Anuário da Indústria de Implementos Rodoviários 2018

72 Higher costs and new concessions In addition to reducing road safety, of course, infrastructure problems seriously affect the operational cost of freight transportation. The 2107 CNT Highway survey shows that with the deterioration of road quality the estimated average operating cost rose to 27%, compared to 24.9% calculated in 2016. The average cost increase was 12% on highways managed under concession and 30.5% on publicly managed highways. “ On very poor roads, this increase in operating costs amounts to 91%. And Brazilian transport companies need to go everywhere with their cargos. Increased fuel costs, increased travel time and maintenance costs reach end consumers,” says Jefferson Cristiano, coordinator of statistics and research at the CNT. Cristiano adds that since the government has no cash for road works, the CNT welcomes the greater involvement by the private sector. The Growth Project, a program announced by the federal government in 2016 for investments in infrastructure is a hope.” In our last follow up of the initiative we saw that there are projects for 2018,” says Cristiano. According to the Ministry of Transport, the first concessions under study for this year are for the maintenance and restoration of stretches of highways, without the need for larger work, such as duplication. But there would be toll charges. Other major concessions are under study, but there is no deadline for bid notices. As a matter of urgency the CNT points to the fixing of critical points (363) on Brazilian highways, the reconstruction of some 1,200 km of highways, restoration of almost 30,000 km, and the construction of hard shoulders, painting of the central reservations and the erecting of signs. Another important pressing need is in the many dangerous bends, without signs or fences, making accidents worse and more likely. Institutionally, the CNT is calling for clear rules in the prioritization of investments, since resources are scarce. “The inspection of the work also needs to be stepped up and standards need to be set out and revised because some construction processes date from the 1970s, and today we have trucks with much greater capacities,” says Jefferson. two auctions for highways in 2017 and one this year. Mato Grosso and Minas Gerais also had two auctions in 2018. Regarding federal concessions, they still need to be improved, seeking to assist in the continuity and resumption of investment and job creation in the long term as it allows companies to seek a re-adjustment of the schedule for the execution of work and its financing. According to calculations by ABCR members, there is potential for investment of around R$ 25 billion in the modernization and improvement of the 10,000 kilometers of federal highways managed under concessions. In the last four years the sector has invested around R$ 6 billion per year in improvements, maintenance and operation of highways managed under concessions. The highway concession sector currently numbers 59 private companies that are members of the ABCR, operating in twelve states: Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Paraná, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro , Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and São Paulo.   INFRAESTRUTURA | INFRASTRUCTURE | INFRAESTRUCTURA