Driving times and rest periods for professional drivers

Are you a professional truck driver, coach or bus driver, or do you operate a taxi? Or do you employ professional drivers? You must follow the rules for driving times and resting periods. Drivers cannot drive for too long and must take breaks and resting times regularly. 

Maximum driving times 

Truck and coach drivers must observe: 

• a maximum overall driving time: the total accumulated time per day, week, and per 2 weeks that they driver their truck or bus 
• a maximum uninterrupted driving time: the total amount of time driven in between 2 breaks, or in between a break and a resting period. 

The vehicle's tachograph records the driving and resting times. The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) and the police will check if drivers keep to the rules. Drivers must show their driving and resting times from that day and the previous 56 days (8 weeks) when inspected. 

Do you employ drivers? You must make sure the work is organised in such a way that drivers can return home or to their regular work base at least once every 4 weeks. You can find a summary overview of these driving times in Dutch on the government's website or you can consult the EU regulation for more information. 

Mandatory rest periods 

Drivers must take rest periods every day and every week. During these periods the driver is not allowed to drive or be available to their employer. Drivers can spend this time freely. 

Suitable accommodation

Drivers should take their normal and extended weekly rest periods in a suitable accommodation. This accommodation must be gender-friendly and offer suitable sleeping options and sanitary facilities. As an employer you must pay for the accommodation. Drivers are not allowed to rest in their cabin, except during the shortened weekly rest period. 

More information on these rules for rest periods and accommodation is available on the government’s website (in Dutch) or in the EU regulation. 

Driving times and rest periods for taxi drivers 

For taxi drivers different driving times and rest periods apply: 

• In a 24-hour period, a taxi driver must take at least a 10-hour, uninterrupted break. A driver is allowed to take a shorter 8 hour uninterrupted break only twice during a 2-week period. 
• In a 7-day period, a taxi driver must take at least 1 uninterrupted break of 36 hours. Or 3 uninterrupted breaks of at least 24 hours each during a 14-day period. 

Night work and night shifts 

Professional drivers who drive during the night, must keep to the rules for night work (in Dutch). These rules apply to all transport of persons or goods, except for taxi transport. For specific types of night work different rules apply. For instance, for the export out of the Netherlands of flower bulbs, plants, vegetables, and fruits. Also, some specific activities are exempted from the rules for night work. Examples are transport of live animals, and mail and postal packages. 

Night shift rules for taxi drivers 

Taxi transport has specific rules for working at night. Taxi drivers can work: 

• a maximum of 52 night shifts in a 16-week period 
• a maximum of 140 nights shifts in a 52-week period 
• a maximum of 38 hours between 0:00 hours and 6:00 hours in a 2-week period 

Registering driving times and rest periods

A tachograph automatically registers information, among others the driving and rest times. New trucks, vans, and buses must be fitted with a smart tachograph type 2 (SMT2) unless the vehicle has an exemption (in Dutch). In that case you must register your driver’s driving and rest times on paper or a computer. The ILT must be able to check if you comply with the Working Hours Act (Arbeidstijdenwet). 

The driving times and rest periods of taxi drivers are registered by the taxi on-board computer (BCT) or by an app which uploads the data to the Central Database Taxi transport (CDT, in Dutch).