Brazil freight floor law reduces work for autonomous truckers

A minimum freight rate policy in Brazil, intended to increase income for autonomous truck drivers, is instead resulting in reduced workloads and lower revenue for many in the sector. According to research conducted by the platform Frete.com involving over 700 autonomous drivers, only 8% approve of the current minimum rate table.

The study indicates that 62% of respondents reported a decrease in the amount of work available, while 64% noted a decline in earnings. Data suggests that cargo volumes on roads have not decreased; rather, there has been a migration toward larger vehicles operated by logistics companies. Because the current pricing model calculates rates based on the number of axles and distance rather than weight per ton, larger multi-axle vehicles have become significantly more competitive than the smaller trucks typically used by autonomous drivers.

For example, on a 1,000 km route, a nine-axle rodotrem results in a floor price of R$ 145 per ton, whereas a standard semi-trailer used by autonomous drivers costs R$ 245 per ton. This shift is further reinforced by tax advantages for companies operating as legal entities (CNPJ). Consequently, major agribusiness logistics operators have seen the share of freight contracted from individual drivers drop from 24% to 14% between 2025 and 2026.