BSK Hosts Thematic Day on Transport Escort

Last Saturday, the focus at the ADAC Driving Safety Center in Thuringia was on the escorting of oversized and heavy transports (GST). About 100 participants from politics, professional associations, administration, business, and police gathered on June 21 for the thematic day on transport escort organized by the Federal Association of Heavy Transport and Crane Operations (BSK) e.V.

(Frankfurt am Main/Grammetal) They discussed developments in legal frameworks, new training standards and their cross-state recognition, technical innovations, and digital solutions. The event was opened with a greeting from Steffen Schütz, Thuringian Minister for Digital and Infrastructure, in Grammetal, located between Weimar and Erfurt.

The industry event paid special attention to a field of work that often remains unnoticed by the public but is essential for the safety and logistics of oversized and heavy transports: transport escorting. Not only regular escorts are involved here, but also specially trained transport escorts. In total, around 10,000 people in Germany secure GST projects.

Thuringian Digital and Infrastructure Minister Steffen Schütz emphasized the importance of this system-relevant profession at the opening of the event. “The transport industry is the logistical backbone of our modern society. A particular profession plays a central role here, which, however, is hardly recognized publicly: the transport escorts. These highly qualified professionals ensure the safety of road traffic and thus protect people, infrastructure, and cargo. Thuringia is now cooperating with Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein so that Thuringian logistics companies can train transport escorts. This relieves the police and makes heavy transports more efficient,” says Minister Schütz. Such positioning sends a strong signal at the state level. Now it is important to bring this more into focus politically at the federal level.

Innovative Strength and Commitment

In addition to numerous expert presentations, where a new training concept for transport escorts in Saarland was introduced and regulations from the federal states as well as current developments regarding the administrative regulation of the Road Traffic Regulations (VwV-StVO) were discussed, the thematic day also provided space for exchange and networking – between companies, authorities, and service providers.

Helmut Schgeiner, Managing Director of BSK, drew a positive conclusion: “Our premiere event has shown how much innovative strength and commitment exists in the industry. The political initiative to shift police traffic safety tasks to private entities is supported by the industry and leads to an enhancement of the profession with the new training for transport escorts. This important task is more than just setting up a yellow flashing light – it is highly professional, complex, and deserves more public recognition.”

In the accompanying trade exhibition, the industry presented innovative digital solutions that efficiently support the entire process of transport approval and execution. With increasing digitalization, the process becomes both faster and more transparent for all parties involved. Another focus was the presentation of new models of escort vehicles with modern safety and comfort features.

Overview of Qualification Measures

A comprehensive overview of qualification measures for the specialist staff of escort companies rounded off the wide range of information. The driving safety training specifically aimed at escort personnel at the ADAC site was a highlight of the event. Here, real traffic situations were simulated, thus training reaction times and practicing emergency procedures – a practical preparation for a demanding professional everyday life.

Photo: © BSK