As above, we have just employed a Romanian and he was having a bit of a row with one of our guys that used to work internationally - and they were arguing about drivers hours rules.
What’s the answer - I thought it was the whole point of being in Eurpoe - but i am usually wrong - but i am sure when i did my international we were all on the same rules unless it was an ATER coutry but then most of them have aligned.
Asking cause it got so heated I though I would get my head kicked in if i said ought… and not back at the office till Tue to get my notes out.
For Romanian lorry drivers does not exist .but normaly all same just i think in to many country don t havae rules about 15 minut brakes after 6 hours working time
The basics are.
If you drive over borders,
i.e. uk - france or france - germany etc
Then you drive under eu rules.
If you drive within the borders of a country
i.e. uk, france etc
Then you drive under domestic rules.
lizard:
The basics are.
If you drive over borders,
i.e. uk - france or france - germany etc
Then you drive under eu rules.
If you drive within the borders of a country
i.e. uk, france etc
Then you drive under domestic rules.
We should all be driving to EU regulations regardless of whether or not you cross borders, the only exceptions are if you’re either driving a vehicle that’s exempt from EU regulations or doing a job that’s exempt from EU regulations.
If you’re driving to domestic regulations in the UK and are not exempt from EU regulations you can probably expect some serious problems when the [zb] hits the fan.
The problem is, its all down to interpritation, not by drivers but by the authorities in all the individual countries in the EU.
VOSA have, on there interpritation of the rules a disclaimer saying there version of the rules may not be the same as the rules any were else in the EU.
Disclaimer
This publication gives general guidance only and should not be regarded as a complete or authoritative statement of the law. The guidance will be updated to reflect any developments in new legislation or case law.
If you wish to check the legal position, you should refer to the main legislation listed in Annex 1 and, if necessary, seek your own legal advice. The guidance offered in this publication reflects VOSA’s current enforcement policy. It does not reflect interpretation of the law in other countries.
So something legal in Germany could be an infringment here.
One would like to think that when employing a new driver, no matter what country they are from, you would check that they have a basic understanding of EU driving regulations. However, from my regular contact with our Eastern European colleagues, they have a very ‘DIFFERENT’ take on EU driving laws. i.e., magnets seem to be standard, and not adverse to bringing extra live cargo into the country…
In answer to your question - Germany have the same driving regulations as the rest of Europe, but enforce more rigourously.
transportlegal.co.uk/
Major and often controversial changes to the design of digital tachographs now under discussion by the European Union look set to come into force in 2017/2018, says Ralf Bosch, digital tachograph legislation expert at tachograph manufacturer VDO, part of the tyres and automotive components group Continental. If implemented, the changes will allow enforcement officials to check onboard units remotely as trucks drive past, for any indication that the Drivers’ Hours rules are being violated.
“What officials will not be able to do is automatically impose fines electronically,” he says. “Nor will they be able to download any of the driver’s personal information.
“Remote checking will simply be used to flag up drivers who are cheating the system so that action can subsequently be taken.”
Automatic recording of start and finish locations expressed in terms of latitude and longitude — something that will need a software programme to translate the data into something operators can recognise — is another feature in the pipeline. It uses GNSS — Global Navigation Satellite System — to get coordinates, and Bosch would like the regulations to allow other information to be recorded, without compromising data protection requirements.
Other proposals include incorporating the driving licence and driver’s card into one piece of plastic. That is more likely to be resisted by the UK among other national governments because it will in effect oblige drivers to carry their licence with them: not a legal requirement in Britain at present.
“I think it would make sense though because it would help combat fraud,” Bosch observes. “While drivers might be willing to lend somebody their tachograph card, even though they know they shouldn’t they’re likely to hesitate if it means they’re lending them their licence too.”
