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According to representatives of Lithuanian carriers, there is a lack of safe parking places for trucks in Europe, in addition, due to the coronavirus pandemic, many hotels have closed and those that operate are not very willing to accept drivers.
“Due to the COVID-19 situation, some hotels are completely closed, although the number of transport on European roads has not decreased. When the time comes, hotels will not be able to accept people who need to take that break, ”said Povilas Drižas, Secretary General of the International Transport and Logistics Alliance (TTLA), at BNS.
Romas Austinskas, president of the Linava National Road Transport Association, admits that due to the dramatic lack of adequate rest areas in Europe, drivers have to break the rules and rest in taxis.
“It just came to our attention then. What to do? It would be unfair to say that we are doing something different,” Austinskas told BNS.
He stressed that with the entry into force of the prohibition of rest in taxis, drivers do not control the risks: if the vehicle is left in an unsafe parking lot, the carrier is responsible for the load. In the event of an incident, it would be treated as an uninsured event.
“It makes us decide again, what is better, if not to break the rules and go to the hotel, or to stay in the car and store the cargo. Which operators they choose, the answer here is probably clear. We are facing fines for that, ”said the Linava president.
According to Austinskas, although the first provisions of the mobility package came into force a few months ago, there is still no uniform control in Europe, an approved administration and sanction mechanism.
However, the Lithuanian authorities may already require proof that the driver rested at the hotel and that the fine for the offense would be imposed on the employer.
“If there is a suspicion that a driver was asleep (in the cabin – BNS), then that control will be carried out by our LTSA (Lithuanian Transport Security Administration – BNS) and the Labor Inspectorate. Today, the officials who inspect the driver on the road does not have the right to demand a hotel bill or the like, but the inspectors in Lithuania have the right to see and find out ”, said R. Austinskas.
P.Drižas pointed out that the European Commission (EC) has also stated that there are not enough safe sites on the continent.
“The numbers are very scary: there are 7 thousand safe places to have a safe parking nearby. Every night, when you need to take a long break, we estimate at least 100 thousand.” The trucks that circulate in Europe have nowhere to park, “said the Director of TTLA.
However, according to him, once the legislation enters into force, the Commission itself can no longer suspend such legislation.
The mobility package was adopted by the European Parliament in July. The package was largely supported by former Western European EU members such as Germany and France.
Eastern Europeans said the new regime would push peripheral transport companies out of the market and increase road pollution.
As of August 20, drivers must rest outside of taxis and carriers must ensure that drivers return to the company’s operational centers or place of residence every four weeks.
At that time, some other rules, on the movement of drivers and the mandatory return of tractors to the country of registration, will come into force 18 months after the publication of the Mobility Package.
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