Swedish traffic police stopped a Lithuanian-registered truck during a routine patrol after the driver failed to respond to their first two signals to pull over. On the third attempt, officers got the vehicle to stop and began checking its transport documents, permits and tachograph records.
The driver told inspectors he had been living in the cab since leaving Lithuania in March 2026. Traffic inspector Roger Ogemar said the driver also claimed his employer had never allowed him to stay overnight in a hotel. The police said they encounter similar situations with some Lithuanian companies employing drivers from outside the European Union.
Inspectors also found that a load collected in Rostock, Germany, and bound for a Volvo plant in Umeå and a steelworks in Boden had been arranged to circumvent cabotage rules. The report said the recipients of the goods were not accused of any violation.
The company received a fine of 80,000 Swedish kronor, equivalent to about €7,300. European rules do not automatically prohibit drivers from living in their vehicles, but normal weekly rest periods of at least 45 hours cannot be taken in the cab. They must be spent in suitable accommodation that provides adequate privacy.
That means living in a truck for months is not, by itself, an offence. The specific prohibition concerns taking the legally required normal weekly rest in the vehicle.
Sources: Motorpasión.