The Central Directorate for Legal Coordination of the National Labor Inspectorate (INL) has provided important clarifications on the applicable regulations regarding driving and rest times for drivers who alternate public line services exceeding and below 50 km.
Driving and rest times: the regulations
The matter of driving and rest limits is governed by the EC Regulation 561/2006. This applies, in the passenger transport, to all drivers of vehicles with 9 seats including the driver.
However, the same regulation provides for specific cases of exemption: Article 3 letter “A” expressly refers to vehicles in regular line service for passenger transport, whose route does not exceed 50 km. In these cases, the national regulations contained in Law No. 138/1958 will apply.
La nota introduce un chiarimento per quei casi in cui, un conducente normalmente adibito a servizi regolari di linea inferiori a 50 km si trovi ad effettuare un servizio rientrante nel campo di applicazione del Reg. CE 561/2006. Fino ad ora questa fattispecie era attribuita al “criterio di prevalenza” di cui all’interpello del 20 marzo 2009. Questi era inerente però all’individuazione della regulation of working hours for employees of transport companies that also carry out activities other than driving.
The new note clarifies.
THE NEW RULE
It is now established that, if the driver engages in an activity covered by Regulation EC 561/2006, the rules on daily and weekly rest times for drivers set out in the Regulation must be fully applied.