Dear Sir or Madam, dear members,
The year 2021 is drawing to a close. The Executive Board would like to thank all members once again for their trust and constructive cooperation and wishes everyone a wonderful Christmas season and all the best for 2022.
We wish you a lot of enjoyment and that you obtain a lot of useful information while reading it including in the name of the board,
Michael Jursch
Chairman of the board
Trailer Industry Association
The TIV in figures
| 26 members in 2021 (from January 2022 – 27 members) |
| 396.500 trailers produced per year |
| 8.144 employees working for the manufacturers and suppliers |
| 581 million combined turnover of the manufacturers and suppliers |
Switzerland
Just under a year of a 100 km/h speed limit in Switzerland: An initial conclusion
Since 1 January 2021, vehicle/trailer combinations consisting of a light motor vehicle (maximum permissible laden mass 3,500 kg) and an O1/O2 trailer have been allowed to drive at 100 km/h on motorways and on motorways in the Swiss Confederation that are signposted green like motorways. To this end, the trailer must be designed by the manufacturer to handle such a speed.
This should be the case in the vast majority of cases. The drivers are however obliged to find out for themselves from the type approval of their trailer whether it can be driven at a speed of 100 km/h. Additional requirements, such as those that characterise the German 100 km/h regulation, for example bumpers and speed stickers, have been dispensed with in Switzerland.
What is especially pleasing for foreigners travelling there is the fact that due to the fact the new provisions form part of the Swiss Traffic Regulations Ordinance (Article 5 paragraph 2 letter c), they apply irrespective of the country in which the trailer or towing vehicle is registered. Transit travellers crossing Switzerland with an O1-/O2 trailer thus also benefit from it as long as they fulfil the conditions described above.
At the end of November 2021, the TIV enquired at the Federal Roads Office in Bern about the experiences gained with the new provision so far. The conclusion of the authority's staff is a positive one. This is because the new regulation "has not led to any problems thus far".
The corresponding email of 30 November 2021 additionally states: "They plan to evaluate the data from the traffic accident statistics in order to be able to assess the effects of the measure on road safety more precisely. A first evaluation for 2021 should be available by mid-2022." The TIV will then follow the matter up again.
If the statistical evaluation announced here confirms the positive experience that Switzerland has had so far with its 100 km/h speed limit, the TIV board will contact the German Federal Ministry of Transport to promote this solution. This is because it would be a great relief for all road users who drive with a trailer.
Source: Huonder, Stefan (2021): “Re: Enquiry of the TIV e.V. on the Swiss speed limit of 100 km/h for trailers".
Unpublished email to Dr. Uwe Meyer dated 30 November 2021, 7.36 am.
Great Britain
Trailers may be driven with a B driving licence once more
The UK government has suspended the BE licence requirement for driving with trailers over 3.5 tonnes from 20 September 2021.
This means that - as was the case in Germany until 1999 - the B driving licence is sufficient to drive towing vehicles with trailers up to a total weight of 7.5 tonnes. We as TIV have been trying for several years to secure a return of the former regulation in driving licence law also in Germany and Europe. Perhaps the British decision will help to lend extra weight to our lobbying efforts.
published on 16.12.2021 - editorial office: blaurock markenkommunikation