The Freight Transport Association is taking a record number of calls from companies with queries about the Road Transport Directive.

FTA's Member Advice Centre (MAC) has seen a six fold rise in the number of working time related calls over the last six months, and calls have risen sharply since Christmas - staff spent nearly 45 hours talking members through the regulations in January alone.

FTA's manager of compliance information services, Sally Thornley said: “Over a quarter of the 2000 calls received at the MAC in January were about the Road Transport Directive, and it is now our number one topic - knocking Drivers' Hours down to number two. Just six months ago questions about the new regulations accounted for less than four per cent of calls and was ninth in the category list.

“The MAC advisors have also seen the queries getting more and more sophisticated and detailed. Whereas before Christmas many of the calls were about who is in scope and whether individuals could sign an opt-out (they can't!), now the questions relate to workforce agreement negotiations and formats for record keeping. So it looks like the industry is getting to grips with preparing for compliance and managing the changes.”

Members of the FTA are able to access legal and operational information and advice on all aspects of freight transport via the Member Advice Centre. For further information on becoming a member please call 01892 552222.

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