Right now you have to be 21 years old to be able to drive a so-called large truck. The EU will now lower the age limit to 17-year-olds in the hunt for more drivers.
The EU has recently adopted a rule that makes it possible for 17-year-olds to drive trucks if they are under the supervision of an experienced driver.
From the age of 18 they can sing alone. The proposal is part of a larger effort to alleviate the growing shortage of drivers in Europe.
However, the proposal is subject to sharp criticism from the Norwegian Professional Transport Federation (YTF), which fears that it will affect road safety. Because even though Norway is not a member of the EU, the country follows the union's rules in this area.
This is written by Norwegian TV2 .
According to the YTF, young people aged 17 are not necessarily mature enough to handle the challenges that come with performing heavy choir duties.
The association's leader, Jim Klungnes, emphasizes that it requires more than technical skills to navigate traffic safely.
– The driver shortage is a challenge that we must take seriously, but the solution does not lie in lowering the age limit, says Klungnes.
YTF believes that experience-based judgment is decisive for safety, especially in complex and unpredictable traffic.
– The association therefore calls on the Norwegian authorities to maintain the current age limit of 21 years to obtain a driver's license for a truck.
Instead of lowering the age limit, YTF proposes other measures that can make the driving profession more attractive to adults and experienced people.
Better working conditions, which include higher pay and a safer environment, can help retain qualified drivers. In addition, they point to the need for more flexible working hours and better training, so that the drivers are better equipped for the job.
Another important area is the infrastructure. There is a need for more dog rest areas with proper facilities, which can both improve the drivers' working conditions and increase road safety.
YTF has presented these proposals in a letter to the Norwegian Minister of Transport. They warn against prioritizing short-term solutions that could jeopardize security:
– We must not let short-term solutions to the driver shortage come at the expense of road safety. Professional drivers have a great responsibility, and this responsibility requires both maturity and experience, concludes Klungnes.
The EU is generally working on a large number of proposals in the area of choir cards that have not been regulated since 2006. Germany has, for example, proposed that a special ban should apply to all 27 member states. Read more about it here .
