Van tachograph rules now enforced but one in three fleets is not ready

Preparation improved, but many vehicles were still not ready

Operators made considerable progress in preparing for Mobility Package I. In Kienzle Automotive’s follow-up survey, 78% said they were well or very well prepared in June, compared with just under 39% in the spring.

Fleet readiness, however, was less reassuring than the companies’ self-assessments. Among businesses operating vehicles covered by the rules, more than one in three had not fully completed the retrofit by the deadline, according to Kienzle. In some cases, installation work was still under way; in others, a workshop appointment had been arranged but the work had not yet begun. Some operators had taken no steps at all.

The most striking figure is that 15.6% had not started preparing their vehicles in any way.

Feeling prepared is no substitute for completing the retrofit. Any operator still in the middle of implementation by the deadline is exposed to significant legal risk, says Jan Kaumanns, CEO and shareholder of Kienzle Automotive.

The survey was not representative of the entire market. The initial poll covered 116 customers of the tachograph and telematics provider, who were invited to take part again in June. The findings therefore reflect the position of a group of industry participants rather than the retrofit status of every German fleet.

The 2.5-tonne threshold does not apply to every van

Businesses must not automatically assume that every 3.5-tonne van is covered by the new requirement.

According to BALM, the tachograph obligation has applied since 1 July 2026 to cross-border freight transport and cabotage where the relevant vehicle or vehicle combination has a mass above 2.5 tonnes. The European Commission also identifies 1 July 2026 as the deadline for corresponding light commercial vehicles used in international commercial freight transport.

This does not create a blanket tachograph requirement for every van between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes used solely on domestic routes. Legally defined exemptions may also apply, depending on how a vehicle is used. BALM therefore recommends checking the specific operation whenever there is uncertainty about whether a tachograph is required.

Tachographs also bring drivers’ hours rules

For affected operators, the challenge is not limited to installing another device in the vehicle. Once the rules apply to light commercial vehicles used internationally, operators must also comply with European requirements on driving time, breaks and rest periods. From 1 July 2026, the relevant rules cover vehicle combinations above 2.5 tonnes in international freight transport.

This directly affects courier, express and small-haul fleets crossing borders in vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes. For some operators, driver cards, tachograph data and compliance with drivers’ hours rules are now part of everyday operations.

Kienzle’s survey indicates that training remains a weak spot. The share of companies with no training planned fell from 33.6% in the spring to 18.8%. Yet only 9.4% rated their staff as very well trained, while 59.4% said their knowledge was only partly sufficient.

Cost remains the biggest obstacle

Some 62.5% of respondents now identify retrofit costs as their biggest challenge. That figure was 57.8% in the spring. A further 40.6% each cited unclear or changing rules and the technical retrofit itself as sources of difficulty.

For small fleets, the costs extend well beyond the device and workshop time. Operators must also account for driver cards, data management, training and changes to route planning to ensure that driving and rest requirements can be met.

Since 1 July, the issue has no longer been theoretical. A vehicle is not compliant simply because a workshop appointment has been booked.

Compliance now depends on every individual vehicle assignment

Penalties are not harmonised across the EU. They are determined under the national law of the country where the infringement is detected. The frequently cited range of €1,500 to €4,500 should therefore not be interpreted as a single EU-wide fine schedule.

For fleet managers, a more practical question now matters: Which vehicle is being sent on which route today?

Almost six weeks after the rules took effect, every van used for cross-border transport should have a clear compliance status. Operators need to know whether the vehicle falls under the tachograph requirement, whether the required equipment is operational, and whether drivers and dispatchers can follow the new procedures.

The deadline itself is no longer the issue. It expired on 1 July.