The United Nations Global Road Safety Week offers a unique opportunity to advance road safety worldwide.

Safety drives all aspects of IRU's work. For decades, IRU and its members have worked together to make road transport safer for everyone, including drivers.

After assessing Benin’s driving licence system and road safety protocols, IRU, the world road transport organisation, has devised a series of recommendations to improve safety and overall traffic efficiency.

Major transport and tourism organisations have called upon the EU Commission to support an ambitious proposal on specific driving and rest time rules for coach tourism. Currently, coach tourism drivers are subject to the same rules regarding the organisation of their driving and rest time rules as truck drivers. However, the nature of their work is considerably different.

After being contacted by several of its members concerning driving regulations and unwarranted fines, IRU has clarified formalities for humanitarian transport. In the aftermath of the earthquake in Syria and Türkiye, IRU has been contacted by several of its members with a request to clarify driving and rest time rule obligations related to humanitarian transport operations.

IRU is in contact with its members in Türkiye and Syria following yesterday’s devastating earthquake, offering its deepest condolences to the victims and support to help coordinate relief efforts. On behalf of the global IRU family, Secretary General Umberto de Pretto has offered his heartfelt sympathies to all caught up in the tragedy in Türkiye, Syria and elsewhere.

IRU member the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) has opened a new TIR office in Bandar Abbas. Iran has issued more TIR carnets than any other country over the past two years.

IRU has awarded its Diploma of Honour to 1,756 taxi, bus, coach and truck drivers from 23 countries worldwide for their outstanding driving and safety records.

Reducing liability exposure, minimising road incidents and cutting costs, they can all be achieved with the right approach.

IRU has highlighted the important role that investing in human capital and professionalisation plays in improving transport at Saudi conference on supply chains.

IRU’s President Radu Dinescu has outlined key road transport operator challenges to the International Road Federation’s annual conference in Morocco.

A key UN forum has more than doubled the speed limit for cars and vans using automated driving systems. Regulations for heavy-duty vehicles are set to follow next.

In anticipation of Iraq’s accession to TIR, Iranian customs and the country’s national TIR association trained an Iraqi delegation from road transport authorities earlier this month in Tehran.

Taking stock of the progress made, key road transport players participated in the fifth IRU workshop on the enforcement of the EU’s Mobility Package 1. The workshop built on IRU’s continuous work to bring clarity to enforcement since the Package’s adoption two years ago and since the last set of Mobility Package 1 rules became applicable several months ago.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, welcomes the call for proposals, which was published yesterday, to access a total of EUR 250 million in the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding to improve the network of safe and secure parking areas (SSTPAs) across the European Union (EU).

IRU and a delegation from Uzbekistan, with Uzbek Customs and IRU member AIRCUZ, were recently in Pakistan for a series of high level meetings on TIR and transit.

Commercial truck, bus and coach driver shortages continue to plague European mobility and supply chains. IRU’s new 2022 European report on the issue is now available.

IRU member and global logistics firm DB Schenker has begun using TIR in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, saving time and CO2 emissions. 

IRU partner Middle East Logistics High Institute (MELI), a subsidiary of Almajdouie Group, has trained, assessed and certified over 4,000 truck drivers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) by following and applying the standards set by IRU to ensure a high quality of service in the transport of dangerous good by road. 

The United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) and the Republic of Botswana conducted, in close collaboration with World Trade Organization (WTO), a session on improving the connectivity of landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) last week. The session took place during the Aid for Trade Global Review 2022.

The International Transport Forum in Turkmenistan brought together leaders from business, government and international organisations to discuss a range of issues. IRU was there. 

IRU and UNECE have been working together for almost 75 years to improve trade and road transport. Did you know that this is the UN’s longest global public-private partnership? 

IRU member Alsa is continuing to set high safety standards as it begins rolling-out Roadmasters. What is the company’s safety vision, how is it delivering and what lies ahead?

IRU has helped international partners run a training workshop on trade and transport digitalisation tools eTIR and eCMR for Sub Saharan Africa, in Casablanca, Morocco.

Amidst ongoing global supply chain disruptions, IRU and the UN have brought together the logistics sector from Asia and Europe to discuss more resilient east-west road links.

IRU and EU tourism associations are calling for pragmatism in upcoming negotiations on extending the Emissions Trading System to buildings and road transport (ETS II).

The UN General Assembly met last week in a renewed push on road safety, with a focus on driver training, conditions and monitoring, as well as vehicle standards, public transport and international cooperation.

Rather than prescribing solutions like electrification to decarbonise road transport, policymakers should focus on creating a framework for innovation that takes a technology-neutral approach, argues MEP Barbara Thaler.

IRU’s Commission on Customs Affairs (CAD) has elected a new president and vice presidents from the Czech Republic, Latvia and Saudi Arabia. 

IRU has met EU Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean at a crucial time in the development of important social, environmental and digitalisation files related to road transport.

The World Free Zones Organization (FZO) has held its annual conference and exhibition. IRU Director of TIR and Transit Tatiana Rey-Bellet was there. 

Shifting to a diverse and inclusive industry in times of driver shortages was at the heart of discussions at the fourth IRU RoadMasters Forum, held virtually last week.

New TIR corridors have opened new opportunities for road transport operators across South and Central Asia. We talked to Yonus Ali Siddiqui, Director of Regional Trade for Pakistan logistics company TCS.

IRU’s annual driver shortage survey shows unfilled commercial driver positions continue to increase at alarming rates across the globe.