Trucks should be equipped with a stand air conditioning system as a standard. Drivers who have to spend the night on the road can regulate the cabin temperature themselves. “Sleeping in a sweltering cabin is asking for accidents,” says Tjitze van Rijssel, transportation officer at CNV Vakmensen. “To drivers who have to overnight in a cabin without a stand air conditioning system, I say: be smart, think about traffic safety, find a hotel, and send the bill to your employer.”
Research on cabin temperature
Cabin temperature is one of the issues that were thoroughly investigated by the collective agreement parties in the transportation sector (employers and trade unions) last year. The research shows that there is no problem with temperature while driving, but there is an issue during standstill. This is particularly the case with cabins that do not have a stand air conditioning system.
Implications for concentration and reaction time
“Sleeping in a hot cabin that you cannot cool properly is not restful. And a poor night’s sleep has a proven effect on your concentration and reaction time,” says Van Rijssel. He advises drivers to make smart choices when they are affected by the heat. “A driver is entitled to a comfortable and safe workplace. An employer is responsible for that. In our opinion, a stand air conditioning system should be part of a safe cabin. Trucks should be equipped with it as a standard as soon as possible. If there is no stand air conditioning system available, I advise drivers who have to overnight not to stay in that hot cabin but to find a hotel and send the bill to the employer.”