Urgent transport doesn't wait for regulations

How DNZ keeps international deliveries moving under the new tachograph rules

A vessel needs an urgent spare part. A production line is waiting for a shipment. A customer needs a delivery across the border today.

These situations don't wait for convenient schedules, available driving hours or perfect circumstances.

And neither can the transport industry.

Since 1 July 2026, new European tachograph requirements have changed how international express transport is organized. But while the regulations have changed, the urgency of our customers' shipments hasn't.

The challenge is no longer just getting a vehicle on the road quickly. It's finding a solution that works within the rules, without losing the flexibility customers depend on.

New rules, same urgency

Since 1 July 2026, light commercial vehicles above 2.5 tonnes used for international goods transport or cabotage for hire or reward fall under the EU driving and rest-time rules and must be equipped with a Smart Tachograph 2.

A tachograph records driving time, breaks, rest periods and other driver activities. Under EU rules, drivers can normally drive up to 9 hours per day, extended to 10 hours twice a week, with a maximum of 56 driving hours per week and 90 hours over two consecutive weeks. A break is required after 4.5 hours of driving.

For DNZ, however, the biggest change hasn't been the driving limits themselves.

“For us, the change in driving hours has not had such a big impact. We were already following the rules and making sure our drivers did not drive too many hours. The safety of our drivers has always come first. The bigger change for us is the extra administration and the way we now have to plan international trips.”

Yunus Dagilan, Founder & CEO, DNZ

Our international vehicles are equipped and operated in line with the new requirements, and we continue to provide cross-border transport.

Same-day international deliveries remain possible, provided the distance, available driving time, and circumstances allow it.

The rules have changed. Our commitment to finding solutions hasn't.

When waiting isn't the best option

A recent DNZ collection demonstrates how practical planning can make a difference.

One of our drivers arrived at a vessel to collect a shipment, only to find the captain unavailable.

After waiting 30 minutes without receiving any information, the driver contacted our planning department. We immediately contacted the customer and learned that nobody would be available on board for the next few hours.

Leaving the driver waiting would have achieved nothing, except adding unnecessary waiting-time costs for the customer.

Instead, we adjusted the route in consultation with the customer. The driver continued to his next destination, with arrangements to return to the vessel on his way back.

We kept the customer informed and involved throughout the process.

The shipment still needed to be collected. What changed was the order in which we completed the work.

At DNZ, drivers report waiting times exceeding 30 minutes, allowing planning to respond quickly, consider alternatives and avoid unnecessary costs wherever possible.

As Jordy van der Benning, Transport Planner at DNZ, explains:

“Waiting is something we really need to know about. A driver can lose two hours at a loading address and still have a long way to go. If we know early, we can look at options. If we only find out later, there is much less we can do.”

The new tachograph rules make efficient planning even more important. Waiting does not automatically count as driving time, but delays still affect delivery schedules, working hours and potentially the customer's costs.

Sometimes the smartest way to keep transport moving is to change the plan rather than keep the driver waiting.

Compliance comes with a cost

The new requirements bring additional responsibilities for transport companies.

Vehicles need the correct equipment, drivers must record their activities properly, and companies must manage and store tachograph data.

For longer international journeys, limited remaining driving time may require another driver, a vehicle change or a different delivery arrangement.

These solutions can increase costs, but the regulations also serve an important purpose: improving road safety and encouraging fair competition.

At DNZ, driver safety has always been a priority. An urgent shipment is never a reason to compromise on that.

Flexibility is changing, not disappearing

Express transport will always involve the unexpected.

Vessel schedules change. Production problems happen. Urgent parts are needed without warning.

The difference today is that flexibility increasingly depends on smart planning, clear communication and having alternative solutions available.

Sometimes that means changing a route, arranging a handover or involving another driver. Sometimes it means being honest with a customer that the requested delivery time isn't realistic.

As Yunus explains:

“When a customer calls us with an urgent shipment, we don't just look at how fast we can get a vehicle on the road. We look at the whole trip and make sure we can actually do what we promise. Sometimes we need to find another solution, but I would rather be honest with the customer than promise something we cannot deliver.”

The new tachograph rules haven't changed what customers need from their transport partner. They still expect reliability, flexibility and clear communication.

At DNZ, we believe that good transport planning isn't just about meeting deadlines. It's about keeping drivers safe, preventing unnecessary costs and finding practical solutions when circumstances change.

Urgent transport doesn't wait for regulations. But reliable transport always respects them.

Fast. Focused. Delivered.