New rules on drivers’ working conditions are coming
Posted by AndrewT on 15th Jun 2018
Updated rules from the EU to fight illegal practices in road transport and to help improve drivers’ employment conditions were approved by the Transport Committee in June 2018.
EU rules applying to ‘cabotage’ deliveries, approved by the Transport Committee on Monday will mean that the same remuneration rules apply to a HGV driver delivering goods in another member state after a cross-border delivery as to drivers in the host country.
Transport Committee MEPs also proposed changes that will ensure better rest conditions for drivers. Under the changes operators will have to organise their timetables so that, once every three weeks, drivers are able to return home or to another location of their choosing for their weekly rest.
You can get further information from the European Parliament on the proposals here.
The proposals are part of the Mobility Package, due to be implemented before the UK leaves the EU in March 2019 and also includes a proposal which would require commercial vehicles between 2.4 and 3.5 tonnes to fit and operate a tachograph as HGV operator does today.
A step-up in enforcement across the EU?
The draft rules aim to step-up inspections, roadside checks and facilitate better cooperation between national authorities to tackle fraud related to working time, drivers’ hours, ‘cabotage’, and posting of drivers.
MEPs backed new time limits for making deliveries within another EU country after a cross-border delivery to replace the current limit which is based on the number of deliveries. Border crossings will need to be registered in a truck’s tachograph to help detect fraud.
Operators that work across EU countries should have systems and processes in place now to manage their tachograph data and drivers’ hours compliance. See how Gist have saved time managing their compliance in several countries by using Smartanalysis.