Chairman of S.S. Tunçbilek Motor Carriers Cooperative and Mayor of Tunçbilek, Mustafa Düzgün: We Cannot Apply The Tachograph At The Current Price; We Can't Make Money If We Apply''

Şaban Kırmızı, Vice Chairman of S.S. Tunçbilek Motor Carriers Cooperative:

"SMUGGLING IS PREVENTED WITH U-ETDS"

Chairman Mustafa Düzgün, who is also the Mayor of Tunçbilek, said in his evaluations regarding the sector: "If I cannot drive for more than 9 hours, this will bring me an additional burden. It is not possible that this will not be reflected in the transport, I will go and then back from a destination in two days wile I can do it in one day."

Chairman Düzgün started his speech by introducing Kütahya and the cooperative: Kütahya is an important town in terms of mining and energy and it is always on the agenda with its agriculture, power plants and coal. Our cooperative was established in 1990. Since 2010, I am the Chairman of Tunçbilek Motor Carriers Cooperative. In the 2019 local elections, I was elected Mayor. We are trying to run two tasks at the same time. We manage it with our Vice Chairman, Şaban Kırmızı. With a law passed in 2013 and 2014, duplicated members were abolished, we had members from Emet and Tavşanlı. We had members leaving, now we have 56 members. We also give jobs as guest members. Since we have a mining-based business, our work is usually on-site. We are transporting coal from underground or transporting the coal produced by launder to the facilities. We also have fixed jobs on the long road. We work with Bursa Cement and Balıkesir Varaka Paper. We have the jobs of Turkey Coal Enterprises (TKI) with tenders for 12-15 months, we continue by signing contracts upon negotiating together. Here, without an L Certificate, it is not possible to enter the tender. If it has its own property with sufficient capacity, it can enter the tender with K Certificate. Even if it gets a job, it cannot load the freight, it has to pull and so, we follow up. The job description that each document can do should be clear, this is a very important thing. We have dual - thrust tow trucks and tow trucks of all brands. We have Euro 5- Euro 6 vehicles for 2013-2014 and above in our car park."

Vice Chairman Şaban Kırmızı said about the cooperative: We also carry social assistance coal, and we have received their tenders. We have enough vehicles. We have 12-13 vehicle going out every day."

"No Information Has Been Delivered To Us About The TIO Certificate"

Making evaluations regarding the TIO Document, Düzgün said that; "We are satisfied with the status of the current certificate as of our position. Here's our railways, coal can be delired by rail all over Turkey from here. However, what kind of burden this certificate will bring to us right now or will a certain amount of money be paid on it, they are also important. In the case of R1 Certificate renewal, if they say that "this certificate is not valid, you will receive a TIO Certificate", of course we have to get that certificate regardless of the price. There is definitely a lack of information about the certificaye, but there was no problem with the previous K1 Certificate. Everyone had information, but currently we have not received any information about this TIO Certificate. We held a meeting with the cooperatives in Kütahya a few weeks ago. There are 8 cooperatives in Kütahya, 7 cooperatives participated, we learned the certificate there."

"We Cannot Do It With Current Prices, In That System"

Stating that with the tachograph application, freight transport times will increase and this should be reflected in the transportation costs, Düzgün said: This system has existed since those years, but somehow it could not be fully implemented. Its full implementation has come up in the last few years. We will see new tools began to emerge in accordance with the new tachograph, but we will see how much it will be adapted in Turkey or how appropriate is it. Our chauffeurs working abroad say that they have to strictly and firmly abide by this rule. Once their tachograph is full, they can't go a step. The punishments are too much deterrent. Here, I think it can be implemented after the infrastructure is provided and deterrence is also available. An increase in freight rates may necessarily emerge,  because nobody in Turkey can adapt to 9 hours rule. When I left here, I was going to Kilis for 32-36 hours with 3-4 hours of sleep. I was leaving here to rest the driver and deliver the load in Kilis. The next day I would get my load and come here in 36 hours. Everywhere we go is the same, we usually go back and forth with 3-4 hours of sleep. If I will not be able to drive for more than 9 hours, this will bring me an additional burden. It is not possible that this will not be reflected in the transport; I will only go back and forth in two days where I go in one day normally. Our driver stops the vehicle in Pozantı or Konya. When the tachograph is applied, it will not go like that, I wish the system was settled. Our transporters think thant "this will ruin us, will end us". We will experience the trouble of this at firts, but I think this will definitely reflect on prices, and it has to. Because we cannot do it at current prices in that system. If we bite the bullet for a little, I'm sure it will be reflected in the prices in a better way. We cannot comply with that tachograph at the current price, we cannot earn money if we comply. There is labor cost and days. Prices can be improved; However, this does not work with the current system. The work done in two days will be done in four days and there will be problems there. I wish everyone would fit but we could pass as soon as possible.

Regarding the tachograph application, the Vice Chairman Kırmızı said: The places to take a break need to be increased. For a driver who goes to Konya from here, there are many stopovers, we are comfortable in terms of stopovers, our time is sufficient, but for example, there is the Istanbul line, too."

"Smuggling is Prevented"

Making statements about the U-ETDS system, Kırmızı said in his speech: It is very difficult to follow a vehicle. You send the driver, we already have a vehicle taking out from here. We report that "the vehicle has departed". It started in big companies. The vehicle is waiting to take the load and receive an e-delivery note. The company does not allow the departure of the vehicle without the approval of the finance. Thus, smuggling is prevented. As a cooperative, when we check out the vehicle, we have to have a separate personnel follow its input and output. It will be a problem for everyone to use a smartphone and enter data. This means a separate cost."

Making evaluations about tax debts, Düzgün says: This tax burden rests on everyone. Therefore, our people prefer illegal ways to escape from this. I wish there was a smoother, specific tax system, but if everybody would pay their taxes, if there were no wrong situations. A change must be made in the tax system. Tradesmen have tax debt, people have been waiting for a restructuring for 7-8 years. He looks at it as "I will pay by restructuring" and says, "I will increase the base amount, I can increase the tax base."

"HGS is a Big Trouble in the Sector"

Referring to the problems they face in the sector, Düzgün said: “HGS is a big problem in our sector, the system cannot read the plate or there is another systemic problem. This is the cause all the fines. In addition, 10 times the fines is very severe. For example, they are hiding their license plate, they deserve these fines, but 99 percent of them are caused by systemic problems. As a cooperative, of course, we want to serve in accordance with all the conditions of the state, but it will be better with the support of the state. For example, our cooperative's guarantee letter is a problem. We give guarantee letters to official offices in tenders. After the letter is given, we have to follow up who did that job, who was out. Taking the job is another problem, taking it and pulling it is another problem. We give the plate information of who got the load in cooperatives. For example, if the owner of the vehicle owes BAĞKUR, SSI or tax debts on the license plates, the letter is not resolved. At that time, we got this job, we finished it in 3 months. Whoever did business for us in the 3-month period, we are liable for all debts in that period. If I had the job done at that time, I am responsible for the debts of the vehicle.

"The Municipality Is Much Different from Cooperative "

Chairman Düzgün, who is also the Mayor of Tunçbilek, makes the following evaluations as the mayor: The municipality is very different from the cooperative. We explained the problems related to our region, our solution suggestions and what has not been done. Our trouble was mainly related to unemployment. For this reason, I could not worry about the municipality business for 3 months, we were interested in the employment service for citizens. We had services to be done, we went through a selection process by explaining them. I was a candidate in 2014, and I became the mayor in 2019. We are continuing our services now, we believe that we have fulfilled our duty more than our duty in the "Stay at Home" process since the beginning of the pandemic. We provided the necessary service to our people in cleaning, disinfection. Shuttles, public transport, mosques, courses, schools and parks were disinfected, we tried to do whatever was necessary.

"There Are Vehicles We Have Owned Or Received As Grant In Our Municipality"

Düzgün also gave details about the municipality's vehicle park: We have two garbage collection vehicles. We have a sprinkler, trencher, vacuum truck, garbage collection, broom, fire engine and dump truck. Our vehicles are considered new, we have a good car park in that regard, we do not only serve our towns but also our villages. Our vehicle park is sufficient for now, we do not have any problems in this regard. Buying a new vehicle is not on our agenda, but maybe we can renew our garbage collection vehicle. We have 4 dump trucks of BMC and Ford brand and one DOC brand centipede truck. In our municipality, there are vehicles that we buy or receive as grant."