Estrutura e desempenho do setor de transporte rodoviário de carga

Abstract

Following the industrial organization methodology, we analyze the market structure and the economic performance of trucking firms in Brazil. The sector is found to be highly heterogeneous and segmented with respect to the type of market served. The cost structure shows strong evidence of economies of density which decreases both with the volume transported and the average length of the haul. In the short run, fixed costs can be (is high as 30-40% which allows for predatory pricing in periods of excess capacity. Market structure is concentrated inn high density routes but, at the same time, allows for a large number of small firms either to operate in less dense routes or to offer more specialized services. The analysis of net return on sales and the industry performance in the 1968/83 period give further support to these findings. In the light of these results, we conclude with a discussion of the rationale and potential impacts of the federal regulation of the trucking sector recently established.