IRU members have adopted new policy positions on immigration and driver shortages, autonomous vehicles, and a new crisis response charter.
Member associations of IRU, the world transport organisation, have today adopted new policy positions on driver shortages and legal immigration, autonomous vehicles, and road transport response to crises.
The resolutions, relating to key challenges facing the commercial road transport industry, were adopted by IRU members at its General Assembly meeting in Geneva.
IRU President Radu Dinescu said, “IRU members have voted to address key challenges in the road transport sector and reinforce how the industry helps others in times of crisis.
“I call on the UN, international organisations, governments, and our sector’s partners to work with us on driver shortage and autonomous vehicles challenges, and to join us in signing the IRU Charter 75.”
To mark IRU’s 75th anniversary, the IRU Charter 75 was adopted. Recent years have seen a global pandemic, war in Europe and elsewhere, and tragic natural disasters including the recent earthquake affecting Türkiye and Syria. In every case and country, road transport stepped up to help the victims and those affected by these events.
Focusing on the sector’s response to these crises, the IRU Charter 75 reinforces the road transport community’s commitment to help rescue people, rebuild shattered communities, and make mobility networks and supply chains more resilient and better able to withstand future shocks.
The IRU Charter 75 will be initially signed in a ceremony at IRU’s 75th anniversary event tomorrow.
In a new position on driver shortages and legal immigration, IRU calls for global coordination and cooperation on legal cross-border worker immigration to help the sector adapt to labour markets.
The chronic shortage of professional bus, coach, truck and taxi drivers is accelerating, impacting services from local school buses to global supply chains. Enabling legal immigrants, including refugees who are qualified drivers, to work more easily in the profession is one solution.
An update to IRU’s position on the safe and secure operation of autonomous vehicles in commercial services was also adopted, including new points on legal liability, data collection, software, and road infrastructure.