The world’s best drivers gathered in Rankweil, Austria, from 2 to 5 September 2010 to compete in the World Championship in safety driving for trucks and buses, organised by the Union Internationale des Chauffeurs Routiers (UICR) with the support of the IRU Academy.  During 4 days, over 250 nationally-qualified professionals from 15 countries took theoretical and practical tests focused on driver safety skills including maneuvering, safe loading and securing, eco-driving and first aid.

This event effectively demonstrated the need for road transport professional training for all drivers to increase road safety worldwide.  Each participant received an IRU Academy-UICR diploma and became ambassador of road safety and champion of the road.

• More on the UICR World Championship

IRU, together with the International Transport Forum (ITF), today signed a cooperation agreement with the EU funded LABEL project to stimulate the development of truck parking areas (TPAs) offering sufficient levels of security and comfort.

The agreement notably includes the setting of criteria for security and service quality levels, public display of LABEL test audits of TPAs and the support from IRU and ITF to ensure the sustainability of LABEL TPA standards and certification, involving all competent governmental and non-governmental authorities, as well as business partners at national and international levels.

All partners will be encouraged to enter TPAs location and available services into TRANSPark, a web-based application jointly developed by the IRU and ITF to help drivers / operators to identify and locate safe parking areas best suited for their needs along their routes.  

• More on the  LABEL project and TRANSPark

The IRU will organise, in cooperation with the Belgian EU Presidency, the 1st IRU-EU Presidency Road Transport Conference and Ministerial Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on 1 December 2010, on the theme: “Efficient, Safe and Sustainable Road Transport for the Future”.

Over 400 participants including transport Ministers, EU officials as well as road transport industry and business leaders from all 27 EU Member States are expected to attend the Conference, which will be opened by the European Commission Vice-President and Commissioner for Transport, Siim Kallas, and Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism of the European Parliament, MEP Brian Simpson.

• Programme and registration

The IRU web-based application for processing TIR pre-declarations is now available free of charge at EU external borders to help international transport operators meet the EU requirements to send TIR information electronically in advance to any EU Customs office of departure/entry.

• More about TIR-EPD

The IRU will organise, in cooperation with its German Member Association “Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA)”, a joint Seminar at the IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hannover on 28 September 2010, on the theme: “Reducing CO2 in the Road Transport Industry – Trends, Technologies, Policies”. 

• Programme and registration
• IRU 30-by-30 Resolution
• Modular Concept