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Professional drivers

Occasional Passenger Transport

The revised rules and what they mean for you.

Since 22 May 2024, changes to the driving time and rest periods have taken effect for drivers performing occasional passenger transport, both domestic and international. This page outlines the revised rules and offers answers to frequently asked questions.

Passengers on bus

A summary of the changes

The main changes include greater flexibility in scheduling breaks and rest periods, harmonization of rules for national and international services, and the obligation to have journey forms on board the vehicle.

Breaks

  • Drivers engaged in occasional-passenger transport services are allowed to split their obligatory break into two breaks of at least 15 minutes each.
  • Important note - The sum of breaks remains unchanged and must be at least 45 minutes.

Daily rests

  • Provided that road safety and the working conditions of drivers are not jeopardised, drivers engaged in a single occasional-passenger service lasting at least 6 days (6×24-hour periods) are, on one occasion, allowed to postpone the start of the daily rest period by 1 hour, when the total daily driving period for that day does not exceed 7 hours. 
  • This derogation may be used twice for services lasting at least 8 days (8×24-hour periods). 
  • The use of that derogation must not cause working time violations.
  • Important note -This option to postpone daily rest does not apply to drivers engaged in multi-manning operations who must continue to take a new daily rest period of at least nine hours within 30 hours of the end of a daily or weekly rest period.

Weekly rests

  • Drivers engaged in a national single occasional-passenger service are also allowed to postpone the weekly rest period for up to 12 consecutive 24-hour periods. Previously this only applied to occasional international transport services. 
  • For a driver to use this exemption, they must ensure the following:
    • The driver must take a regular weekly rest (45 hours) before using the exemption.
    • After using the exemption, the driver is required to take two regular weekly rests (90 hours) or one regular and one reduced weekly rest period (69 hours) which must be compensated en bloc within three consecutive weeks from the end of the exemption.
    • The vehicle must be equipped with a digital tachograph.
    • If driving between 22:00 and 06:00 the vehicle is multi-manned or else breaks must be taken after 3 hours as opposed to 4.5 hours driving. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Regulation (EC) No 1073/2009 dealing with common rules for access to the international market for coach and bus services defines regular services as those which provide for the carriage of passengers at specified intervals along specified routes with passengers being picked up and set down at predetermined stopping points.

Occasional services are services which do not fall within the definition of regular services, the main characteristic of which is the carriage of groups of passengers constituted on the initiative of the customer or the carrier.

Occasional services also include special regular services, which provide for the carriage of specified categories of passengers to the exclusion of other passengers and whether organised by the customer or the carrier.

Before the introduction of these changes, the legislative framework in place applied to road transport operators and their drivers, regardless of whether they were involved in the carriage of passengers or goods; and regardless of whether, when carrying passengers, the transport was regular or occasional.

The Commission recognised that the occasional passenger transport sector has different characteristics compared to freight transport and regular passenger transport. It is characterised by high seasonality (peaks in demand for passenger trips in certain seasons of the year) and by varying driving distances depending on the tourist activities undertaken by passengers.

This kind of service generally involves less driving time during the day than freight transport or in regular bus services. Drivers also usually sleep in hotels and seldom drive at night. Moreover, they need to accommodate unplanned and impromptu passenger requests in terms of additional stops, changes of routes, or changes of schedule.

Drivers working in occasional passenger transport therefore have different working conditions to other drivers, which is why the EU adapted the rules on breaks and rest periods to their needs and extended the scope of the 12-day derogation to cover both national and international passenger transport services.

No. The changes described above apply only to journeys within scope of the EU Regulations. Occasional passenger transport services from Ireland to the UK and vice versa come with scope of the AETR Agreement which has not been amended to align with the EU Regulations by incorporating these changes.

To avail of the new rules, drivers must be operating an occasional passenger transport service and carry on board the vehicle a completed journey form,

(a)   containing the information required in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1073/2009, which the transport undertaking shall be responsible for providing the driver with prior to each journey; and

(b)   carrying on board the vehicle paper or electronic copies of such journey forms which cover the previous 56 days.

The obligation in point (b) above will cease to apply when buses are equipped with tachographs which allow for the recording of the type of passenger service being provided, i.e. regular or occasional.

Also, for national services, the journey form for international services may be used, indicating its use for national service.

Regulation (EU) 2024/1258, amending Regulation (EC) 561 of 2006 on driving and rest times, was adopted on 24th April 2024 and entered into force on 22nd May 2024. This Regulation was given full effect in Irish law by the European Union (Road Transport) (Working Conditions and Road Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. No, 163 of 2025).

There have been many amendments to Regulation (EC) 561 of 2006 since it was adopted and entered into force, and a consolidated version incorporating all amendments to date is available here.

RSA Transport Officers, Customs Officers and members of An Garda Síochána enforce the provisions of the European Union (Road Transport) (Working Conditions and Road Safety) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 229 of 2017) as amended by the European Union (Road Transport) (Working Conditions and Road Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 567 of 2023) and the European Union (Road Transport) (Working Conditions and Road Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. No. 163 of 2025).

Failure to comply with these Regulations may result in a court summons, whereby on conviction, drivers and/or vehicle operators are liable on summary conviction to a €5,000 fine (class A) and/or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or both.


Please email [email protected] with details on your query and we will respond to you as soon as possible.

The European Commission also have material on their Mobility and Transport website which can be accessed here.