Independent truck drivers began a work stoppage at Santos Port in the early hours of Monday (13th) as part of a nationwide mobilization in support of approval of the Freight Measure Provision (MP). The movement's main objective is to pressure the President of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre, to put Provisional Measure No. 1,343/2026 to a vote, which addresses oversight mechanisms for the minimum road freight rate.
The vote must take place by this Thursday (16th) to prevent the measure from losing validity. In the Santos Metropolitan Area, the Independent Truck Drivers' Union (Sindicam) instructed its members not to accept freight shipments, at least until Wednesday (15th).
According to the president of Sindicam Santos Metropolitan Area, Luciano Santos, the category has been awaiting a Senate vote on the proposal since the beginning of the month. "MP 1,343 is being processed in the Senate for a vote and Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP) does not want to put it to a vote, disrupting the lives of autonomous transporters across Brazil. The MP is of paramount importance to all truck drivers. It has been pending a vote since the 1st and nothing has happened yet," he stated.
According to movement leaders, the stoppage seeks to demand compliance with the minimum freight policy, considered essential by transporters to ensure greater balance in relations between shippers and independent truck drivers. The demonstration was organized to occur peacefully, without total blockades of access routes to the port complex.
At Santos Port, trucks remained parked at strategic points near pier access points, while groups of drivers stayed concentrated in the area. Despite the mobilization, the State Highway Police reported that, as of early morning, there were no records of highway blockades on state roads or significant traffic impacts.
The category's expectation is that the stoppage will gain support in other regions of the country throughout the day, should there be no progress in negotiations over the vote on the provisional measure. Santos Port is one of the main focal points of the mobilization due to the intense cargo movement and strong presence of independent truck drivers in the region.
About the MP
Approved by the Chamber of Deputies on June 17th, the "Freight MP" imposes penalties on companies that fail to comply with minimum freight rate payments, such as fines and suspension of transportation services.
The agenda establishes a minimum cost floor for the category's operations, with compliance with the National Policy on Minimum Rates for Road Freight Transport, and also provides for the registration of shipments and the generation of the CIOT (Transport Operation Identification Code).
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