RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – José Roberto Stringasci, chairman of the Brazilian National Association of Independent Transportation (ANTB), told Estadão newspaper that the truckers’ stoppage, scheduled for February 1st, could be greater than in 2018.
The primary complaint is the price of diesel fuel. “The majority partner of national road transport is fuel (50% to 60% of the cost of the trip). We want a change in price policy,” he said.
He demands a meeting with President Bolsonaro in order to make other demands from 2018: the minimum freight price, suspended by the STF at the request of agribusiness; and the implementation of the Transport Operation Identifier Code.
ANTB comprises 4.500 truckers and Stringasci says he sees no problem in striking during the pandemic. “The category has been working during the pandemic. Many truckers got hungry on the road with the restaurants closed, but they have never stopped.”