Low Water Levels: Hessen Also Eases Truck Driving Ban

Hessen has joined several other German federal states in temporarily relaxing the truck driving ban on Sundays and public holidays. The move comes in response to the critically low water levels on the Rhine River, which have severely restricted inland shipping.

Economic and Transport Minister Kaweh Mansoori (SPD) was expected to announce further details of the relaxation. This decision by Hessen follows similar temporary measures enacted by North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland starting last weekend. Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg have also suspended the ban.

While some states are easing restrictions, others are taking different approaches. Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern plan to implement relaxations next weekend. In contrast, Saxony has rejected a general easing, opting instead to consider individual exemption permits. The ongoing low water levels continue to pose challenges for logistics and transportation across Germany.