Every driver traveling outside of Moscow knows firsthand the state of the roads. Broken tracks, lack of chippers, lighting - this is a cruel reality with which the state decided to still fight. True, such a method of struggle as the fare for trucks on federal highways is very controversial. It caused a flurry of criticism and mass protests from drivers.
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The habit of the population to rely on chance worked in this sad case. To implement such a system was in the plans of officials a few years ago.
Having not heard the murmurs and protests, discussions from the public and the relevant organizations, the authorities introduced the Plato system into reality.
Its meaning is the introduction of tolls for trucks whose tonnage exceeds 12 tons. And here we are not talking about a colossal collection, because the authorities operate with figures such as 1.53 rubles per kilometer. Given the distances traveled by truckers to bring their goods to their destination, it can be noted that the profit of carriers significantly falls.
In addition, truck fares on federal highways will steadily increase. By March, it will amount to 3.06 rubles per 1 km, and this is far from the limit that the government is counting on.
Society reaction
Naturally, any crawling into people's pockets cannot but provoke indignation. Even a high level of trust in the government and its actions in this case was not enough. The population, realizing that a new tax will affect everyone in one way or another, actively discussed the problem and the new law on the introduction of truck fares. Someone, realizing the need to create a normal transport infrastructure, supports the actions of the authorities, those who will give funds for this from their own pockets are sincerely outraged.
As usual, the most violent protests arose on social networks and on thematic forums. All these unrest eventually led to street protests. Mass events did not happen, since they were predominantly owners of vehicles falling into the category of heavy trucks and companies involved in cargo transportation.
Truckers protests
The end of 2015 was marked not by preparations for the New Year celebrations, but by serious unrest.
"Plato" forced truckers from all regions to rise. And while large companies talk about declining incomes and difficulties, small and medium-sized business players claim that such a system can destroy them.
Currently, far from all regions, the conflict situation is settled. Some participants in the process decided to step back for a while to create an effective organization that will defend their interests at the highest level. Some still believe that truck fares of over 12 tons are unfair, and are seeking to eliminate it completely.
Underwater rocks
In fact, every resident of the country is interested in improving living standards and social standards. Everyone wants high-quality medicine, real help from the representatives of housing and communal services and, of course, normal roads. What is the catch then, and why did Plato cause such a resonance in society?
The fact is that truckers do not see the result and prospects in the new bill. A transport tax was levied on their shoulders, as well as a road repair fee included in the cost of fuel. Adding a new fee, and in such a huge amount, in their opinion, will not rectify the situation for the better, but will become a new way to enrich those in power.
A loud scandal was the direct attitude of the oligarch close to the presidential administration, Igor Arkadievich Rotenberg. It is this person who is the main holder of the shares of the company that regulates the activities of Plato. The profit that the organization will receive when the fare for trucks on federal highways will go to the accounts is estimated at billions of rubles.
Government response
The state could not ignore or suppress the protests. Yes, and it would hardly be a sensible action in conditions of instability and the general intensity of passions. As a result, representatives of transport companies and officials met more than once, and in some issues they managed to reach a compromise.
The deputies developed and submitted to the Duma bills that would help resolve disputed issues. At the moment, the government has managed to achieve the main thing - the mass indignation has subsided, everyone has calmed down and are awaiting the fulfillment of the promises of officials regarding the revision of particularly pressing issues.
Everyone is wondering if truck collection will be delayed, and how long the moratorium will last. Drivers themselves are forced to set a period of three years.
Key negotiation results
The parties to the conflict have achieved little. Fare is charged. However, according to representatives of the company manager servicing the system, the problems with Plato’s work have been eliminated.
Many drivers noted that the system automatically deducted from the carrier’s account the amount not at the announced price of 1.53 rubles, but at the maximum programmed cost - 3.73 rubles per 1 km. This amount was calculated and laid down in the law on the collection of tolls of trucks after making basic calculations and is based on a growing inflation index.
Nevertheless, a positive result was the decision to review fines for non-payment of duties. Initially, they amounted to 5 thousand rubles for the driver himself, 40, 000 for his manager and 450, 000 for legal entities. Such colossal amounts are being revised. To date, it has already been proposed to reduce them to 5 and 10 thousand rubles for individuals and legal entities, respectively, and so far not levy fines on drivers of vehicles.
In addition, by decree of President V.V. Putin, it was decided to abolish the transport tax for car owners weighing 12 tons or more on April 1. There is also a proposal to put the system into test mode for a period of one year. Such a measure will help to understand the system, establish mechanisms and correct deficiencies.
Effects on the population
Those who criticize indignant warriors cannot always calculate the consequences of the actions of the authorities. Russia is a huge country, and consumer goods are most often delivered by land transport. The direct result of increased costs for carriers is their raising their rates. As a result, the burden of the new tax will partially or completely rest on the shoulders of the final consumer.
Everyone will be able to see this when prices on store shelves increase significantly. According to various sources, the rise in price may reach 30%, in addition, this will further increase inflation, which in 2015 amounted to 15.6%.
Another important point is the refusal of some carriers to work in such conditions. This threatens the final consumer with a decrease in the range of products and goods, especially those transported from remote places.
What awaits the freight business with the introduction of a new law?
The fare for trucks on federal highways will hit business the hardest. First of all, all vehicle owners undertake to install special equipment in their cars. These are GPS navigators that will track the movement of the car, and based on the data received, the system will charge funds.
RT-Invest Transport Systems is a company that deals with organizational and financial matters, and regulates Plato. Its leaders report that at present more than 600 thousand vehicles are registered in the system, and this is more than half of their total number in the country.
According to them, the situation is stable and quite optimistic, there are no serious failures in the work, and in general there are no problems. But at the same time, the leaders of large logistics companies and companies involved in the transport of goods, note that they encountered some difficulties. Distribution networks are already feeling serious supply disruptions, and this is only the beginning.
The main problem is that private carriers and small organizations simply refuse to leave because of a lack of understanding of the system or disagreement with its conditions. In some regions, the reduction in the supply of carrier services reaches 40%.
On a global scale, this threatens with a loss of trade, unemployment and a decrease in tax revenues to the budget.
To be or not to be?
All these worries affect the fact that many people with hostility perceive the idea itself. You need to understand that when they introduce truck lorries on the roads, this will be a good help for creating new, better highways.
The carriers' doubts about the intended use of the money withdrawn from them are quite justified. That is why the proposal to first make high-quality roads, and then take a tax on their use, sounds very logical. If such a scheme can be implemented, skeptics will no longer have doubts, and eventually all will get used to the new rules.
The experience of other countries
Of course, such an idea is not an invention of the Russian government. It is borrowed outside the country. Successful experience in this field abroad justifies the desire to copy such actions “with us”. Truck fares in Europe are charged in many countries. However, the payment system is not the same everywhere. Somewhere it's a duty for every kilometer, somewhere you need to pay once for a certain period (year, month) and you can ride as much as you want.
In a number of countries, authorities went even further by introducing tolls for cars or by raising rates for entering a city line or tunnels.
Truck fares in Germany have been around for many years. But so far the country has kept the prices in a framework acceptable to the European layman. Nevertheless, the authorities are happy with such a collection, because it helps to raise more than 4 billion euros annually in the budget.
