Truck Drivers Can Keep Their Cool as MoRTH Makes AC Cabins Mandatory from 2025

Trucks manufactured after January 1, 2025, will have to be fitted with an air-conditioning system for cabins if the maximum mass is above 3.5 tonnes, a draft notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) reads. The notification, issued on Monday, is for vehicles of the N2 and N3 categories. Category N2 are vehicles with a maximum mass between 3.5 tonnes and 12 tonnes while category N3 are those with a maximum mass above 12 tonnes.

“…vehicles manufactured on or after January 1, 2025 shall be fitted with an air conditioning system for the cabin of vehicles of N2 and N3 category,” says the notification.

The ministry has sought comments and suggestions from the stakeholders within 30 days from the date of the notification. The objections and suggestions to these draft rules, if any, may be sent to the Additional Secretary (MVL) at ‘[email protected]’, or to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Transport Bhawan, Parliament Street, New Delhi-110001.

Last week, union transport minister Nitin Gadkari announced that he had approved the draft notification to mandate the installation of air-conditioning systems in the cabins of trucks belonging to categories N2 and N3.

“Truck drivers play a crucial role in ensuring road safety. This decision marks a significant milestone in providing comfortable working conditions for truck drivers, thereby improving their efficiency and addressing the problem of driver fatigue,” he said.

The demand for AC cabins was long pending and the debate on this had been on. While a section was demanding better working conditions for drivers, another was opposing it as it would increase the cost of trucks.

Speaking to News18, a ministry official explained that this draft, when implemented, will transform the journey for truck drivers and enhance road safety.

The official said that normally truck drivers have to drive for long hours on open roads.

“They have to drive even at a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius with no comfort at all. It is time that we think about them. While this may take a couple of months, at least a step has been taken,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

In June, Gadkari announced that the policy was being drafted and said it was important to take care of truck drivers.

In 2021, more than 12,000 accidents related to trucks and lorries were recorded in which over 5,000 people were killed on national highways alone. The death toll across India was around 9,500, as per ministry data.