The Working Time Directive. From April 2005, all operators governed by
drivers’ hours regulations (excluding self-employed) must comply with
these new rules (European Commission, 2002). Driver working time is
now limited to an average 48-hour week over a reference period. No more
than 60 hours can be spent working in any single week. Complying has
raised fundamental problems of driver shortages, although last-minute
concessions on ‘periods of availability’ have helped some operators