Soon, air conditioned driver cabins to be mandatory in trucks: Nitin Gadkari

New Delhi: Auto manufacturers will soon have to install air conditioners inside driver cabins of trucks, according to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

"Before coming to this event today, I have signed the file that mandates air conditioning in truck driver compartments. We must ensure that people who drive the trucks are well taken of," Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said at an auto industry event here. "Our drivers operate vehicles in harsh temperatures of 43...47 degrees and we must imagine the condition of drivers. I was keen to introduce the AC cabin after I became a minister. But some people opposed it saying the cost of trucks will go up. Today, I have signed the file that all truck cabins will be AC cabins," he said addressing the event called 'Desh Chaalak - Recognising those who move India' organised by Mahindra Logistics.

Gadkari also noted India has a shortage of drivers, resulting in truckers operating 14-16 hours a day.
"In other countries, there is a restriction on the number of hours a trucker can be on duty," he said.

The minister did not mention the deadline as to when people can expect those trucks fitted with AC cabins will be rolled out. Some reports suggest that the rollout will be from 2025.
Further, in his address, the Union Minister spoke about the reduction in logistic costs and reiterated logistics costs in India need to be brought down in order to improve export competitiveness, adding good quality roads and trucks is key to it.