The new gasoline law has been implemented since the beginning of November in 11 provinces of the country. This law provides different conditions for drivers and brings fundamental changes in the rationing and distribution of fuel. The use of emergency cards at stations has been severely restricted, and the third gasoline quota at a rate of 10,000 tomans per liter has been allocated to the personal fuel cards of vehicles. The main goal of this policy is to manage gasoline consumption, increase oversight on refueling, and combat fuel smuggling.
Details of gasoline quota changes
According to the National Oil Products Distribution Company, the plan to limit the use of emergency cards at stations has been implemented in this new phase in 11 provinces of the country. In these provinces, along with the restriction of free cards at stations, 50 liters of gasoline at the third rate, that is, 10,000 tomans per liter, will be allocated to the personal fuel cards of vehicles. This change does not mean an increase in the cheap gasoline quota, but rather 50 liters of quota at the third rate has been added to the fuel basket of vehicles to meet part of the drivers' needs after the previous quotas expire.
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Increased oversight on fuel consumption
Another goal of implementing this program is to increase oversight on the amount and frequency of vehicle refueling. Reza Sepahvand, the spokesperson for the Energy Commission of the Parliament, has announced plans to register fuel cards and launch a system to monitor the amount of fuel refueled based on national ID or bank card. He noted that a vehicle in Tehran has been identified that refueled more than 350 times in a month. Such cases highlight the necessity for closer oversight on fuel consumption and identifying potential violations.
The restriction on emergency cards has raised concerns about refueling for travelers and passing vehicles. The National Oil Distribution Company has announced that in selected stations and busy routes, emergency cards will be available for urgent situations so that drivers do not face problems during intercity trips.
Keramat Viskarami, the CEO of the National Oil Products Distribution Company, has announced that the average gasoline consumption in the country until the end of October 2023 has been 133 million liters per day. Additionally, gasoline consumption in the first 10 days of November has decreased by 1.2% compared to the same period last year.
The change in gasoline quotas and the restriction on free cards at stations is a new step by the government to control consumption and combat fuel smuggling. However, the success of this policy is not solely dependent on restricting emergency cards, and easy access to fuel for people, especially on roads and interprovincial trips, must be ensured. Ultimately, the extent of consumption reduction and prevention of fuel smuggling will determine how successful this change has been in achieving its goals.
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