Cargo carriers asked the government to compensate for the costs: the contours of the transport damper are outlined

What risks does government intervention in the market pose?

Carriers have asked Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to introduce a transport damper in Russia, similar to the oil one, to curb the rise in the cost of delivering goods. A letter with such a proposal was sent by the Gruzavtotrans association. Let us recall that the oil damper is government intervention in the process of setting retail fuel prices. President of the Association of Transport Experts and Specialists Taras Koval believes that in the case of cargo transportation, a damper is not a solution. According to him, the authorities are unlikely to take such a step, and if they do, it will not help reduce delivery costs and will cause a serious blow to the budget.

– In your opinion, is the carriers’ request justified?

– Unlike exchange pricing for fuel, the cost of transporting goods is determined by agreements between at least two business entities: the shipper (cargo owner) and the carrier. Fixing an acceptable price for transportation is primarily the desire of the cargo owner, which he offers to carriers.

In addition to these two entities, very often intermediaries who call themselves forwarders play a role in the process of organizing and pricing transportation. They promise the cargo owner to export the entire volume of his goods and actually provide information about available vehicles, and to the carrier about available cargo. Some time ago, information appeared in the public space about a significant increase in transportation costs. The main beneficiaries of the situation were the intermediaries. Moreover, their profits have increased exponentially. Among them are almost all the largest Russian logistics companies. And now they are the ones who face the main difficulties. They are associated with a minimal positive or even negative difference between the amount of payment to the carrier and the amount received for transportation from the cargo owner.

– But it follows from this that carriers have problems and the damper is really needed?

– Here’s the thing. The Gruavtotrans Association mainly represents the interests of carriers working for the construction industry, which dictates the “rules of the game” for carriers, many of whom are affiliated with builders. That is, in fact, the proposal comes not from carriers, but from the construction industry, which is beginning to experience difficulties with the sale of objects and is trying to dampen the consequences.

– So should this proposal be understood as a cry for help from Russian cargo carriers?

-Let’s call a spade a spade. This proposal must be understood as follows: we ask the state to intervene in the relations of business entities in order to compensate for the shortcomings of their contractual relations and give them the opportunity to profit from their activities. There are many variable costs in the trucking business. If the proposal is accepted, then next time companies can go further and ask the state for compensation, for example, for bad weather, when fuel consumption can increase by 10-15%.

– Objectively speaking, have freight carriers’ costs increased recently?

-Of course, we have grown. But let’s not forget that this is a market. Government intervention in the functioning of the market will not lead to anything good. Here the dynamics of supply and demand will come first. This will affect the final cost of cargo transportation.

-If not a damper, then what measures can help contain prices?

-More active work by the Federal Tax Service to monitor compliance with legislation in the field of transport and tax legislation can help, which will result in cutting off intermediaries and VAT minimizers from motor transport activities. In the near future, it is necessary to introduce a system of admission to engage in motor transport activities, the main criteria of which will be the financial solvency and professional suitability of the carrier.