The escalation of diesel prices, driven by the conflict in the Middle East, has made filling a truck's tank up to 500 euros more expensive than before the crisis began. This situation has caused fuel, which traditionally accounted for 30% of operating costs, to now exceed 40%, approaching half of total expenses.

Javier Lobato, secretary general of the Provincial Association of Road Transporters of the province of Cádiz, noted that diesel prices increased by 58% between late February and late March, exceeding 1.90 euros per liter. This surge is described as “brutal” and unprecedented in recent history.

In response to this situation, the National Road Transport Committee (CNTC) has negotiated new measures with the Government. These include a change in the formula for updating transport prices, linking them to fuel costs before taxes, and the obligation to detail this adjustment on invoices, removing the option to establish other ways of reflecting it. Furthermore, average diesel prices, excluding taxes, will be used as a reference, and neither bonuses nor exceptional aid will be considered when calculating price revisions.

Despite these initiatives, Lobato believes that current aid, such as the 20-cent per liter bonus, is insufficient. The sector demands an increase in this aid to 25 cents per liter, as well as direct subsidies of between 1,500 and 1,800 euros per truck and 700 to 750 euros for smaller vehicles. They also request the elimination of the 300,000 euro limit for certain aid, which restricts companies with large fleets.

The transporters' representative emphasizes the need for a clear diesel price table so that the sector can effectively adjust its rates, preventing transporters from bearing the cost of an “uncontrolled” factor. Adding to this crisis is the shortage of professional drivers, with an urgent demand for about 500 in the province of Cádiz, especially for international transport, and salaries that do not always reflect the demands of the job.