Denmark is due to go to the polls on Tuesday in a snap election, and ITD boss Stefan K. Schou has taken the opportunity to call on whoever takes power to address the country’s driver shortage.
In Schou’s opinion, to lure people back into the lorry driving profession, the government needs to reduce the threat of drivers continually facing fines.
In an article on the ITD website, Schou said:
“We encourage the incoming government to carry out a thorough review of the catalogue of fines and the levels of those fines to see if they can be eased. Because the proportions must be reasonable when sanctions are imposed for an infringement. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for us to recruit drivers in the future. There is no profession where there are so many opportunities to get fined during your working day. It causes a great many drivers to leave the industry, and it is not in anyone’s interest.”
Schou also took aim at bureaucracy and delays in obtaining permits. In his view, “a completely new approach to the road transport sector is needed.” The ITD Director believes the new government must focus on “growth, retention of Danish jobs and better working conditions.”
Finally, Schou called for “non-bureaucratic support schemes” to allow hauliers to make the transition to zero-emission vehicles:
“If hauliers are to go green, they must first have black numbers on the bottom line. It requires non-bureaucratic support schemes, such as a deduction scheme for green vehicles. Few hauliers have a department for green transport that has time for bureaucracy. Therefore, it must be easy for it to work. That is one of our main messages to the politicians.”