This mandate will come as a relief to truck drivers who spend 14-16 hours on the road and sometimes operate in temperatures ranging from 43-47 degrees
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has stated that air conditioned cabins for truck drivers would soon be made mandatory in India. This announcement was made at an auto industry event called ‘Desh Chaalak’. Though no deadline for the same has been announced, reports suggest that this roll out could be from 2025.
Care for the truck driver is also of optimum importance. Gadkari stated that their well-being should be addressed and has already signed the file that mandates air conditioned cabins for truck drivers.
AC Cabins for Truck Drivers in India
Speaking at the event called ‘Desh Chaalak – Recognizing those who move India’ organized by Mahindra Logistics, Mr Nitin Gadkari stated that truck drivers in India weather temperatures which sometimes ranges from 43-47 degrees centigrade during the peak summer months. Expecting drivers to withstand such extreme heat is not humanitarian.
They are the backbone of transportation of goods throughout the country and need to be taken care of. Most countries have a restriction on the number of hours each driver should be at the wheel. However Gadkari stated that due to shortage of truck drivers in India, has led to longer hours of operation per driver which is at around 14-16 hours. This leads to an adverse effect on physical and mental health, lethargy and in turn carelessness which increases the incidents of truck accidents.
While there were arguments that such AC cabins could result in drowsiness, Gadkari dismissed these concerns stating that luxury buses also sport AC cabins for drivers. Gadkari has signed the file on Monday 19th June 2023, which would mandate air conditioning in truck driver compartments with officials stating that a transition period of 18 months was needed for such an upgrade.
Urgent Need to Improve Working Conditions of Truck Drivers
According to an estimate, the addition of air conditioning in truck cabins would result in an additional cost of Rs 10,000-12,000 per truck. Most international truck makers are already offering trucks with AC cabins while most Indian manufacturers are yet to adopt this feature. It is renowned automakers such as Scania and Volvo that currently offer AC cabins but only in their higher end trucks.
BharatBenz heavy-duty truck cabins already comply with ECE R29-03 norms. Tata Motors is also offering AC cabins as an option, but are ready to make it a standard feature with this new mandate across their entire truck line once finalized. Tata Motors also offers technologies such as advanced driver assistance and collision mitigation system across their truck line which has drawn increased traction.
In addition to installation of AC cabins in trucks, Mr Gadkari also addressed the urgent need to improve working conditions of truck drivers. The dire shortage of drivers itself should be addressed with the setting up of more driving schools for better trained workforce and reduction in the number of hours that drivers spend on the road. Gadkari also assured the improvement of amenities on national highways. He said that his ministry is in the process of setting up 570 roadside amenity centers with 1 center every 50 kms across highways. Lane driving should also be encouraged with better designing of roads and drivers trained properly to abide by these regulations.
