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Issue 3 2019 - Freight Business Journal


///NEWS


European truck driving is in crisis, says IRU


A fifth of driver positions are unfilled in European road transport according to a report by the International Road Transport Union (IRU) published on 21 March. The sector is facing its most acute shortage in decades, it said. Polling of IRU members and


associated organisations in Europe from October 2018 to January 2019 revealed a driver shortage of 21% in the freight sector. However, the shortfall is predicted to reach 40% as demand grows in 2019. In the UK, the shortage is estimated to be growing at 50


Europe’s new trucking rules could harm industry, warns FTA


The European Parliament’s


revision of the road haulage rules, published on 4 April, could damage the industry, warns the Freight Transport Association (FTA). It is urging EU Member States to amend critical elements of the package in upcoming negotiations. European policy manager


Sarah Laouadi, said that while the changes were an attempt to cut red tape, “the proposed rules leave too much room for interpretation as to


who is eligible for these facilitations and are therefore likely to create enforcement issues.” The


European Parliament


has drawn up its position for its negotiations with the European Council on revised rules for posting of


drivers, drivers’ rest


times and better enforcement of cabotage rules, along with measures aimed at ending the use of ‘letterbox’ companies by hauliers. It also wants to replace the


drivers per day. IRU managing director Boris


Blanche, commented: “The transport industry needs to take immediate and decisive action to tackle the driver shortage. Left unchecked, it will have serious implications for the European economy and lead


existing restriction on the number of cabotage operations with a three-day time limit and introduce registration of border-crossings through vehicle tachographs. There should also be a 60-hour


‘cooling-off’ period” to be spent in the home-country before carrying out another cabotage trip. To counteract the use of


letterbox companies, road haulage businesses, including operators of light commercial vehicles, would need to have “substantial activities” in the member state where they are registered. New EU-wide rules on posting


of drivers will eliminate red tape caused by differing national approaches and ensure


fair remuneration for drivers, says the


to rising costs for businesses, consumers and passengers. “But there is no shortage of


opportunity in this profession. In fact, our research found that job satisfaction tends to be high, with only 20% of drivers surveyed expressing any dissatisfaction with their work.” However,


drivers


interviewed believe the poor image of the profession is stifling recruitment with the difficulty of attracting women to the profession one of the


Parliament. The


Parliament wants the


posting rules to apply to cabotage, and cross-border transport operations. It also wants more use of digital


technology and for national authorities to focus on companies with poor compliance records, while cutting back on random checks on law-abiding operators. Operators will also have to


organise their timetables so that drivers are able to return home at regular intervals (at least every four weeks) and the mandatory rest period at the end of the week should not be taken in the truck cab.


FTA does welcome aspects of the proposed package. This


top reasons for the shortage. International Transport Forum figures show that female drivers make up just 2% of the total. Some 70% of drivers aged


25-34 believe the difficulty of attracting young drivers is one of top reasons for the driver shortage. Many also think that long


periods away from home deter many from entering the profession. The industry also suffers from an ageing labour force.


includes its acknowledgement that “the current patchwork of admin requirements needed to demonstrate compliance with minimum wage rules in the various EU countries is not sustainable; it should be replaced with one single set of simplified rules.” Besides, the European Parliament is in favour of


exempting some transport


operations from minimum wage rules altogether. However, FTA is disappointed


that the Parliament has not reversed the ban on drivers taking their regular weekly rests in the cab even though the lack of appropriate facilities makes it virtually impossible to comply. It calls on EU member states to push for flexibility and says that


In Europe most transport companies are employing drivers whose average age is 44 years old. The IRU has launched a joint the European to develop


initiative with Shippers Council


common principles aimed at improving the treatment of drivers at delivery sites and will set up a Women in Transport Network, aimed at increasing the number employed in the sector to promote transport as an attractive field to work in.


the rule should only be applied when drivers park in safe and secure


parking areas with


reasonable levels of comfort and services.


Investment must be


encouraged in truck stops across Europe. FTA points out that, whatever


happens with Brexit, the new rules will affect UK hauliers, at least in the short term. The International Road


Transport Union (IRU) praised the European Parliament for breaking the deadlock on the proposals saying that, while far from perfect, “the compromises found allow discussions to move forward. Trilogue negotiations will now be held to further refine these proposals.”


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