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The truck drivers’ strike began this Monday, July 13, 2026, focusing on ports and threatening national expansion. In Santa Catarina, unions and associations discuss joining while the category demands the Senate vote on MP 1.343 before the final deadline of July 16 this year.
The truck drivers’ strike began at midnight this Monday, July 13, 2026, initially concentrated in port areas. Representatives of the category state that the mobilization aims to pressure the Senate to vote on Provisional Measure 1.343, which deals with road freight transport and expires on Thursday, July 16.
The information about the movement was published by the ND Mais portal on July 13, 2026. In Santa Catarina, unions and transport associations scheduled a meeting in Itajaí to decide whether the state would participate in the national mobilization. Until the publication of the article, Santa Catarina’s participation was not yet confirmed.
Movement started at the ports and may be expanded
The mobilization was called by Wallace Landim, known as Chorão, president of the Brazilian Association of Motor Vehicle Drivers. In a video released on Sunday, July 12, he stated that truck drivers had been trying for two weeks to ensure the provisional measure was included on the Senate’s agenda.
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The guidance given by the category representative was to concentrate the start of the movement at the ports. The strategy seeks to impact important points of the logistics chain without stating that all highways or transport operations in the country are paralyzed.
According to Chorão, the mobilization would be maintained until there was confirmation of the vote. The leader also advised drivers not to start new trips while the category monitored the proposal’s progress.
Santa Catarina was still evaluating joining the protest
In Santa Catarina, the decision would be discussed during a meeting between unions and transport associations held in Itajaí on Monday, July 13. The state remained on alert but had not yet officially confirmed joining the movement at the time of publication.
Sérgio Roberto Pereira, president of the National Association of Independent Transporters, told ND Mais that the Santa Catarina entities would jointly decide whether to participate in the truckers’ strike.
If the participation were approved, unions and associations would issue a joint statement with the date and time for the start of mobilizations in the state.
Category pressures Senate for vote on MP 1.343
The main demand is the vote on Provisional Measure 1.343 of 2026. The text reinforces mechanisms for monitoring the minimum freight rate and establishes the registration of transport operations with the issuance of the Transport Operation Identification Code, the CIOT.
The Chamber of Deputies approved the proposal on June 17, 2026, in the form of a text reported by federal deputy Zé Trovão, from the PL of Santa Catarina. After this stage, the matter proceeded to the Senate for analysis.
The National Congress informs that the final deadline for the MP, after being extended by 60 days, ends on July 16, 2026. Without approval within this period, the measure loses its validity.
Text brings together freight rate, monitoring, and new benefits
Among the points presented is the prohibition of contracting freights with values below the table defined by the National Land Transport Agency. The text also provides for greater integration between the CIOT and electronic documents used in transport operations.
In practice, the mechanism aims to prevent the regular issuance of the documents necessary for the trip when the declared value is below the minimum rate. The measure also establishes administrative instruments to monitor compliance with road freight transport rules.
The version approved by the Chamber incorporated other issues, including a national minimum wage for long-distance drivers and amnesty for certain fines imposed on participants in roadblocks after the 2022 elections.
Truckers advocate changes in freight payment
According to the content published by ND Mais, the proposal establishes that the payment for transport should be completed within 30 days. In the case of independent truckers, at least 70% of the amount should be advanced before the trip, with the remainder paid after delivery.
The category considers these rules important to reduce delays, values below the minimum rate, and imbalances in relationships with contracting companies. For the organizers of the truckers’ strike, letting the MP expire would mean abandoning advances negotiated during the previous months.
The text also provides preference for independent transporters in certain federal public contracts and new criteria for updating the freight table.
Proposal also faces resistance from economic sectors
Although supported by truck drivers’ representatives, the measure faces objections from entities linked to agribusiness and industry. These sectors believe that some rules may increase logistical costs, expand administrative obligations, and create uncertainty in contracts.
The disagreement shows that the vote does not only involve drivers’ remuneration. The rules may modify contracts, inspections, electronic documents, fines, and costs distributed across different stages of the production chain.
The report provided does not identify which business entities formalized these criticisms nor does it present studies quantifying the possible cost increase. Therefore, it is not possible to estimate the economic impact of the changes with the available information alone.
Gasoline and diesel may be affected, but no shortage confirmed
The concentration of the movement in ports may affect the transportation of different goods if the mobilization grows or prolongs. Among the potentially affected cargoes are gasoline, diesel, and other products that depend on road transport to reach bases, distributors, and points of sale.
This does not mean, however, that there is already a widespread fuel shortage in Brazil. There is an indicated risk for logistics and distribution, but no national shortage of gasoline or diesel is confirmed this Monday.
The extent of any impact would depend on the number of drivers involved, the affected locations, the duration of the movement, and the companies’ ability to maintain their operations.
Possible tanker drivers’ strike increased concern
Sérgio Roberto Pereira stated that the concern would be greater if the truck drivers’ mobilization coincided with a strike by tanker truck drivers, who are responsible for transporting fuels.
However, the threat of a tanker drivers’ strike appeared as a parallel possibility, and not as an automatically confirmed part of the truck drivers’ stoppage. Therefore, the two movements should not be presented as a single mobilization.
The eventual combination of stoppages could amplify the effects on supply, but this consequence remained conditioned on the actual adherence of the categories and the duration of the protests.
Santa Catarina has a history of participation in mobilizations
The president of the National Association of Independent Transporters recalled that Santa Catarina had significant participation in the last major national truckers’ mobilization. This experience increased attention around the meeting held by state entities.
This time, however, the organization decided to wait for a joint position before announcing adherence. The difference is important because it avoids treating as a foregone conclusion a strike that still depended on deliberation in Santa Catarina.
Until the release of an official note from the state entities, there was no confirmation of blockades, interruptions in Santa Catarina ports, or widespread suspension of cargo transport in the state.
Deadline of July 16 focuses the next decisions
The pressure from the category occurs because Provisional Measure 1.343 is valid until Thursday, July 16, 2026. The date is listed in the official monitoring of the National Congress and represents the deadline for deliberation of the proposal.
Representatives of the truckers stated they had received signals that the text could be voted on before this deadline. Even so, they decided to maintain the movement until there was formal confirmation of the analysis by the Senate.
The next few days will be defined both by the decisions of Congress and by the ability of the entities to expand or end the mobilization. A vote can change the course of the protest, while the absence of deliberation may lead the organizers to intensify actions.
Strike may grow or lose strength after Senate decision
The truckers’ strike started at the ports, but its national reach still depended on the adherence of unions, associations, and drivers from different states. In Santa Catarina, the decision remained open at the moment.
There was also no confirmation of a shortage of gasoline or diesel, although fuel transport could be affected by a prolonged mobilization. The scenario required caution to differentiate announced risks, pending decisions, and already verified consequences.
Do you believe that the strike is a legitimate way to pressure for the vote on the freight MP, or do you think the risk to supply could harm the population? Leave your opinion in the comments and explain what the Senate’s priority should be in this impasse.
