Should the professional drivers be allowed to board the ferry first? That is the question that arouses debate. news recently told about Marthe Holm, who for four years has transported goods across Norway. A job that does not come without challenges. Because when the road turns into a ferry, the wait can be long. This summer she found that she couldn’t get a place, and arrived over a day late. – The only solution I can see is that the trucks get one of the files on the ferry line, and that we get priority, said Holm. The 22-year-old has the Norwegian Truck Owners’ Association behind him. They also want heavy transport to be given priority on the ferry. Because if you stand in a queue for hours, this can lead to major delays due to the rules on driving and rest time. In the worst case, the time to the destination can be multiplied, says the association. NAF: – Shouldn’t be allowed to sneak in But the proposal meets resistance. Those who represent motorists do not want professional drivers to “sneak” in the queue. – It is not the case that all trucks have a bad time, and all passenger cars have a good time, says authority contact Thor Egil Braadland. Photo: SV – We do not think anything of this proposal. It is not the case that all trucks have a bad time, and all cars have a good time. Sneaking in the queue means that others have to wait even longer. Trucks must arrive in good time, as everyone else must. That’s what Thor Egil Braadland, who is the authority contact at NAF, says. – What we notice is that lorries and motorhomes often create queues after they have left the ferry, in places where there are narrow roads and few opportunities to overtake. They should therefore wait on the quay after they have driven off the boat, to allow the cars to drive first. Braadland says it is a big problem that the ferries are full. – NAF and the truck owners should rather talk about what we agree on, namely getting more departures in place when there is a lot of waiting. Nobody likes to wait for a place on the ferry, not even us who drive a car, says Braadland. Fear of driver shortage Frank Lauritz Jensen is an advisor to the Norwegian Truck Owners’ Association. He does not doubt that there are private drivers who have important errands. – But they are a minority, I would think. Most people who drive along the roads in the summer are tourists. The fact that they have to stand over a ferry is less important. But the fact that the goods do not arrive can be of great importance. Frank Lauritz Jensen is an adviser in the Norwegian Truck Owners Association. Photo: Ole-Fredrik Lambertsen / news He emphasizes that professional drivers have a right to a life, and says he is reacting to the fact that the normal rules in working life apparently should not apply to their members. The consequence of not taking action will be a driver shortage, he believes. Because who wants to work in an industry where you have no idea when the working day is over? – I think this is constructing a problem that is not there. As for the number of meters of freight cars that will take the ferry, it remains the same. The only thing that happens is that those who have their working day on the road can have a slightly more modest existence. But the need for goods transport is increasing at the same time? – Forecasts have been presented that say there will be an increase in the transport of goods. I have no doubt that we will. In the event that there is a marked increase, larger vessels must be procured. But it’s also a poor excuse for doing nothing today. Should professional drivers be allowed to disembark first? Yes No Uncertain Show result Has a strong focus on traffic safety When asked whether it might be an idea to rather test the urgency of each individual case, Jensen replies: – Who is going to judge what is important enough? This is about our people being able to have a normal working day. – Many of our members have a high focus on traffic safety, and wait for suitable opportunities to let the traffic pass. Then there are some people who have to pass the trailers regardless of life or death. They have to take that on their own shoulders.
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NAF will not let professional drivers “sneak” in the ferry queue – news Nordland
