by Slovenia: a derogation from the driving ban on October 31
The exception applies to vehicles with a total permissible weight above 7.5 tons bound for the Port of Koper.
On Tuesday, October 31, lorries and vehicle combinations with a total permissible weight over 7.5 tons will be exceptionally allowed to travel provided they are transporting goods to or from the Port of Koper. To benefit from the derogation, drivers need to present shipping documents confirming that they are going to or have left the port of Koper to pick up or unload goods transported by sea.
by Slovakia: a suspension of the HGV ban on November 17
At the request of ČESMAD Slovakia, a general exemption from the HGV ban has been granted on the November 17, which is a public holiday ( Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day).
The exemption applies to all HGVs traveling on motorways, first class roads and roads with international traffic, arriving in Slovakia from some neighboring countries, whose destination (e.g. company headquarters or the place of unloading) is located in Slovakia.
Please be advised that that no exemption has been granted on November 1, which means that the driving ban is in effect as usual from 00:00 to 10:00 PM.
by Austria: an exit ban on the A10 motorway from October 26 to November 5
During this period lorries are prohibited from leaving the A10 motorway at selected junctions and using adjacent regional and municipal roads to avoid traffic jams. This ban does not apply to vehicles transporting goods to destinations in Austria.
The exit ban applies on following junctions of the A10 motorway:
❌ In the direction of Salzburg:
• from the Pfarrwerfen-Werfen junction (exit 44) onto the L229 road to Werfenweng
• from the Pongau junction (exit 46) via A10;46;R5 ramp onto the L276 road to Kreuzberg
• from the Eben im Pongau junction (exit 60) to the B99 Katschberg Straße
❌ In the direction of Villach:
• from the Hallein junction (exit 16) towards Villach onto the L 107 Wiestal Landesstraße (roundabout)
• from the Golling-Abtenau junction (exit 28) towards Villach onto the B 159 Salzachtal Straße
• from the Kuchl junction (exit 22) to the B 159 Salzachtal Straße
❌ In addition, lorries are not allowed to leave the A 10 motorway using exit roads from the Landzeit service areas (Gasthof Nord and Süd):
• via the Gasthofsiedlung road
• via the industrial area of Gasthof Süd
to enter adjacent municipal roads, except for vehicles transporting goods to destinations in Austria.
by Germany: HGV driving bans on 31.10 and 1.11
We have received a number of inquiries regarding HGV driving bans on these days.
Here is a summary of all necessary information.
❌ October 31 (Reformation Day) is a public holiday in:
– Brandenburg,
– Bremen,
– Hamburg,
– Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,
– Lower Saxony,
– Saxony,
– Saxony – Anhalt,
– Schleswig-Holstein,
– Thuringia.
The holiday driving ban is in effect from 00:00 to 10:00 PM (in Lower Saxony from 06:00 to 10:00 PM – see information below);
❌ November 1 (All Saints Day) is a public holiday in:
– Baden-Württemberg,
– Bavaria,
– North Rhine-Westphalia,
– Rhineland-Palatinate,
– Saar.
The ban is in effect from 00:00 to 10:00 PM (in North Rhine-Westphalia from 06:00 to 10:00 PM – see information below).
Exceptions in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia
There are special regulations that apply on Reformation Day and All Saints Day in the states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia in the years 2020-2025 . Reformation Day (October 31) is a public holiday in Lower Saxony, while All Saints Day (November 1) is a public holiday in North Rhine-Westphalia. To make sure that lorry drivers traveling through Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia are not banned from driving for 2 days in a row, the hours when the ban is in effect have been changed. On both holidays, the ban will last from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. In addition, both federal states allow lorries to use the main transit routes along A 1, A 2, A 30, A 31 and A 33 during a public holiday when the ban is in effect.
A list of motorway sections where HGV traffic is allowed between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM on public holidays in Lower Saxony or North Rhine Westphalia:
➡️ A1 – from the Lotte/Osnabrück junction to the border of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony near the Osnabrück-Nord junction and in the opposite direction.
➡️ A2 – From the Bad Oeynhausen junction to the border between Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt and in the opposite direction.
➡️ A 30 – from the Bad Bentheim border crossing to the Bad Oeynhausen intersection with the A2 motorway and in the opposite direction.
➡️ A31 – from the Schüttorf motorway junction to the border between Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia and in the opposite direction.
➡️ A33 – from the Osnabrück-Süd motorway junction to the Dissen-Süd junction and in the opposite direction.
Transit traffic to and from the federal state of Berlin on Reformation Day (31.10)
The state of Berlin, in agreement with the states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, has suspended the driving ban (with the possibility of cancellation at any time) on October 31 on the following federal motorways: A 2, A 20, A 24 , A 4, A 9, A 10, A 11, A 12, A 13, A 14, A 15, A 17, A 19, A 38, A 71, A 72, A 73, A 111, A 113, A 114, A 115, A 117, A 143 in the above-mentioned federal states, for lorries traveling from Berlin (point of departure) or to Berlin (point of destination).
Lorries are not allowed to leave the motorway in the federal states where there is a holiday driving ban on Reformation Day, except for situations when a motorway is completely closed following an accident or owing to construction work. In such cases, drivers are allowed to use a signed diversion route. If no diversion has been indicated, the shortest route to the nearest motorway entrance should be used. Lorries are also allowed to leave the motrway if they need to be towed but they should be parked in the nearest suitable place.
by Hungary – a change in the HGV driving ban
At the request of the Hungarian road carrier association MKFE, the country’s minister of transport has partially suspended the HGV driving ban during the upcoming long weekend by establishing so-called ”time windows” when the movement of HGVs with a MAM above 7.5t is allowed.
Consequently, the weekend driving ban will not start on Saturday evening but at 6:00 AM on Sunday, October 2. HGVs will also be allowed to travel on the night from Sunday to Monday, October 23, which is a national holiday in Hungary.
In summary, the driving ban will apply in the following periods:
❌ Sunday, October 22, from 06:00 AM to 10:00 PM
❌ Monday, October 23, from 06:00 AM to 10:00 PM
by An HGV driving ban in Italy connected with a holiday driving ban in Austria
A driving ban for vehicles with a MAM of more than 7.5 ton will be in effect on October 26 from 00:00 to 20:00 PM on the northbound section of the A22 motorway from Vipiteno to the Austrian border.
The reason for the ban is a holiday driving ban in Austria, which is in effect on October 26, which is the National Day.
The ban does not apply to vehicles used for the following purposes:
• transports of slaughter cattle or livestock,
• supplies of beverages to tourist areas,
• urgent repairs of cooling systems, towing services, roadside assistance,
• road maintenance,
• vehicles used by public security services, fire brigades, for garbage collection, waste disposal
• vehicles used by companies providing regular scheduled passenger transport services, as well as army trucks and agricultural machinery used for journeys that cannot be postponed;
• journeys in combined road-rail freight transport, which can be confimed by providing a parking space reservation containing information about the vehicle registration number, the journey date and time of the reserved train.
by Poland: Several weeks of disruptions, speed limits and a closed service area on the A1
The measures are connected with renovation works scheduled to last about 8 weeks, depending on weather conditions.
Since Monday, September 11, traffic along a 7-kilometer section of the A1 motorway (km 2+200 to km 9+250) has been directed to the carriageway in the direction of Łódź. There are two lanes for traffic in the direction of Gdańsk and one lane for vehicles going in the direction of Łódź. The motorway service area Kleszczewko in the direction of Łódź has been closed to lorries and buses. The speed limit on this section of the A1 is 80 km/h. Drivers are advised to be extra careful and follow temporary traffic management signs.
by How to read truck tyre markings
Different types of vehicles need different tyres. Information about different tyre properties for specific applications is indicated on each tyre model in the form of various sidewall markings.
How to choose the right tyres for your truck?
When buying truck tyres, you should choose reliable suppliers, such as SklepOpon.com, which cooperate with major tyre manufacturers. In this way you can be sure to obtain tyres of the highest quality.
Truck tyre size markings
The size markings for truck tyres are very similar to those used on passenger car tyres. They consist of three basic elements: section width, aspect ratio or profile, and the rim diameter. An example of a popular truck tyre size is 315/70 R22.5 154/150 L.
The first number, 315, indicates the tyres’s section width in millimeters. The second number, 70, indicates the tyre’s aspect ratio, i.e. the height of the sidewall expressed as a percentage of the section width. In this case, it is 70% of 315 mm, i.e. 220.5 mm. The last number, 22.5, is the rim diameter in inches. The letter “R” indicates that the tyre carcass, which is an element of its internal structure, has a radial construction.
The remaining characters, 154/150 L, denote the load index and the speed symbol. The first of the two numbers (154) represents the maximum load (in kg) that the tyre can carry during single tyre assembly; in this case it is 3750 kg. The second number (150) indicates the maximum load during dual tyre assembly (3350 kg). The letter “L” indicates the maximum speed of use, which in this case means the tyre can be used at speeds of up to 120 km/h. All these properties should be selected strictly according to recommendations of the vehicle/trailer manufacturer.
Markings specifying tyre position
Truck tyres are divided into three basic types depending on the axle they are being used on: steer axle tyres, drive axle tyres, trailer axle tyres:
- Steer axle tyres are usually marked with the following symbols: F (Front) or S (Steer).
- Drive axle tyres are usually marked with the letter D (for Drive).
- Trailers/semitrailer axle tyres are sometimes marked with the letter T (for Trailer). Another designation that can also be used is FRT (Free Rolling Tire). Tires with the FRT symbol are designed for trailers or semi-trailers but can also be fitted on axles other than steer and drive axles of a motor vehicle.
It is worth noting that only the FRT marking is a legally approved marking, which is defined in UNECE Regulation No. 54, paragraph 3.1.15. The use of the remaining symbols (F, S, D and T) is not regulated by law and tyre manufacturers may use other symbols.
What does “regroovable” mean on truck tyres?
Unlike passenger car tyres, truck tyres can also be marked with the word “regroovable”, which indicates a tire manufactured with an extra layer of rubber between the cord body and the original tread to enable recutting or regrooving of the original tread pattern, which extends the life of the tyre.
Regrooving can only be performed at authorized operators. Tyre manufacturers strictly define the regrooving parameters of specific tyre models, which include the depth or width of cuts. Regrooving is not allowed when the tread is damaged, as any damage affects the tyre structure and may lead to the corrosion of the metal elements of the tyre’s internal structure.
by Germany introduces checks at the land borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland
In order to combat smuggling more effectively and reduce irregular migration, German Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, has notified the European Commission about the introduction of temporary border controls at the land border with the three countries.
This means that the federal police can now use the same measures that they have already been using for some time at the border with Austria. Targeted checks have been underway for several weeks, and the frequency of random checks carried out in the entire border area by patrols composed of Polish and Czech border guards has increased. A a joint action plan has also been prepared in cooperation with the Swiss counterparts.
The activities of smugglers are becoming increasingly brutal and unscrupulous, as evidenced by the death of seven people who were smuggled across the German-Austrian border on Friday evening. It is now necessary to take all possible measures to put an end to these cruel practices. The Federal Police can now flexibly deploy a whole range of stationary and mobile measures at the border, depending on the current situation. We are in close contact with the neighboring countries and other federal states to ensure the best possible coordination of activities on both sides of the border. In coordination with Switzerland, we have decided to further expand our activities based on a joint action plan. At the same time, we want the controls to have as little impact as possible on daily lives of commuters, traders and travellers said Nancy Faeser.
Internal controls at the land borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland will initially last 10 days (starting from October 16) but may be extended for up to two months. Renewed controls at the internal land border with Austria will last for 6 months starting from November 12. The legal basis is provided by Article 25 ff. of the Schengen Borders Code (EU Regulation 2016/399).
by Austria: Weekend closure of the Mannswörth junction on the S1 and the A4 exit onto the S1
As part of the ongoing resurfacing work to improve noise protection on Vienna\’s outer ring road, two more junction closures are scheduled to take place this weekend: the exit from the A 4 motorway in the direction of Hungary onto the S1 and the Mannswörth junction on the S1 in the direction of Vösendorf.
Both junctions will be closed from 9 p.m. on Friday, October 13, to 5 a.m on Monday, October 16 at the latest.
Available diversion routes
The diversion for the exit from the A 4 in the direction of Hungary to the S 1 in the direction of Vösendorf follows along the B9 and the Schwechat Ost slip road onto the S 1. This means that traffic on the A 4 continues as far as the airport (Flughafen) junction and is then diverted onto the B9 via the airport exit to rejoin the S 1 in the direction of Vösendorf at the Schwechat Ost junction.
The diversion of the slip road onto the S 1 from Mannswörth: At Mannswörth, traffic will continue in the direction of Schwechat to the A 4 as far as the airport junction and from there will be diverted to the S 1 via the B9 at Schwechat Ost.
The diversion for the exit from the S 1 in the direction of Mannswörth in the direction of Schwechat follows via the Schwechat Ost junction. Drivers can use the roundabout in order to return to the S1 as far as the Mannswörth junction.