Ferry companies reject claims they are forcing drivers to share cabins

TD Verona Murphy said she has been approached by drivers who have made the claims. File picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Ferry companies are denying claims truck drivers have to share cabins with people they do not know.

Wexford TD Verona Murphy, former president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, said she has been approached by drivers who have made the claims.

She called on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to make sure that no truck driver has to share a cabin with somebody they do not know.

She said that drivers she has spoken to have claimed they are refusing to share with other drivers, and are then having to sleep on chairs or the floor instead.

“In refusing to do so, they are safeguarding their health in relation to Covid-19, and not one case of Covid-19 has been reported from the international driver sector in Ireland,” she said.

“But the second-line effect of their refusing to share a cabin is that they get no proper sleep and are expected to drive.

“This is a serious consideration for the health and safety of all road users, but in particular the drivers.”

The ferry companies approached by the Irish Examiner said they do not insist on drivers sharing cabins.

Irish Ferries said enhanced cleaning and social distancing is practised on board all their ships and the “default” for freight drivers is single-occupancy cabins.

The company stated: “In exceptional circumstances where single occupancy cabins are unavailable, drivers who do not wish to share a cabin with a colleague can alternatively avail of socially-distanced Pullman seat accommodation.”

A spokesperson for Brittany Ferries said the company has applied a basic principle for freight customers of “one driver, one cabin”.

But, the spokesperson said: “An exception is made where two drivers travel in one truck, in which case we might ask them to share a cabin, since their cab has already served as their travel bubble before embarkation.

"Very occasionally and only with the agreement of all parties, including drivers, would we ask drivers from the same company to share a cabin.

"This is because we have limited space on ships.

“Since the onset of the pandemic we have not asked any drivers from different companies to share a cabin.”

A spokesperson for Sea Truck Ferries said the only exception to single occupancy is where drivers are travelling together in the same cab.

“We are not asking or insisting that driver share cabins, even if they have the same employer,” said the spokesperson.

A Stena Line spokesperson said: "We moved to single-cabin occupancy for freight drivers very quickly when the pandemic hit.

“The only times they share is where they have travelled in the same cab together or where two drivers from the company request they share, which can happen when we are at capacity.

“No truck drivers are ever forced to share a cabin.”