Former Transport Minister Jamil Mujahid said that the rise in fuel prices has led to an increase in operating costs for truck owners by up to 60%.

Mujahid added to the Nabd Al-Balad program on Roya TV, today, Wednesday, that a distinction must be made between the passenger and cargo transport sectors, as the first has specific fees from the regulatory authorities.

He pointed to other reasons leading to high operational costs for truckers, most notably the presence of 50% of the trucks of the freight transport fleet are old, and their age exceeds 20 years, which affects fuel consumption and maintenance, in addition to the presence of 60 thousand trucks that exceed the actual need of the market. .

Mujahid explained that the truck fleet in Jordan contains 21,000 trucks, which means that there is more than the actual need, following the closure of the Jordanian-Syrian borders that were destined for Europe and Lebanon, in addition to the tensions that Iraq witnessed at some point.

He pointed out that the actual need of the transportation sector for the main axis between Amman and Aqaba does not exceed 15 thousand trucks, explaining that there is great competition in the sector, which leads to acceptance of low wages and prices, in order to obtain transportation.

Mujahid considered that the decrease in fuel prices is reflected in the truck owner, pointing out that the percentage of individual ownership of trucks is 70%, which leads to a competitive price.

He said that the surplus leads to a reduction in the number of trips, and this is not economically feasible, stressing that the organization of the transport sector bears the responsibility of the authorities responsible for it, through the presence of a surplus in facilitating entry to the market, and owning a truck without the presence of controls and limitations.

Mujahid added that the rise in wages has a significant impact on the supply chains, the port of Aqaba and the citizen, stressing his refusal that whenever fuel prices rise, resort to raising wages. It discourages public transportation.

He pointed out that the problem lies in the rise in fuel prices as a result of the global crises, as the former Minister of Transport called on the government to support the transport sector in one way or another, so that it can play its vital and important economic role.

Mujahid called on the government to reorganize the transport sector, including individual ownership and the presence of a surplus in the number of trucks, to open markets for Jordanian trucks, and to reconsider agreements with neighboring countries that impose restrictions on Jordanian trucks.

He pointed out that the transport companies do not complain about the current transportation fees, as they are fair to them, and they do not face problems suffered by the personal owner of the truck.

Former Minister of Transport, Jamil Mujahid, considered that the ball is in the court of the striking truck owners, after the recent government measure to raise transportation fares, which was a major demand for them, to back down from their decision and end their strike.

For his part, the head of the Parliamentary Energy Committee, Talal Nsour, said that the Russian-Ukrainian war and the successive crises put pressure on energy sources and contributed to the rise in global prices.

Nusour added to the Nabd al-Balad program on Roya TV, today, Wednesday, that there is a real and serious problem between truck owners and the government, stressing that entrenchment behind previously taken decisions does not lead to solutions, but rather harms the country.

He pointed out that the government provided support to the transportation sector in the budget speech, calling for emphasizing that step to ease tensions from truck owners, and reduce losses in the energy issue.

He stressed the need for cooperation between the transport sector and the government, and that fueling the crisis is the biggest loser than the homeland.

Nsour considered that the two parties are fueling the crisis, and that the goal of intransigence has no gain, pointing out that the Parliamentary Energy Committee is not in favor of raising transportation fares, which will reflect on the Jordanian citizen.

And he indicated that the solutions that the government should seek to limit the rise in oil prices are to reduce the prices of oil derivatives, which are the backbone of economic life.

He pointed out that the temporary subsidy does not mean that it will be imposed permanently, calling for taking steps to subsidize part of the fuel to overcome the stage.

He pointed out that the Arab world and Jordan have gone through crises for long periods of time, and that the Kingdom will be the first to be affected by those crises, giving a vivid example of them, such as the Syrian, Iraqi and Libyan crises.

Nsour added that Jordan bears the costs of the crises in the Arab world, in addition to the high standard of living that Jordanians suffer from, as a result of high prices and inflation, calling on the government to stop raising fuel prices, and to find solutions other than “the citizen’s pocket.”

He concluded that the Parliamentary Energy Committee will meet with representatives of truck owners who are on strike in Parliament, in order to act as a mediator between them and the government.

The former Minister of Transport, Jamil Mujahid, said that the parties most affected by the strike of truck owners is the port of Aqaba, given that it has reached 40% of its storage capacity, preventing it from reaching 60% of the storage capacity in the port, meaning that the port is unable to receive any steamer.

He added that the transportation fees for freight in Jordan are among the highest in the region, explaining that the cost of transportation from Jeddah to Amman does not exceed 360 dinars, while the value of the trip between Aqaba and Amman at the present time is 450 dinars.

He concluded that 1,000 trucks are loaded daily from the port of Aqaba.