Zoé Pallier, edited by Thibault Nadal 3:30 p.m., February 22, 2022, modified at 3:34 p.m., February 22, 2022

The increase in prices at the pump does not only worry individuals.

Many companies, including transport companies such as taxis and truckers, have written to the government asking for help.

They fear numerous bankruptcies in an area where small businesses are in the majority.

The price of diesel has crossed the 1.70 euro per liter mark on average.

This price has consequences for motorists, but also for professionals, and in particular in the transport sector. 

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In taxi companies especially, we have been experiencing this increase for several months.

It is impossible for them to pass on the increase in fuel to the price of the race, since the price is regulated.

It's complicated too, for truckers: "we have very, very large tanks, from 1,000 to 1,400 liters. This increase means that we will have to pay between 500 and 1,000 more per tank," explains Kara Mendjel, CEO of a refrigerated transport company, which works with the retail sector. 

To cope with this increase, he had to give up making margins.

And even, for the first time in its history, it even worked at a loss.

As with many carriers, which are often small businesses, negotiation is difficult with large customers.

Businesses risk bankruptcy

A decision that Jean-Marc Rivera, General Delegate of the Organization of European Road Carriers regrets: "for some carriers, the repercussion is possible because they have relations with customers who are rather understanding. And for others, this is not at all the case", he affirms, later attacking "the principals who are completely hermetic to any increase, or who offer really very low increases and who do not are not likely to be able to compensate for these increases. And that is unbearable".

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Industry representatives are now calling on the government to call customers to order.

The risk otherwise, he assures, is to see companies go bankrupt.