Last but not least: How truckers are tricking Billag
Transportation companies that provide their employed drivers with vehicles equipped with car radios are required to pay reception fees for them. Naturally, the Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association is not happy about this.
According to the NZZ am Sonntag, Billag is referring to the law in force since the beginning of 2008, which defines a fee obligation for "commercial reception". Fortunately, however, the Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association Astag has found a legal loophole to escape the obligation to pay fees: If a driver installs the radio set in his truck himself, he can claim "private reception". And because this is already covered if the driver pays Billag fees at his place of residence, he is not asked to pay any additional fees.
Billag, for its part, has no objections to this interpretation of the law. If a vehicle is provided without a radio, but the driver himself takes a device into the cab, he is covered by his private registration, spokesman Jonny Kopp is quoted as saying in the NZZ am Sonntag. However, the prerequisite is that no other persons - neither work colleagues nor customers - can benefit from the reception....could generally be difficult - for the truck drivers, but above all for the Billag inspectors. No matter, Astag is pleased. It is now examining an official recommendation to drivers to install radios in their vehicles themselves in future and also wants to declare this in their employment contracts.
Billag, for its part, has no objections to this interpretation of the law. If a vehicle is provided without a radio, but the driver himself takes a device into the cab, he is covered by his private registration, spokesman Jonny Kopp is quoted as saying in the NZZ am Sonntag. However, the prerequisite is that no other persons - neither work colleagues nor customers - can benefit from the reception....could generally be difficult - for the truck drivers, but above all for the Billag inspectors. No matter, Astag is pleased. It is now examining an official recommendation to drivers to install radios in their vehicles themselves in future and also wants to declare this in their employment contracts.
