Brussels, 15/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - A “smart” tachograph for reducing driving- and rest-time fraud by lorry drivers is to be fitted to new vehicles over the next three years. MEPs approved this initiative on Wednesday 15 January. They ratified a second reading agreement on the subject with the Council and European Commission and voted down (607 votes against) an amendment from EFD Eurosceptics rejecting this compromise.
The regulations focusing on lorry driver working time inspections have been amended to “a good balance between road safety and improving drivers' working conditions, on the one hand, and the respect for their private life the data protection, on the other”, stated rapporteur, Silvia-Adriana Ticau (S&D, Romania).
The new generation of tachographs introduces two new satellite technology based functions: a remote tachograph detection mechanism and position data registration. The rapporteur explained that this new system would help the authorities enforce driving and rest times, which would prevent violations to workers' rights that also put other drivers in danger. Ticau also argued the fact that this would “reduce the administrative burden for transport companies which use tachographs”. Roadside inspections will be able to be carried out more selectively on the basis of which companies are deemed to be at risk. No fines or sanctions can be imposed solely on the basis of remote-control checks and the information collected has to respect private life protection rules.
The new legislation means that the authorities will be better trained and equipped to detect fraud. Smart tachographs will have to be installed on new heavy-duty vehicles by 2017 or 2018, three years after the Commission has established the instrument's technical specifications. All other vehicles will have 15 years to fit the smart tachographs.
The legislative revision includes a tachograph exemption clause for vehicles that weigh less than 7.5 tonnes and which are driven by non-professional drivers within a radius of 100 km of the headquarters of the undertaking, instead of the current 50 km stipulation. (MD/transl.fl)