Dr Piotr Sosnowski from the Department of Logistics, Faculty of Management, University of Lodz, comments on the issue.
The idea of changing the clocks dates back to Benjamin Franklin, although it was the Central Powers, namely Germany and Austria-Hungary, that first put it into practice during the First World War. The reason was the need to save energy, particularly coal, by making more effective use of daylight in countries affected by military operations.
The economic effects of clock changes, including those on logistics, could form the basis of an extensive analysis. Nevertheless, several key aspects can be highlighted.
The first concerns the possibility of time differences arising between companies operating in partnership and located in different countries. Suddenly, one of them may find that an extra hour has appeared or, more problematically, that an hour has “disappeared” from the calendar. This necessitates the verification of contracts and schedules. The issue becomes particularly troublesome when clock changes take place on different dates in different countries, as is the case with cooperation between the EU and the United States. A particularly interesting, albeit less common, example occurs when the change involves a period other than one hour, such as the 30-minute adjustment applied in certain regions of Australia.
The changing availability of daylight is becoming an increasingly weak argument for the logistics sector, which operates under considerable pressure. Distribution centres operating 24/7 do not benefit from clock changes. In fact, the opposite is true. Such adjustments shorten or extend the time available both for agreeing deliveries and for carrying them out.
This is particularly important when deliveries and shipments constitute a bottleneck in business operations. In such circumstances, the risk that a shipment cannot be dispatched or a delivery accepted because the carrier fails to meet the allocated time slot increases. Given the high level of maturity of logistics services in the EU, and consequently the high level of market competition, this further complicates business operations.
This is especially significant in the case of multimodal and intermodal transport. A mismatch in timing may prevent the transfer of cargo between trains, ships and lorries.
For facilities operating around the clock, clock changes also create challenges related to shift work. Fixed shift start and finish times may result in one hour less or one hour more of actual work, which affects both record-keeping and employee remuneration. Likewise, during shift handovers, a “repeated” or “omitted” hour requires a clear determination of when responsibility is transferred.
Another nuance concerns the management of drivers’ working hours. Adjusting the clock does not change the actual time spent driving or resting. However, confusion over local time can distort records of driver activity, particularly where manual tachograph entries are still in use.
If we also take into account passenger public transport, the situation becomes even more complex. Clock changes create two possibilities: disruption to timetables and flight schedules, or the need for passengers (and transport employees) to wait before continuing their journey. One example is passenger rail services which, during the autumn clock change, often make a one-hour stop. The harmonisation of clock changes across the European Union resolves the issue of differences between countries, but the problem itself remains, particularly when managing dense networks of air and rail connections throughout the EU.
In summary, the introduction of clock changes may have offered significant benefits at a time when making effective use of daylight and conserving coal were major social and economic priorities. Today, however, these benefits may reasonably be questioned due to changes in energy consumption patterns and lifestyles that are far less dependent on daylight. Perhaps the time has come to abandon a practice rooted in a war that ended more than a century ago and eliminate the problems associated with changing the clocks twice a year.
Sources
- ICF International. (2014). The Application of Summertime in Europe: A Report to the European Commission Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE).
- Havranek, T., Herman, D., & Irsova, Z. (2018). Does Daylight Saving Save Electricity? A Meta-Analysis. The Energy Journal, 39(2), 35-61.
- Neumann, P., & von Blanckenburg, K. (2025). What Time Will It Be? A Comprehensive Literature Review on Daylight Saving Time. Time & Society, 34(4), 684-745.
- Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy. (2025, 24 October). Zmiana czasu na zimowy a czas pracy [The Change to Standard Time and Working Time]
- 5. PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. (2025, 24 October). Noc zmiany czasu na zimowy – kolej zapewnia ciągłość ruchu [The Night of the Change to Standard Time: Railways Ensure Continuity of Operations]
- Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH. (2023). DTCO 4.1: Instruction Manual (Edition 02/2023).
Author: Dr Piotr Sosnowski
Edit: Faculty of Management, University of Lodz
