CHENNAI: Truck owners and drivers have welcomed the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) notification stating that all new trucks manufactured on or after October 1, 2025, must be equipped with AC cabins for drivers.

S Yuvaraj, the president of the Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners’ Federation, welcomed the Union ministry’s mandate on AC cabins for truck drivers. “We have been demanding company-built cabins with AC facilities for the drivers which will also ensure the safety of the drivers,” he said.

Pointing to the shortage of drivers, Yuvaraj expressed hope that the provision of AC cabins could attract more people to take up the driving profession.

“In the goods transportation sector, there is a shortage of cleaners. The cleaners over the years get trained as drivers. Trained drivers mostly prefer taxis and cabs to trucks,” he noted.

Yuvaraj said that the company-built cabins would also provide security for the drivers. “There are many incidents of truck drivers getting robbed happening across the country. The drivers can lock themselves in the AC cabins if anyone attempts to rob them,” the president added.

K Satish, a truck driver, said that the AC cabins would provide them with relief when driving under the heat conditions. “When we drive to north India during the summer, it will be tough. AC will be a great relief,” he added.