Coordinated actions across Europe highlight the urgent need for enforcement and fair working conditions in road transport
The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and its affiliates marked Driver Fatigue Action Day on June 21, 2025, as part of a broader series of successful coordinated actions carried out throughout the week and beyond. Trade unions across Europe organised activities to draw attention to one of the most pressing safety challenges in European road transport.
A Crisis That Demands Action
Marking the longest day of the year, the campaign highlights a sobering reality: for too many professional drivers, every day feels like the longest day. According to an ETF study, over 60% of truck drivers and 66% of bus and coach drivers admitted to regularly driving while fatigued, with one in four bus drivers and one in three truck drivers having fallen asleep behind the wheel.
Fatigue is systematically built into their working conditions,” emphasised ETF General Secretary Livia Spera. “This is a safety crisis created by unfair pay, poor enforcement, unreasonable pressure, and supply chains that prioritise the lowest price over a sustainable road transport industry.”
Multi-Level Engagement Drives Results
During this year, the campaign combined high-level policy dialogue with grassroots driver engagement. ETF affiliates organised a diverse range of activities, including the distribution of leaflets in parking areas around Europe, sectoral conferences, social media campaigns, and Safe Rates training sessions, demonstrating the breadth of union commitment to addressing driver fatigue.
A centrepiece event was a round table discussion on June 20 at Europa-Park at the German-Swiss border, organised by ver.di under the coordination of ETF Road Section Chair Stefan Thyroke.. The event brought together trade union representatives, EU policymakers, professional drivers, and safety experts who reached a clear consensus: driver fatigue is widespread, complex, and demands urgent policy action.
Participants emphasised that fatigue cannot be separated from fair pay and working conditions, identifying better law enforcement as the key solution. As ETF General Secretary Livia Spera noted, roadside checks continue to reveal widespread legal violations. “The problem isn’t the rules — it’s the lack of political will to enforce them. Member States must invest in proper inspections, and the European Commission must stop weakening protections in the name of ‘flexibility.'” The presence of MEP Vivien Costanzo and ITF’s Noel Coard alongside drivers and union leaders demonstrated a multi-level commitment to addressing exploitation in the road freight sector.
Direct Driver Engagement
On June 21, ver.di, ETF, ITF, and Fair Mobility teams conducted extensive outreach in parking areas near Freiburg, covering more than 50 vehicles. ETF team members Livia Spera and Cristina Tilling joined colleagues in distributing leaflets and engaging directly with professional drivers about rest conditions, pay challenges, and the toll of extended periods away from home.
Safe Rates
Central to the campaign was the ITF’s “Safe Rates” initiative, which directly links fair compensation to road safety. As ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton explained, “Safe Rates save lives. When drivers are paid fairly, they don’t have to speed, skip rest, or risk their lives to make ends meet.”
The framework includes setting fair pay for all drivers, holding supply chain actors accountable, ensuring proper enforcement, and including unions throughout the process.
Momentum for Change
The campaign’s success demonstrates growing momentum for transforming European road transport. By combining policy advocacy with grassroots organising, unions have shown that solutions exist: fair pay, proper enforcement, and a political will to prioritise safety over short-term profits.
As participants emphasised throughout the events, decent working conditions represent the only sustainable solution to Europe’s driver shortage. For the thousands of professional drivers who keep Europe moving, this momentum cannot come soon enough.
