The Federal Ministry ofTransport had already outlined its plans earlier this year. Now the federal cabinet has approved a draft amending regulation covering professional driver qualification rules and other road-traffic provisions.
According to the ministry, the goal is straightforward: lower barriers to entering the profession and speed up the path into employment.
Driver shortages have been one of the biggest pain points in the road haulage sector for years. Many operators increasingly recruit abroad, but recognition procedures and language requirements have often been seen as slow and overly complex.
Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder said:
“Without professional drivers in logistics and public transport, Germany would come to a standstill. With this amending regulation, we are removing access barriers and getting drivers into jobs more quickly.”
He also stressed that regulation alone will not fix the problem:
“In the long term, our measures will only work if the industry itself takes action and makes the job of bus and truck driver more attractive.”
Qualification exams to be offered in more languages
In future, the exam for the accelerated initial qualification will no longer be limited to German. It is set to be available in several additional languages, including English, Modern Standard Arabic, Polish, Romanian, Turkish and Ukrainian.
Separately, the language list for the theory driving test is expected to be expanded to include Ukrainian and Kurmanji.
The transport ministry says the changes are designed in particular to reduce language barriers for drivers from non-EU countries.
Broader recognition of foreign driving licences
The draft regulation also addresses how foreign licences are recognised in Germany.
One key change: Germany would also be able to recognise third-country licences that have been exchanged in another EU member state.
In addition, the federal government plans to add Ukraine and Montenegro to the driving licence regulation. That would allow licences from these countries to be converted into German licences in future without an additional theory or practical test.
Ukrainian driving licence / Source: trans.iNFO
For transport companies, this could make it easier to access international driving staff.
Shorter practical test
The practical test as part of the accelerated initial qualification is also set to be reduced.
According to the ministry, the practical exam would be shortened from 210 minutes to 120 minutes.
The ministry had previously indicated it wanted to align procedures more closely with European minimum requirements and speed them up overall.
Industry has long pushed for faster, simpler processes
Transport and logistics associations have been calling for streamlined recognition procedures and less red tape for years, pointing to the ongoing driver shortage in freight.
However, many industry voices argue that these steps on their own will not be enough. They also point to persistent issues such as parking, bureaucracy and long periods away from home in long-haul operations.
The regulation is not yet final despite the cabinet decision. After the remaining legislative steps, the transport ministry expects it to take effect later this year.
