More flexible driving and rest time rules for occasional passenger transport drivers

1. Split the 45-minute break
   In Article 7, the following paragraph was added after the second paragraph: “For a driver engaged in an occasional passenger service, the break referred to in the first paragraph may also be replaced by two breaks of at least 15 minutes each, distributed over the driving period referred to in the first paragraph, in such a way as to comply with the provisions of the first paragraph.”
2. Extend once or twice of the daily duty time with 1 hour during trips exceeding 6 days
   In article 8, a new paragraph 2a was inserted, as follows: “Provided that road safety and the working conditions of the driver are not thereby jeopardised, a driver engaged in a single occasional passenger service with a duration of at least six consecutive 24-hour periods may derogate from paragraph 2, first subparagraph, by taking the daily rest period once within a maximum of 25 hours after the end of the previous daily rest period or weekly rest period, provided that the total accumulated driving time for that day has not exceeded seven hours. Complying with the same conditions, that derogation may be used twice in a single occasional passenger service with a duration of at least eight consecutive 24 hour periods. The use of that derogation is without prejudice to the maximum working time under the applicable law.”.
3. Use the 12-day derogation in national transport as well
   Both legislators supported the EC proposal to extend the use of the 12-day derogation to national transport as well, by deleting item a) of paragraph 6.a).