In January 2026 the Ministry of Transport updated SICE-TAC through Resolution 20263040018445. It was not a minor tweak: it changed how labor costs are calculated, brought light-duty freight into the system for the first time, and confirmed that the system's value is the mandatory minimum payment the carrier must receive. If you buy or sell freight in Colombia, this changes the floor from which you negotiate.
But a legal floor is not the same as your real cost. Instead of vague ranges, this guide shows you the real, dollar-by-dollar breakdown of a Colombian corridor modeled with our cost engine — so you can see what really drives the rate, and how to use SICE-TAC and the real cost together.
Related corridors and guides
- Cartagena → Bogota Freight — breakdown of the Caribbean–interior corridor.
- Colombia Trucking Rates 2026 — complete guide for buyers.
- Freight Rate Report · Latin America 2026 — open benchmark of 8 markets (free).
What SICE-TAC Is
The Information System of Efficient Costs for Road Freight Transport (SICE-TAC) is the Ministry of Transport's tool that calculates the efficient cost of operating a freight trip in Colombia, based on the vehicle configuration and the lane. It is not a market rate: it is a reference cost, and it works as a floor for the economic relationship between cargo generators, transport companies, and owner-operators. The amount to be paid is reported in the RNDC and, with the 2026 update, should not fall below what SICE-TAC produces.
What Changed in SICE-TAC 2026
Resolution 20263040018445, announced by Minister MarĂa Fernanda Rojas, brought the system closer to operational reality:
- Recalculated labor costs using the 2026 minimum wage and, for the first time, daytime and nighttime overtime.
- Updated fuel (diesel) and tolls — the toll rates were published on January 16, 2026.
- Light-duty freight enters: vehicles from 3,500 to 7,500 kg, for the first time in the system.
- New categories: bulk liquids and full and empty containers.
- Mandatory minimum payment confirmed, with a three-month transition period.
The Real Cost, Dollar by Dollar: Bogota → Cartagena
SICE-TAC gives you a reference number. But what does the cost of one of the country's busiest import corridors really consist of? Here is the modeled breakdown of a Class 5 truck trip on the Bogota–Cartagena corridor, with all the components:
| Component | Amount (USD) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | $569.35 | 29.0% |
| Empty Trip | $555.98 | 28.3% |
| Depreciation | $235.65 | 12.0% |
| General/Admin Overhead | $164.04 | 8.4% |
| Tolls | $158.90 | 8.1% |
| Maintenance | $153.13 | 7.8% |
| Driver | $59.00 | 3.0% |
| Per Diem | $26.82 | 1.4% |
| Repositioning | $14.17 | 0.7% |
| Port Wait | $14.14 | 0.7% |
| Detention | $10.61 | 0.5% |
| Insurance | $1.53 | 0.1% |
| Total (all-in real cost) | $1,963.32 | 100% |
Source: TruckingRates cost engine, 2026 benchmark. Modeled reference cost (not a quote).
What stands out: on a long corridor, the real cost is not dominated by tolls —so often associated with Colombia— but by fuel ($569.35 · 29.0%) and the empty return ($555.98 · 28.3%), which together are more than half the trip. Tolls ($158.90 · 8.1%) do weigh in, yes, but below depreciation and on par with maintenance. None of these nuances appear in a single reference number.
SICE-TAC vs. Real Cost: What Each One Is For
Here is the distinction almost no one explains. SICE-TAC is, by design, an efficient national average cost by configuration and lane: excellent for setting a fair legal minimum. But it does not capture what makes your operation cost what it costs — the very things you do see in the table above:
- Empty return. The largest component of the corridor. On unbalanced import lanes, the truck returns empty and that repositioning is amortized into your rate.
- Port dwell. The hours in Cartagena before departing loaded — a real cost that is rarely broken out.
- Your exact routing and its tolls. The corridor passes through 15 to 25 plazas depending on the route; the actual toll depends on which one you take.
- Your fleet's configuration and age. Maintenance, consumption, and depreciation change with the specific equipment.
How to Read These Figures
These are modeled reference costs, not quotes: they represent what the trip should cost based on verified data on fuel, wages, tolls, and port waits, for a Class 5 configuration. The "all-in real cost" adds up the full cycle (empty return and port wait), so it reflects what the service truly costs the carrier. Your specific cost will vary with the equipment, the weight, and the exact route.
How to Use SICE-TAC and the Real Cost Together
- SICE-TAC as the legal floor. Verify that your freight rate does not fall below the mandatory minimum for the configuration and lane — it is what gets reported in the RNDC.
- Real cost as the negotiation ceiling. Calculate the all-in base cost of your corridor and compare it against the quote. If it is well above the real cost, you have room — with data, not intuition.
- Review every quarter. SICE-TAC updates with wages, fuel, and tolls; your real cost changes with those same factors.
Calculate the Real Cost of Your Route in Colombia
TruckingRates.org builds the full breakdown of your corridor —like the table above— and compares it against your carrier's quote. In under two minutes.
Try a free demo route → Or download the 2026 rate report (free)