After a long day of negotiations between the national government, headed by the Ministry of Transportation and the leaders of the union of cargo and passenger transportersfor about 6 hours the points of the agreements signed between both parties in September 2024 were reviewed.
In the virtual meeting that had the participation of more than 1,300 connected people (1,959 transporters), the Minister of Transportation, María Constanza García Alicastro, stated that the Superintendency of Transportation will design a port audit tool that allows addressing the complaints that are being presented, even hoping that said audit can be carried out in real time.
In addition, the minister will ask the Ombudsman’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office, “verify compliance and progress of the agreements after the lifting of the strike, ensuring transparency“.
Likewise, there will be more meetings between the parties to review the Efficient Cost Information System for Automotive Freight Transportation (SICE-TAC) and the National Registry of Road Freight Dispatches (RNDC), to understand what is on the platforms and clear up doubts through what has been called a ‘field verification’. In addition, topics such as logistical hours and travel hours.
The minister insisted on the importance of transporters denounce the irregular practices of the companies with the respective evidence to be able to take the appropriate actions. Likewise, the Ministry indicated that the adjustments to Decree 174 of 2001 will be published next week.
However, Anderson Quiceno, president of the Association of Freight Transporters (ATC), told La FM that the idea of carrying out a trucker strike is not ruled out: “This is a message to the Government so that the sector sits down and listens to the concerns and claims of each of the unions, and provides a solution in time so that this does not lead to a valuable situation, such as a trucker strike. If this situation is activated, there is a logistical component, that is not as easy as mentioned and we believe that the country must be ‘ad portas’ of a national civic strike”.
According to the Ministry, these were the key points:
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1. Update of vehicle typologies and loads: New typologies are incorporated, such as light vehicles with PVB between 7.5 and 10.5 tons, dump trucks, and the types of cargo are expanded, including “liquid bulk” and adjustments for refrigerated cargo.
2. For the first time, a minimum of four (4) total logistic hours was established to be recognized per trip as follows: load (1), unload (1) and wait to load (1) and wait to unload (1). Additional hours will be settled and paid according to the SICE-TAC value/hour and the appropriate supports.
3. Empty trip: It does not include logistical hours and the ICA value, the difference in the travel cost lies in the average speed and fuel consumption performance by type of terrain.
4. Financing amortization periodrigid and articulated vehicles is 10 years (120 months).
Cargo transporters.
Juan Pablo Rueda
5. Salaries and working conditions: Salary calculations are adjusted according to the 46-hour work week with the respective benefits, covering the 288 operating hours of the vehicle per month.
6. Maintenance and repairs: The maintenance item is expanded, going from 34 parts and pieces to more than 100 parts organized into 11 subsystems (hydraulic, cooling, engine, transmission, air, electrical, brakes, chassis, cabin, bodies and suspension), which generates a adjustment in cost/km of approximately 54%.
7. SICE-TAC and the Freight Transport Observatory (OTCC): improvements in system monitoring and participation of owners and drivers in the validation process. More transparency and participation of all service actors is sought.
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8. Cargo manifests: The manifests will only be valid if they comply with the values established in SICE-TAC. This reinforces the control and legality of the sector.
9. Yellow machinery: The registration of used machinery is facilitated, simplifying the procedures for its transfer and definitive registration, and requiring a registration card and SOAT for transit.
10. Adjustments to the cargo decree by articles: The definitions are improved and it is established that loading and unloading times are remunerated. The empowerment of small transport companies is also encouraged.
VALENTINA DELGADILLO ABELLO
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