Hauliers issued with operator's licence

Maltese hauliers who operate internationally have been issued, for the first time, with an operator's licence by the Malta Transport Authority in line with new regulations published last year.

According to the Motor Vehicles (Carriage of Goods by Road) Regulations and the Motor Vehicles (Carriage of Passengers by Road) Regulation, road haulage operators and road passenger transport operators must be in possession of an operator's licence to operate nationally and internationally. Both regulations came into force on May 1.

Licences have so far been issued to Maltese hauliers who operate internationally, mainly to mainland Europe. To qualify for the licence, hauliers have to provide proof of good repute and conduct, be of appropriate financial standing and have to satisfy the condition as to professional competence by showing that they possess the requisite skills by passing an examination.

The licence gives these hauliers the right to operate both nationally and internationally, as well as the right to a Community licence which gives them full access to the EU market by operating freely between Malta and any other EU state, between one EU state and another, and within the same EU state, in the latter case, however, for a limited continuous period of a month.

The Authority will now start issuing operator's licences to persons engaged in the international carriage of passengers by road for hire and reward, as well as to hauliers and road passenger transport operators who are engaged in national operations only.