted that in 2024 operating a truck was 3.5% more expensive and that increase was 3.9 times greater than the growth of the gross domestic product of transportation. in the first quarter of that period. To date, he says, a truck or mule spends on average between $700,000 to $800,000 to go to the coast in just tolls.
Regarding tolls, he stated that: “we have not been realizing that the 2023 inflation was only partially paid in August 2024 and The other part must be paid this year, and how is that 4.64% that was missing going to be paid, with an increase that occurred on January 1st, another that will occur on January 16th and one more in April, a situation that adds up to other factors that generate more increases than they should and that also hit the union,” he explained.
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“The Minister of Transportation agreed with the trucking bases to freeze toll increases for 6 months and in that time the National Infrastructure Agency is going to study under what best conditions, because it cannot be said that it will not be charged, there will be more increases, a situation that could end with announcements of a national strike,” he warned.
Finally, on the issue of scrapping, he assured that he is concerned about the future of many families that depend on those vehicles that would no longer be in operation, because with the issue of tariffs and high costs, it will be difficult for drivers to purchase new vehicles.
Source: Integrated Information System
