Germany has relaxed drivers’ hours’ regulations due to the coronavirus, according to the announcement by the Federal Office of Freight Transport (BAG).
For the transport of the following goods, relaxed terms of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 on work and resting times for drivers apply in Germany:
– everyday goods, in particular food and animal feed, transported between the places of production, storage and sale,
– medical products (for medical care as well as for stopping, testing and controlling the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, including appropriate protective equipment, disinfectants, etc.),
– fuel.
The relaxations provided by BAG are valid until 17 April and allow derogations such as:
– daily driving time can be extended to 10 hours up to a maximum of five times a week (derogation from Article 6 (1) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006). However, you must continue to comply with the maximum permitted driving time per week (56 hours) and double week (90 hours).
– two reduced weekly rest periods in a row may be received, provided that in four consecutive weeks the driver has taken at least 4 rest periods of which at least two are regular weekly rest periods. If two shortened weekly rest periods have been used successively, the next rest period – as compensation for two shortened rest periods – must be used before the next weekly rest period.
Derogations from the provisions of the said Regulation can be applied only if this does not affect traffic safety.
Let us remind readers that drivers must indicate the reasons for such deviation by writing them on the tachograph printout or the work plan at the latest upon arrival at the place of parking.