Anderson asks operators to pass on Patrick infrastructure surcharge hike
Ultimately consumers must bear the brunt of supply chain cost increases, the Victorian Transport Association (VTA) says.
The road transport body is responding to Patrick’s announcement of the increase in infrastructure surcharges at its terminals from March 12.
VTA says it has written to its members urging them to pass on the increased charges to consumers.
The increased charges will apply to both road and rail transport operators for full import and export container movements at the terminals.
Road operators will continue to be invoiced electronically via 1-Stop.
“Operators continue to face unprecedented increases to infrastructure and road user charges in and around the Port of Melbourne,” VTA CEO Peter Anderson says.
“It is vital these and other cost-of-business increases are absorbed through the supply chain for freight businesses to remain sustainable and viable in a competitive trading environment.
“The VTA has long argued that consumers need to understand that price increases brought about by higher business and transactional costs will ultimately have to be passed on to them because businesses already operating to tight margins will go out of business if they try and absorb the costs.
“Consumers are the ultimate benefactors from receiving goods delivered by the transport industry, and therefore they need to be subjected to the same price increases operators and other participants in the supply chain are required to take on.”
VTA is urging operators to contact them for further information on the latest increase and its impacts through the supply chain.