Dominican government unveils pilot to encourage transition to CNG trucks
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and SMEs (MICM), Fiduciaria Reservas and the National Federation of Dominican Transportation (FENATRADO) signed an agreement for the implementation of a pilot program that will give loans for the transition from diesel trucks to CNG. The initiative will begin with the replacement of 25 heavy vehicles of FENATRADO members and will be developed by Fiduciaria Reservas, through the Administration Trust for the Natural Gas Massification Program (MASGAS).
Minister Víctor -Ito- Bisonó assured that the government’s vision is to work for a safer environment and attached to environmental sustainability, and added that the agreement seeks to promote competitiveness, reduce the emission of polluting gases and lower energy dependence on oil and its derivatives.
For his part, Andrés Vander Horst Álvarez, General Manager of Fiduciaria Reservas, described the agreement as “a milestone” and said that the MASGAS trust will facilitate the widespread adoption of clean and economic fuel.
Ricardo de los Santos Polanco, President of FENATRADO, explained that if the pilot program is successful, it will be expanded so that truckers affiliated with the union take advantage of it. “Using natural gas will reduce operating costs and it doesn’t pollute the air, so we want to test it,” he said.
MASGAS seeks to create an independent financing structure for the transparent and efficient administration of the conversion, maintenance and systematization processes of natural gas vehicles in the Dominican Republic.
The agreement establishes that, in order to qualify under this program, vehicles must meet the eligibility criteria established in Law 103-13 for duty and tax exemptions. The loan will be granted through a special program to be established by the Reserve Bank.
