However, this is just the first important date. Besides new trucks, all carriers will also be obliged to retrofit such devices into their existing vehicles in the coming period. The deadline for this is the end of 2024, except for SMT1, which must be replaced by August 2025. This will bring workshops and manufacturers new business opportunities but also impose additional costs on carriers. 

From July 2026 onwards, the obligation to possess second-generation smart tachographs (as well as other obligations related to drivers’ working hours) will also apply to vans weighing between 2.5 and 3.5 tons.

Smart tachographs have gained significant importance in achieving the goals of the new European road transport policy, following the adoption of the EU Mobility Package in the summer of 2020

As a significant innovation, SMT2 enables automatic recording of border crossings within the EU, loading and unloading times and locations of goods, as well as all changes in axle load. Competent authorities will have the ability to remotely access this data even during the journey and without stopping the vehicle. The use of second-generation smart tachographs allows authorities to have more efficient and simplified control over compliance with the Mobility Package guidelines, including compliance with regulations on cabotage, vehicle return to the home country, driver return, etc.

Better conditions for drivers and increased safety 

The Mobility Package essentially consists of regulations grouped into several categories: posting of drivers, drivers’ working time, tachographs, access to the profession, and access to the international transport market. 

The European Parliament adopted it in July 2020; some provisions came into effect immediately the following month, while others had an 18-month adjustment period, so full implementation is considered to have begun in February 2022. The legislator’s goal, as emphasized, is to strike a balance between drivers’ social protection and operators’ freedom to provide cross-border transport services. Among the most important changes is the employer’s obligation to organize work in a way that allows drivers to return home at regular intervals (at the latest after 4 weeks), banning the spending of full weekly rest in the cabin, and the carrier’s duty to finance accommodation.

Furthermore, trucks must return to the company’s operational center every 8 weeks. To prevent systematic cabotage, the vehicle must “rest” for 4 days after cabotage transport, tachographs must be used to record border crossings, and other involved regulations.

Like any major reform, the Mobility Package has divided the public – in this case, the transport community. It is evident from the fact that it took three years of negotiations, agreements, and voting in the European Parliament before its adoption. While some countries regarded the regulations as restrictive and protectionist, others welcomed them as a means to better regulate competition, combat illegal work, and improve conditions for truck drivers. 

Rising costs and pollution 

Among the negative effects, the increase in costs is most frequently mentioned.

For instance, in a survey conducted in March 2023, as many as 9 out of 10 Lithuanian transport companies stated that they had faced cost increases due to rules mandating drivers’ and trucks’ mandatory return. As a solution to this problem, some of them opted to register their companies in other EU member states. 

One of the significant criticisms of the Mobility Package has been voiced by those concerned about the environment. The so-called “empty runs” when trucks return represent not only a cost but also unnecessary pollution at a time when the transport industry – facing the (justified) label of a major polluter – is striving to repair its image. 

Finally, it is essential to mention that, as with any major industry change, part of the problem arises from insufficient information among participants. Nevertheless, considering that the European Commission diligently updates its instructions, guidelines, and clarifications regarding the Mobility Package and that the topic is widely discussed in public, it is expected that market participants will become increasingly aware of their obligations as time goes on. 

And our blog is a small contribution to that!