Hygiene concepts of the mobility industry can be trusted according to DVF

In light of the new Corona resolutions of the federal government, DVF President Prof. Dr.-Ing. Raimund Klinkner appeals to keep the lifelines in passenger and freight transport open: ‘The companies in the mobility industry have invested a lot in hygiene concepts since the outbreak of the pandemic. The federal government should trust these efforts and the effectiveness of the hygiene measures.’

(Berlin) – We are all fully aware of the seriousness of the situation, but we must learn from the experiences of the first Corona wave and absolutely keep the lifelines open. Passenger and freight transport must be able to fulfill their supply mandate to the population and the economy.”

Klinkner views with concern the different handling of the individual federal states regarding testing and quarantine measures, which also violate European agreements, such as the Green Lane. There is a danger that system-relevant traffic and services will be slowed down.

“For example, in cross-border traffic, the German exceptions to the model quarantine regulation are not sufficient. The 72-hour stay rule, for instance, is completely out of touch with reality, especially in inland shipping but also in other logistics areas,” Klinkner criticized in this context. “We need, firstly, a smart testing regime instead of an expansion of quarantine, secondly, better networking and digitization of health authorities, and thirdly, better external support for the overwhelmed offices by qualified companies to speed things up. This way, we keep the lifelines open,” demanded the DVF President. “Moreover, we should achieve a stronger standardization of hygiene concepts and thus facilitate evaluation.” It is also important to revive the nationwide relief and stabilization measures to ensure the function of the industry from spring. For this purpose, the DVF had already developed a 3-pillar strategy in April:

Pillar 1: Keep lifelines open

Employees must be able to safely and reliably reach their workplaces, and goods and supply products must be delivered to their destinations. European cooperation must be crisis-proof, border openings and processing must be coordinated across Europe, e.g., through uniform fast lanes at borders for logistics and commuters, and system-relevant services such as air traffic control, security checks, customs, lock services, and approval authorities must be maintained.

Pillar 2: Stabilize economy and mobility

The mobility industry has been and is the hardest hit by the restrictions and continues to suffer significant revenue losses. Therefore, state support measures are still necessary, e.g., through a rescue umbrella for public transport and regional transport, suspension of penalties, assumption of air security fees by the federal government, a moratorium on air traffic tax, and closing the coverage gap for airport companies.

Pillar 3: Build for the future

It is essential to create conditions to make the companies in the mobility and logistics sector future-proof so that the entire economy can emerge stronger from the crisis. Specifically, investments in innovations, especially focusing on digitization and sustainability, must be promoted today to become as quickly as possible independent of economic aid after the crisis and to remain competitive in the long term.

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