# Truck Inspections in Germany: Focus on Cabotage and Rest Periods **Category:** Regulation | **Source:** Frachtportal Redaktion | **Published:** 2026-06-01 | **Updated:** 2026-07-27 **Tags:** BALM, LKW-Kontrollen, Kabotage, Ruhezeiten, Güterverkehr, Spedition, EU Carrier, Schweizer Spediteure, Compliance, Strassentransport, Logistik News, Transport News, Fracht News, Speditions News, Supply Chain News, Zoll News, Frachtportal News, Seefracht, LKW Transport > The German transport authority BALM conducted truck inspections in April 2026. This affects Germany and is also relevant for EU, Swiss, and British carriers. --- The German transport authority BALM has resumed truck inspections in road freight traffic in April 2026. BALM stands for Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility. The authority checks, among other things, cabotage, rest periods, tolls, and technical regulations. This directly affects Germany. However, the topic is practically relevant for anyone driving in Germany or assigning transports there. This also includes EU carriers, Swiss freight forwarders, and British transport companies. A total of 1,693 vehicles were inspected during the controls. In the area of cabotage, there were 1,436 checks. The BALM identified 80 violations in 51 cases. Additionally, 63 violations against the prohibition of spending the regular weekly rest period in the vehicle were recorded. For freight forwarders and shippers, this serves as a clear warning signal. Those working with subcontractors or purchasing cheap spot market transports should take a closer look. If a carrier improperly manages cabotage or rest periods, it can quickly lead to fines, delays, and discussions with customers. It is also important to note: The numbers come from targeted inspections. They do not reflect the entire market but primarily indicate where the authority is focusing its attention. Nevertheless, the direction is clear: Cabotage and rest periods remain a key focus of inspections. --- For freight forwarders and shippers, this means: Carefully scrutinize carrier selection. Especially for transport within Germany, cabotage, EU subcontractors, and spot market bookings, a detailed look is worthwhile. In short: Germany continues to enforce regulations. Anyone operating there should have a firm grip on cabotage and rest periods. --- BALM stands for Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility. The inspections took place in April 2026 in Germany. A total of 1,693 vehicles were inspected. In the area of cabotage, there were 1,436 inspections. 80 cabotage violations were found in 51 cases. Additionally, 63 violations against the prohibition of regular weekly rest periods in the vehicle were identified. Germany is directly affected. This topic is practically relevant for all carriers operating in Germany, including EU, Swiss, and British transport companies. ## Related Entities ### Countries - [Switzerland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ch) - [Liechtenstein](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/li) - [Lithuania](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/lt) - [Belgium](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/be) - [Luxembourg](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/lu) - [Slovenia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/si) - [Croatia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/hr) - [Ireland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ie) - [Romania](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ro) - [United Kingdom](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/gb) - [Germany](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/de) - [France](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/fr) - [Italy](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/it) - [Netherlands](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/nl) - [Spain](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/es) - [Austria](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/at) - [Poland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/pl) - [Czechia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/cz) - [Sweden](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/se) - [Denmark](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/dk) - [Norway](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/no) - [Portugal](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/pt) - [Hungary](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/hu) - [Bulgaria](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/bg) - [Slovakia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/sk) - [Cyprus](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/cy) - [Estonia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ee) - [Greece](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/gr) - [Latvia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/lv) - [Malta](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/mt) - [Iceland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/is) - [Finland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/fi) ### Glossary - [Toll](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/toll) - [Freight forwarder](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/freight-forwarder) - [Spot market](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/spot-market) - [Cabotage](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/cabotage-2) - [control focal point](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/control-focal-point) - [spot check (targeted inspection)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/spot-check-targeted-inspection) --- *Canonical URL: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/lkw-kontrollen-in-deutschland-kabotage-und-ruhezeiten-im-fokus-20260601184009](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/lkw-kontrollen-in-deutschland-kabotage-und-ruhezeiten-im-fokus-20260601184009)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/lkw-kontrollen-in-deutschland-kabotage-und-ruhezeiten-im-fokus-20260601184009](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/lkw-kontrollen-in-deutschland-kabotage-und-ruhezeiten-im-fokus-20260601184009)*