Coach drivers continue to win: European Parliament backs EU tourism

03.01.2024 - 12:43 / traveldailynews.com / Vicky Karantzavelou

This decision equips coach tourism drivers, passengers, and operators with favorable prospects for the forthcoming trilogue negotiations in January 2024, ultimately providing coach drivers with regulations tailored to their specific profession.

BRUSSELS – The European Parliament’s plenary adopted the compromise amendments on driving and rest time rules for coach tourism drivers supported by the Parliament’s Transport Committee last month. This vote gears coach tourism drivers, passengers and operators for a positive outcome during the upcoming trilogue negotiations in January 2024, finally giving coach drivers rules meant for their profession.

Under the proposed amendments supported by the European Parliament’s plenary today, coach tourism drivers will be able to split their 45-minute breaks into two breaks of at least 15 minutes. On journeys that are six days or longer, coach tourism drivers will be able to, once per trip, continue their trip for an additional hour and recuperate their break afterwards. They will also be able to drive longer national tours of up to 12 days, currently only possible during international trips.

IRU Director of EU Advocacy Raluca Marian said, “The road transport and tourism sectors are on their way to a big win during the upcoming trilogue negotiations in January and February 2024. We are very close to finally giving coach drivers rules meant for their work, not that of truck drivers. The law should go into effect in the first half of 2024.

“The current rules are harming coach drivers’ wellbeing, holding back Europe’s tourism sector, and preventing the safest and most environmentally friendly form of collective passenger transport from prospering”.

“We now look forward to a speedy trilogue negotiation with the Council and Commission that will finally give coach tourism drivers the choice to organise their breaks based on the nature of their work and the needs of their passengers, including by extending their national trips to 12 days,” she added.

Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.

She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.