Hiring drivers from South America is a phenomenon that is becoming more and more widespread in Europe. Due to the lack of a language barrier, carriers from Spain and Portugal specialize in this, even doing it in hundreds (I have recently described an example here). And although European equipment may look familiar to many such drivers, the realities of using it can be completely different. Two Brazilians recently found out about this on the example of Germany.
Everything relates to a large control action carried out last Monday, May 15, at the Bornhorster Wiesen car park on the German A29 motorway. In total, as many as 31 police officers and BALM (as BAG is now called) participated in it, who, following the old German custom, completely closed the car park, allocating it only for control purposes. It was also then that their attention was drawn to a kit with Portuguese plates, standing in this parking lot with a double crew of Brazilians.
As it turned out, the BALM officers knew the vehicle very well. In the same place, it had been inspected by them six days earlier, namely on May 9. At that time, the inspection ended with the imposition of a ban on further driving until the extremely worn tires in the semi-trailer were replaced. As it turned out, after six days, the drivers were still waiting for new tires, apparently sent by their employer from Portugal itself. Therefore, the Germans used this second meeting to carry out an additional check, this time regarding the drivers’ working time.
Inspectors and policemen pointed out that during the six days of waiting for tires, the Brazilians calculated a pause in the tachographs. In practice, this meant taking a full weekly rest of at least 45 hours. At the same time, the drivers were in the cabins all the time, while such a 45-hour rest should take place outside the vehicle. Therefore, BALM has initiated administrative proceedings in this case, which will most likely result in a fine of PLN 2,000 for the Portuguese company. euro. What’s more, the Germans immediately announced that they would soon return to the parking lot to check if the truck was still waiting for tires. The drivers themselves were offered to be taken to the railway station, although they refused for obvious reasons.
Information source: Polizeidirektion Oldenburg
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2023-05-16 19:39:32
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