Norway Professional Driver Competence (YSK) key terms

Driving style that matches speed and gear selection to the road, traffic and load so that fuel use, wear and risk are kept low without losing time unnecessarily.

Reading the road far ahead and adjusting speed early so braking, stopping and sudden manoeuvres are avoided; the basis of smooth, economical and safe heavy-vehicle operation.

Fuel-saving driving technique using early gear changes, steady speed, engine braking and minimal idling; on the YSK it is presented as part of rational driving, not a separate subject.

Slowing the vehicle by letting the engine resist motion with the accelerator released, often with an exhaust or retarder brake, saving service brakes on long descents.

Auxiliary braking system (hydraulic, electric or exhaust type) that slows the vehicle without using the wheel brakes, helping keep brake temperature down on long downhill gradients.

Loss of braking power when brake drums or discs overheat, typically after prolonged use on a descent; prevented by correct gear choice and auxiliary braking.

Gap to the vehicle ahead that allows stopping if it brakes suddenly; it grows with speed, weight and poor grip and is commonly estimated with the two-second rule.

Distance travelled between noticing a hazard and beginning to brake; it depends on speed and driver alertness and adds to the braking distance to give total stopping distance.

Distance needed to stop once braking starts; it rises with the square of speed and is longer with a heavy load, wet or icy surface, or worn tyres.

Area around a truck or bus that the driver cannot see in mirrors or directly; it is large on the right side of a lorry and must be checked before turning or changing lane.

Pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist or child whose lack of protection makes them especially exposed in traffic; heavy-vehicle drivers must give them extra room and attention.

EU rules (Regulation 561/2006, EEA-relevant for Norway) limiting daily and weekly driving, requiring breaks and daily and weekly rest for drivers of heavy vehicles.

Total driving between the end of one daily rest period and the start of the next; normally limited to nine hours, extendable to ten hours twice a week.

Total driving within a week, capped at 56 hours, with a further cap of 90 hours over any two consecutive weeks under the EU rules applied in Norway.

Maximum of 90 hours driving in any two consecutive weeks; checked together with the weekly limit when planning longer trips or when reviewing tachograph records.

After at most four and a half hours driving, a driver must take a break of at least 45 minutes, which may be split into 15 minutes followed by 30 minutes.

Uninterrupted rest within each 24-hour period, normally at least 11 hours; it may be reduced to nine hours no more than three times between weekly rests.

A daily rest shortened to at least nine hours, allowed at most three times between two weekly rest periods; compensation is not required for this reduction.

Regular weekly rest of at least 45 hours, or a reduced rest of at least 24 hours that must be compensated en bloc before the end of the third following week.

Weekly rest cut to a minimum of 24 hours, taken away from base if the driver chooses; the hours lost compared with 45 must be repaid later as compensation.

Recording device fitted to heavy vehicles that logs driving, work, availability and rest; since 2019 new vehicles use smart tachographs with positioning and remote-reading capability.

Digital tachograph generation with satellite positioning, wireless roadside readout and, in the second version, mobile communication; it records border crossings and loading events automatically.

Personal chip card inserted in the tachograph to identify the driver and store their activity data; it must be carried, kept in good condition and never used by another person.

Recording of activities the tachograph did not capture automatically, such as other work or rest, entered with the correct start and end times and supported by written records.

The stored data or printout showing a driver's activities; it must be produced on request at a roadside check and kept by the operator for at least one year.

Tachograph mode covering non-driving duties such as loading, paperwork, vehicle checks and fuelling; it counts as working time and must be recorded accurately.

Tachograph setting for periods when the driver must be present and ready to work but is not driving or performing other work, for example waiting for a ferry or a loading slot.

Court-imposed loss of the right to drive for a period, typically for serious or repeated traffic offences; it affects professional drivers' livelihood and must be disclosed to employers.

Entry in the driving licence record for certain traffic offences; points accumulate and can lead to loss of the licence, with stricter consequences for professional drivers.

European agreement on the international carriage of dangerous goods by road; it sets classification, packaging, labelling and driver training requirements that apply to qualifying Norwegian transport.

Document confirming a driver has completed the required dangerous goods training for the classes carried; it must be renewed at intervals and kept with the driver.

Substances or articles that pose a risk to people, property or the environment during transport, such as fuels, gases and corrosive chemicals; they require special packing, marking and handling.

Use of lashings, straps, nets or blocking to keep cargo from moving or falling during transport; the method must suit the load's weight, shape and surface.

Maximum force a lashing or strap is permitted to transmit, marked on the component; it determines how many lashings are needed for a given load.

Spreading cargo so that axle loads and the total vehicle weight stay within permitted limits, with the centre of gravity kept low and as far forward as the axles allow.

The weight carried by one axle or axle group; it must not exceed the vehicle's or the road's permitted limit, so loads are placed and weighed accordingly.

Combined weight of a towing vehicle and its trailer, loaded; it must stay within the permitted combination weight and affects braking and hill performance.

Inspection before departure of tyres, brakes, lights, couplings, fluids and load security, so defects are found and fixed before the vehicle enters traffic.

Checking that the service brake, parking brake and any trailer braking respond correctly, typically at low speed just after moving off, to confirm safe stopping ability.

Legal minimum pattern depth for heavy vehicle tyres, measured in the main grooves; insufficient tread increases aquaplaning risk and stopping distance on wet roads.

Drag caused by tyre deformation on the road surface; correct tyre pressure and suitable tread reduce it, lowering fuel consumption and tyre wear.

Time spent working, including driving, loading and other duties, governed by the Working Environment Act for Norwegian drivers; it is separate from driving and rest time rules.

Formal report of goods damaged or lost in transit, documented with photos, notes and signatures so liability and insurance can be assessed; prompt reporting supports the claim.

Professional conduct toward shippers and receivers, including punctuality, clear communication about delays and careful handling of goods, which forms part of the service and logistics domain.