It is common to call trucks as TIR? Where did this term come from and is it correct? To answer these questions, we must first explain what a truck is and what the abbreviation TIR stands for.
Trucking and trucks
A heavy goods vehicle, also called a "truck", is a motor vehicle designed to transport heavy loads. In the European Union, since 2007, heavy goods vehicles are marked with the letter "N". European type-approval means that a certificate issued in one Member State is valid throughout the Community. In Poland, approval is issued by the Transport Director of Technical Inspection (TDT). Due to the load capacity, vehicles in the "N" category are divided into: Category N1: Vehicles of category N with a maximum mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes.
Category N2: Vehicles of category N with a maximum mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12 tonnes.
Category N3: Vehicles of category N with a maximum mass exceeding 12 tonnes.
What's TIR?
TIR is an abbreviation of the French "Transport International Routier" or International Road Transport. This is an international customs convention of November 14, 1975 on the carriage of goods by heavy goods vehicles in international transport, allowing for the simplification of procedures at border crossings and customs offices during road transport. The TIR Convention is implemented in 58 countries in Europe, North Africa, Canada, the USA and Asia. Thanks to the TIR agreement, when crossing the border at customs offices (parties to the convention), no additional securities or guarantees, customs and tax duties are collected.
When does the TIR Convention apply?
According to the provisions of the TIR Convention, the procedure can only be used for international road transport. However, the TIR Convention is not applicable to transport within the European Union. However, it is necessary when the customs border is crossed. For example, when transporting between the European Union and the United Kingdom, or when the transport route passes through a non-EU country.
Why are trucks called TIR?
Under the TIR Convention, it is required that a truck and a combination of vehicles transporting goods under the cover of a TIR carnet must bear a blue plate with the abbreviation TIR in white on the front and back. This marking meant that heavy goods vehicles began to be colloquially called trucks.
RRtrans your partner in international truck transport
Our vehicles are equipped with modern MEGA semi-trailers with a tarpaulin, a curtain and a sliding roof. Each vehicle is also equipped with a steel trough.
Our trucking services: National transport International transport Express transport Full truckload transport Dedicated transport Transport of agricultural machinery Construction machinery transport International forwarding International removals (full truck loads)