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Network Journal 2006 Issue 1 March |
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Drivers’ hours face close scrutiny
The European Parliament has approved a law designed to tighten up on the number of hours lorry drivers spend behind the wheel.
The new regulations include:
- From 1 May new vehicles must be fitted with digital tachographs, which are more accurate and harder to falsify than older, analogue versions.
- The regulations simplify maximum working periods and minimum rest periods for lorry and coach drivers who are not allowed to drive for more than nine hours a day, 56 hours a week or 90 hours a fortnight.
- They must have uninterrupted rest of at least 11 hours per day - or one period of nine hours and another of three hours - and must rest for at least 45 minutes every 4.5 hours.
- The amount of time an employee spends driving to and from work to start a shift also counts as work time.
The European Transport Federation (ETF), the umbrella group for Europe's transport unions, said the improved breaks and checks were welcome, but argued that more needs to be done to control working time as well as driving time for drivers.
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