The mills in Brussels are grinding too slowly for 16 national, European transport associations. With the mobility package, they finally want to create clarity so that there are fairer conditions for truck drivers in Europe.

It took the European institutions three years to almost complete the legislative procedure for Mobility Package I. Only the approval of the European Parliament is still missing. This final act is further delayed by the corona pandemic. It is high time for the 16 national transport associations, including the Federal Association for Road Transport, Logistics and Disposal (BGL), that truck drivers receive better social conditions, which appear to be only enforceable across Europe through legal requirements. At the same time, the mobility package should also create clear rules for the posting of professional drivers.

The draft has been in place since the beginning of the year. At that time, the European Parliament’s Transport Committee adopted the planned reform of the road transport sector. Among them are a few major changes.

1. Light commercial vehicles over 2.5 tons should also be subject to the rules of the transport company. In order to control the driving and rest times, they also need a digital tachograph.
2. In order to be able to better control the previous cabotage rules of three operations within seven days, the tachographs should also record border crossings in the future.
3. In the future there will be a “cooling time” of four days to prevent systematic cabotage.
4. In future, in order to be able to register there, transport companies will actually have to operate to a considerable extent in the respective member state. In addition, the trucks have to return to the operations center every eight weeks.

The drivers should also benefit from the new regulations:

1. International freight drivers should return home every three or four weeks.
2. The mandatory weekend rest period should no longer be permitted in the driver’s cabin. The company is expected to pay the cost of accommodation.
3. If the drivers are very close to their hometown, they may exceptionally exceed the driving and resting times to get home.