Truck driving ban on Saturdays during the vacation travel period; application for a special permit

In addition to the ban on driving on Sundays and public holidays, there is a ban on truck driving under the Holiday Travel Ordinance to protect vacation travel. This applies to the commercial or paid transport of goods by trucks with a maximum permissible mass of over 7.5 tons and trucks with trailers, as well as the associated empty runs. The driving ban applies on all Saturdays from July 1 to August 31 of each year, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., on all highways and federal roads specified in the Holiday Travel Ordinance.

During this time, transports must divert to the downstream network of federal, state and district roads. An exception can only be granted if these alternative routes cannot be used (e.g. due to a truck driving ban or a ban on the transportation of hazardous goods) or if it is absolutely necessary to use the freeway (e.g. to supply freeway filling stations).

However, such exemptions may only be granted if there is a public interest in carrying out the journey during the prohibited period (e.g. removal of emergencies, supplying the population) or if the refusal of the permit would represent an undue hardship for the applicant and proof is provided that transportation is not possible either by other means of transport or outside the prohibited period. Economic or competitive reasons alone cannot justify exceptions.

Corresponding evidence must be provided.

The truck driving ban does not apply in particular to

• combined road-rail freight transport from the consignor to the nearest loading station or from the nearest unloading station to the consignee,
• Combined goods traffic port-road between loading or unloading point and a port located within a maximum radius of 150 kilometers (arrival or departure),
• Transportation of fresh milk and fresh dairy products, fresh meat and fresh meat products, fresh fish, live fish and fresh fish products, perishable fruit and vegetables,
• the urgent deployment of recovery, towing and breakdown assistance vehicles,
• the transportation of live bees,
• Showmen and showwomen.

Under Forms you will find the "Application for exemption from the statutory ban on driving on Sundays and public holidays".

• Urgency of the transport
• Transportation must not be possible with vehicles that are not covered by the ban
• Transport must necessarily be dependent on the use of the prohibited route

• Application for exemption from the statutory ban on driving on Sundays and public holidays

• Annex (to § 1) Fee schedule for road traffic measures (GebOSt)
• Showmen's Exemption Ordinance (SchauAusnV)
• §§ Sections 1 and 4 Ordinance on the Facilitation of Holiday Travel by Road (Holiday Travel Ordinance)

• Truck driving ban on Sundays and public holidays; application for a special permit