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If anything stood out on the first day of the IAA Transportation exhibition yesterday, it was the focus on new electric truck models. Daimler, DAF, Scania, Nikola, MAN, Quantron and Ford all unveiled electric lorries. There was also the matter of awarding the Truck of the Year 2023 title, which went to the DAF XD. 

Truck giants unveil new electric models at IAA Transportation in Hannover

While awaiting the results of an inspection in Poland, the driver of an Estonian-registered HGV was seen throwing an object into the bushes. It turned out the trucker had tried to chuck away the second tachograph card he had been illegally using. He was fined around 3,750 zł, almost €800.

HGV driver who was caught chucking away 2nd tacho card fined almost €800

Based on real-life accidents, Scania has carried out a crash test using a lorry with an 80-litre tank for compressed natural gas. The test was to see how the tank would withstand a heavy side impact. Would the tanks get damaged? These are questions that the manufacturer believes bother drivers and possible buyers of LPG/LNG trucks.

Scania video shows results of fuel tank crash test

Another lorry driver has had to receive hospital treatment following the use of a gas canister inside the cabin. Fortunately, the truck driver's life is not in danger despite the severity of the explosion, which was caught on CCTV. 

Trucker airlifted to hospital after gas canister cabin explosion

Everfuel has opened a new hydrogen refuelling station at Alnabru in Oslo, Norway. The station is part of the company's plan to roll out  hydrogen infrastructure across Northern Europe.

Everfuel opens hydrogen refuelling station in Oslo

Hauliers that don't follow drivers’ hours regulations often have lower turnover than their competitors, the Swedish Transport Agency has recently found. Sometimes, these businesses are letterbox companies that can easily be shut down and restarted. The government department fears the formation of some of these firms could be motivated by the fact that fines for multiple transport violations in Sweden are connected to turnover.

Swedish Transport Agency suspects hauliers are using subsidiaries to pay lower fines

In August 2019, a Romanian driver was found transporting counterfeit goods from China by customs officers in France. He ended up being fined an astounding sum of €3.8m - despite the fact he had no idea the contents of his load were illegal. <a href="https://www.lavoixdunord.fr/1229742/article/2022-09-18/calais-il-transportait-pour-pres-de-4millions-d-euros-de-marchandises?uid=vpid&q_ressource_uri=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/1229742/article/2022-09-18/calais-il-transportait-pour-pres-de-4millions-d-euros-de-marchandises&widget=viewpay&success=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Following an appeal, he will now have to pay €11,000 instead</a>.

Trucker who transported counterfeit goods has €3.7m fine waived after appeal

The European Transport Workers’ Federation has warned European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen against opening the EU labour market to third-country nationals without first fixing the lack of decent work in the transport industry. “To do so otherwise is an open invitation for further exploitation of transport workers," the organisation says.

Union claims EU plan for more 3rd-country drivers will increase exploitation

South Tyrol-based Gruber Logistics and Universal Transport from North Rhine-Westphalia have agreed on an alliance that will “create a new European market leader in heavy- and specialized transport".

Gruber Logistics and Universal Transport confirm alliance

A trailer was clamped for 8 days in Sweden due to insufficient cargo security. The reason the clamp was on for so long was the driver's lack of knowledge when it comes to securing loads.

Trailer clamped for 8 days due to insufficient cargo security

According to a report presented at McKinsey & Company at this week's IAA Transportation event in Hanover, all newly registered trucks in Europe, the USA and China will be electric in just over 12 years' time. 

Majority of new trucks will be electric by 2035, says McKinsey

DVSA warns HGV operators and drivers that lorries are issued 10 times more prohibitions 3 months after their annual test than after an MOT due to the lack of proper maintenance. It is the responsibility of both the operator and the driver to drive the vehicle in a roadworthy state, the authority stresses.

HGVs get 10x more prohibitions 3 months after MOT due to lack of proper maintenance

The expected closure of Lockerbie Lorry Park, <a href="https://trans.info/en/lorry-park-lockerbie-304453" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which we reported on earlier this month</a>, has seen the Road Haulage Association call on the Scottish Government to address issues related to lorry parking in Scotland. 

RHA urges Scottish Government to accelerate lorry parking spaces audit

Digital tachograph analytics company Aquarius IT is warning UK transport operators about a technical glitch when remote downloading from some GEN2 tachographs.

Tachograph analytics firm warns of serious remote download glitch

Most motorway lights in Wallonia, the southern, French-speaking region of Belgium, are being switched off from between 10pm and 5am to save energy and reduce costs, <a href="https://www.lesoir.be/465850/article/2022-09-16/crise-energetique-la-wallonie-va-eteindre-une-grande-partie-de-ses-autoroutes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports Belgian media</a>.

Belgian region switches off motorway lights at night to reduce energy bills

<a href="https://www.lecho.be/entreprises/transport/roland-jost-accepte-une-peine-de-trois-ans-de-prison-avec-sursis-et-fait-un-pas-de-cote/10414753.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to a report by Belgian media outlet L'Echo</a>, the Wallonia federal prosecutor's office and the majority shareholder of JOST Group, Roland Jost, have negotiated a three-year suspended prison sentence related to a high-profile social dumping case. L'Echo writes that the courts will validate the settlement next month.

Report: JOST Group owner settles with prosecution over social dumping case

In February of this year, a Turkish truck driver crashed into numerous cars while drink-driving through a residential area in the German city of Furth. Fortunately, nobody was killed or seriously injured as a result, but the trucker's actions caused as much as €800,000 property damage. The 51-year-old has been given a suspended sentence of two years.

Trucker escapes with suspended sentence after drink-drive causes €800,000 damage

Police in Norway have received numerous reports of fuel and bank cards that have been skimmed at pay-at-the pump machines at various petrol stations. <a href="https://lastebil.no/Aktuelt/Nyhetsarkiv/2022/Politiet-advarer-Vaer-spesielt-paa-vakt-i-disse-omraadene" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Norwegian Truck Owners Association (NLF)</a> has thus warned lorry drivers to have their eyes open when paying at the pump at petrol stations on the E18 and E6 in the south of the country.

Lorry drivers told to look out for card skimmers at Norway petrol stations

A police department from Poland's Mazury lake district has warned that failure to give way at a pedestrian crossing (or commit other driving offences endangering pedestrians) can result in fines of 1,500zł (just under €315). Repeat offences can be punished with fines double that figure.

Police warn of hefty fines for failing to give way at pedestrian crossings

Thomas Ström, Managing Director of Swedish transport company NTEX, <a href="https://stromsblogg.ntex.se/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has called for his country's government to subsidise HGV driver training</a> in order to alleviate driver shortages.

Swedish haulage Boss calls for HGV driver licence training to be subsidised