As the FNTR (National Federation of Road Transport) Wednesday evening on franceinfo, Jean-Marc Rivera, general delegate of the Organization of European Road Carriers (OTRE), asks Thursday March 17 on franceinfo “direct aid paid quickly (…) per vehicle”. The resilience plan, which provides for a discount at the pump of 15 cents per liter of fuel extended to vehicle natural gas (NGV) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), “not enough” for the sector, according to Jean-Marc Rivera, some of whose companies are “on the edge of the abyss”.
franceinfo: Is the extension of the discount of 15 cents per liter to fuel used by road hauliers enough?
Jean-Marc Rivera: She is not enough. The Prime Minister had clearly announced that specific measures would be implemented for the most impacted sectors. The road sector is a sector which, obviously, is very strongly impacted by these fuel increases.
“The announced resilience plan does not propose any specific measure for road hauliers, whereas they already propose some for certain sectors of activity such as fishing and agriculture.”
Jean-Marc Rivera, General Delegate of the Organization of European Road Carriersat franceinfo
There is an announcement from the Prime Minister of a desire to implement additional aid. We take note of this, but announcements are no longer enough. We now need a concrete expression of these announcements, failing which, companies will not be able to resist for long.
What more do you need?
Direct aid must be paid, calculated per vehicle. We mean both road freight transport vehicles, our heavy goods vehicles, our utility vehicles, but also the passenger transport and medical transport sector. We need direct and quick aid. We have requests that bring us to approximately 2,000 euros per heavy vehicle and 700 euros per light vehicle. We are on a negotiation basis.
You are calling for mobilization on Monday: what do you expect?
Our companies have decided to mobilize in the absence of concrete measures from the 21 [mars]. Our regional delegations are in the process of submitting requests for declaration of demonstrations to the prefecture, they will be at the freedom of our regions and companies, probably with different methods. We are not going, very clearly, towards blockades of highways or oil power stations. There may be snail operations, but in any case, all modalities will be possible. It is a very clear expression of concern which will be implemented as of March 21.
“The government is aware and we have until Friday to find the terms of its proposal.”
Jean-Marc Riveraat franceinfo
We absolutely must know how we will be helped and how the Prime Minister’s commitments translate. We knew that this resilience plan would not immediately propose concrete things for our sector of activity. It is an expression of anger, of great concern from our companies. We represent VSEs and SMEs, they are the ones who have the most difficulty in passing on to our customers the sharp increases in fuel prices they have suffered in recent weeks.
Are some companies in the sector at risk of going out of business today?
It is obvious. They have treasuries which are for some of them on the edge of the abyss. If the aid does not fall immediately, it is a matter of days, these companies will not survive and the employees with it. We are a sector of activity distributed throughout the territory, one of the rare sectors of activity where employment is still offered, even in rural areas. These companies absolutely must be safeguarded, they are useful to the country’s economy. As soon as the selling price of your transport does not allow you to cover the charges, of course, the vehicle costs you less to stay at the depot than to do its activity. Today, some carriers no longer perform their transport, because if they do, they lose even more money and they accelerate their failure.