During the 8th two-hour Congress and 48th General Assembly of the Spanish Association of Companies for Transport of Temperature-Controlled Goods (AFRIE), the association’s vice-president, Pedro Conejero, presented a report on two key issues that continue to affect the sector: loading and unloading by drivers, and the system of pallet exchange across Europe. Lardi.Today learned this from a report published on the AFRIE portal.
Road freight transport accounts for 2% of Spain’s GDP and is mainly carried out by small businesses: 53% of companies own only one vehicle. This fragmentation makes the sector particularly vulnerable to additional costs, delays and burdens, which directly affect the economic and social viability of companies and the well-being of drivers.
In recent years, the National Transport Committee, together with the General Directorate of Transport of Spain, have reached key agreements, enshrined in Royal Decree-Law 3/2022. Among them:
- Payment within 30 days and penalties in the event of 60 days.
- Automatic indexation of fuel prices in the event of a deviation of 5%.
- Prohibition on loading and unloading of watervehicles weighing more than 7.5 tons, with some exceptions.
- Hence the ban on exchanging pallets, as they are an integral part of the goods.
- Reduction of waiting times to one hour in total during loading/unloading with financial compensation according to the IPREM in the event of delay.
These measures aim to reduce hidden costs, increase company productivity, improve working conditions and protect the health of drivers.
AFRIE pays particular attention to the problems of the existing pallet exchange system, introduced in the 1980s. The current practice is associated with physical overloading of drivers (moving up to 924 kg and more in a single operation), hygiene risks due to the spread of bacteria and pests through untreated wood, environmental problems and economic distortions due to increased fuel consumption, payment delays, theft, losses and administrative controls. According to a report by Fulgencio Marina (2020), the costs of a truck in international transport are extremely high due to these factors and include doctor’s notes, reduced productivity and unaccounted working time.
As an alternative, AFRIE proposes the implementation of a pallet rental system managed by specialized companies that will disinfect, monitor and redistribute the pallets. This model will reduce the weight of the transported “dead load” by 325 kg, improve hygiene and traceability in the supply chain, reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions, and improve the ergonomics and health of drivers, preventing injuries and doctor’s notes. In addition, the new conditions create opportunities for the equal participation of women in professional transport, excluding the performance of mechanical work that is not typical for them.
AFRIE insists that these measures and standards be extended throughout Europe. Compliance with mandatory rules on the prevention of occupational risks and health protection of drivers, as well as on the protection of the health and professional dignity of drivers throughout the European Union requires the harmonization of legislation that prevents unfair competition between Member States and promotes the respect and attractiveness of the profession of a professional driver.