Recommendations for the behaviour of the driver

The Ministry of Transport, having regard to Cabinet Order No 103 of 12 March 2020 on the announcement of an emergency situation (hereinafter - Order), in order to ensure the limitation of the spread of Covid-19 infectious disease, has developed recommendations for Latvian and foreign transport service providers and companies serving them.

• The driver of the vehicle (hereinafter - driver) shall avoid socialising when fulfilling his/her work duties. The driver shall take care of himself and others. The voyage shall only be stopped in places related to the performance of the transport or the provision of basic needs (petrol station, toilet) subject to a distance of 2 m from other persons in these places.
• The employer shall provide the driver with disposable face masks and rubber gloves that the driver is obliged to use when he is outside the vehicle's cab. Used personal protective equipment shall be placed in a polyethylene bag and disposed. Rubber gloves shall be worn when using electronic tools issuing receipt for accepting goods and signing CMR documents. Freight documents shall be kept in a folder or other closed organiser in the driver’s cabin.
• The employer shall provide the driver with disinfectants which the driver uses to disinfect the vehicle controls and seats. The driver's cabin should be cleaned daily, preferably several times. Focus in particular on the door handles, inside and outside, as well as on the steering wheel and dashboard.
• The driver should disinfect his hands or wash his hands with water and liquid soap when entering or leaving the driver's cabin.
• The employer shall provide the driver with hand disinfectants for the passengers. The driver shall be responsible for disinfecting passengers’ hands before boarding the vehicle with a disinfectant placed near the door. Driver provides, as far as possible, seated passengers remotely (approximately 1.5-2m) from the driver's seat. Road passengers shall be able to dispose of municipal waste safely by placing it in disposable polyethylene bags.
• Driver shall find customer instructions for self-entering / self-unloading a load before entering the delivery address.
• The order does not prohibit freight carriers from crossing the external borders of the European Union unless the driver has an acute respiratory infection and is recognized as a contact for infectious disease.
• The driver and passengers at Latvian border crossing points (including ports) shall fill in and sign a declaration of compliance with the emergency requirements. The signed declaration shall be handed over to the State Border Guard.
• The driver has an obligation to inform about his/her state of health, if officials are interspersing at border points. In such a situation, the driver shall comply with the instructions of the official of the State concerned.