Truckers’ make last ditch appeal over permit hikes

The issue of the recent massive
cost hike for cross-border permits
– condemned by road transporters
as being “fatal” – has still not been
remedied, despite extensive appeals
by the truckers.
And they see it as a dual problem.
Not only did the Cross-Border Road
Transport Agency (CBRTA) hike up
the cost of these permits, but it is
now also demanding one permit for
each country.
Applicable from April 1, the cost,
for example, of a 12-month new/
renewal permit for Freight Class
2 (the classification into which
the standard cross-border truck
fits) now costs R5 720, a 239.88%
increase over the previous cost of
R1 690.
Transporters have complained to
FTW that this level of price increase
is very likely to put a number of
companies out of business. It is
particularly critical for those in
the small-medium category, where
cash flow is often a vital factor, and
margins already slim, and such a
double whammy could very easily
spell the end of the road.
Gavin Kelly, technical and
operations manager of the Road
Freight Association (RFA), told
FTW that members were extremely
frustrated at the lack of a positive
response from the agency and the
minister of transport – despite
promises that the matter would be
dealt with.
“There are various legal moves
we could follow,” he said, “but we
are trying to avoid court because of
the enormous cost.”
The last-minute plan is to arrange
a meeting with the deputy minister
of transport and the CEO of the
CBRTA to try to solve the issue on
an out-of-court basis.