Once you begin your role as a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) driver, you will have specific conditions you must meet. We have recently discussed what you should and shouldn’t do as an HGV driver, but driver hours and the regulations behind these are also essential. When tracking your hours, you must use a tachograph.
What are tachographs?
A tachograph is fitted in the commercial vehicle and helps to monitor the time you will drive. Tachographs help to keep professional drivers compliant with the relevant EU Driving Regulations. Tachographs track/record speed, time and distance of the vehicle being operated.
This information is then logged (depending on the type of tachograph you use). Fleet managers will use the stored information to analyse driving hours, ensuring their drivers are working within the regulations and sticking to speed limits.
Tachographs are a legal requirement for any commercial of public service vehicles exceeding over 3.5 tonne Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW).
How Tachographs work
When using this equipment, you should have your driver’s tachograph card inserted. This is used so that you can log your complete hours and work.
Your card must have the correct details of you, the driver.
You are not allowed to drive a vehicle equipped with a tachograph if you are yet to receive your card. Also, under no circumstance are you allowed to use anyone else’s card.
The card must be inserted into the reader before beginning your journey. The data captured during is logged onto the card as well as the tachograph itself.
But First, Why Are Tachographs Important?
To learn about the use cases, you must first understand why they are vital in the logistics sector.
This industry is rewarding. From job security to versatility of tasks. However, this sector can also be demanding. Many HGV drivers may feel a sense of urgency to complete jobs on time, no matter how long they drive for.
Tachographs are used to monitor that the driver in the following rules currently, thus ensuring theirs and others safety. They keep track of vehicles and ensure that employees on the road are staying safe and taking the necessary precautions in place.
These pieces of equipment also help to prevent driver fatigue, as well as aid in road safety for all drivers and road users.
Tachographs Types
Three types of tachographs either have been, or are currently used in the logistics industry.
Analogue
Analogue tachographs were primarily used before April 2006 in HGVs. These worked by tracing out the hours, type of work, and length of time. It was the drivers responsibility to trace the correct hours, times and types of work.
Digital
Implemented in 2006, the digital tachograph requires a card to be inserted before starting your job role. These are where you must select the correct type of work being undertaken.
Smart
These are newer and more recent. Fitted in vehicles registered from 2019.
As of February 2024, a “full” or “transitional” smart tacho must be fitted in all newly registered vehicles in scope with the tachograph usage and regulations.
Both digital and smart tachographs work by storing the data in their memory, as well as on the driver’s card. This has made the regulations tighter, which means that it is a lot more difficult to fake entries.
Analogue tachographs are used rarely. Such as if the modern devices are not working or faulty. This makes digital and smart tachographs more reliable for drivers and fleet managers.
Use of The Working Time Directive
Most HGV Drivers who drive for hire or reward will need to use a tachograph in their role. This is irrespective of working for a commercial business, or your own independent company. This aids in ensuring drivers are well-rested when completing work, as fatigue can cause a lack of inhibition and slower reaction times.
Tachograph Usage
Driver Fatigue contributes to as much as 4% of all fatal incidents on road, as well as 2% of all collisions within the United Kingdom. This is why as an HGV driver, there are rules enforced so that commercial road users will stay safe when on the road.
Card Cost
As of July 2024, the initial cost for the drivers card is £32. Then £19 to renew or replace a card. To apply, you need to supply your driving licence (including your licence number) and a credit or debit card for payment.
Who is in charge of your driving hours?
Although you must keep track of your hours, it is a mix between yourself and your employer to ensure you are keeping in line with your working time directive. At the end of the day, it must be in your best interest to keep within your driver’s hours.
Here’s an example
If your employer tells you to complete a job, irrespective of your driver hours going over, you must not let your employer dictate what you do. If you break the rules, you are the only one who would be in trouble with the corresponding officers.
The best case in this situation is explain that you can only work/drive until you have maxed out your total driving hours for that day.
Enforcement officers have a right to pull you over and complete a check on your vehicle and tachograph information. This ensures that you have in fact completed your vehicle walkaround checks prior to starting your driving, as well as check that you are working within the legal requirements.
If you are unsure and unable to get advice from your company, you can call the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency on 0300 123 9000.
Tachograph Symbols
There are four operation types for an HGV driver. These are shown as symbols, which correspond to the following operations.
Driving
Driving is automatically recorded on digital and smart tachographs, but always check which setting you are on beforehand.
This covers any driving that you will complete in your job role.
How long can an HGV driver drive for?
9 hours per day is the maximum rules regarding domestic driving for goods vehicles.
Although, this can be extended to 10 hours, but only two times a week. You are not allowed to drive any more than 56 hours in one week, or 90 hours in 2 consecutive weeks. The tachograph further helps to reduce the risk of driver fatigue.
When driving, after 4.5 hours, you must have a 45-minute break (this can be split, such as driving for 2 hours, one 15-minute break, driving again for 2.5 hours then a 30-minute break.) You cannot drive for more than 6 hours without a break, which is outlined as a part of the Working Time Directive.
Other Work
Other work is any other job you are completing other than driving. This can vary, from loading/unloading a vehicle to completing paperwork.
Breaks for other work state that if your other work is between 6-9 hours, you must have a break of at least 30 minutes (this can be split). Also, if working more than 9 hours, a 45-minute break is required. You cannot work for more than 6 hours without a break.
Break/Rest
This is where you will have your break from driving or other work. When it comes to breaks and rest periods, the duration of this time must total at least 45 minutes after “…no more than 4 hours 30 minutes of driving.”
These regulations in place must be strict for the allowed hours for professional drivers. The strict regulations help to reduce risks, such as negligence. Once you are on a break, no other work can be done, regardless of the work schedule.
You are required to take at least 11 hours of continuous rest. This can be reduced to 9 hours, but only up to three times (between your weekly rest periods).
Rest does not include completing any additional training/work which is considered a part of your normal work (such as Driver CPC).
Period of Availability
Period of availability can range, from whether you are on a ferry accompanying a vehicle, to waiting for other workers to unload your vehicle.
The period of availability is also defined by the government as follows:
The period of Availability does not include break or rest periods. During this time, you should be available to take calls for starting work, resuming driving, and you must be aware of the time period this will be.
Your vehicle Walkaroud check is part of your “Other Work”.
Driver Records
All records for a fixed 7-day week must be kept. This includes the following:
- Periods of annual leave
- Periods of sick leave
- Weekly rest
- Non driving days
Manual Recording
Manual records are used to note any deviation from normal driving work, including any work period when the tacho card is not in the vehicle unit. These situations can range, but do not stop at:
- Unforeseen circumstances
- Tachograph or Driver’s Card malfunction
- Delay due to accident
- Printed out records
- An activity which takes place away from the vehicle
- An incorrect record which must be corrected- such as forgetting to change mode for a break
These manual records must be kept per the date of the error. This must then be given to your manager, who can log and review any contingencies. These records are kept by the driver for 28 days, then returned.
Penalties for misuse
Although the system is great at keeping track of a driver’s work, there are some cases in which you can receive penalties. From tampering with your tachograph to going over your driver’s hours, or using a second card.
If you break the rules for driver’s hours, fines & penalties include:
- Prohibition notices
- Fines
- Points on your licence
- Verbal warning
- The vehicle could be immobilised if the enforcement officer believes it is too dangerous to drive (i.e. does not comply with road safety regulations)
Additional penalty includes a revocation of your vocational entitlement. This can be a minimum of 12 months.
Final Thoughts
Overall, digital/smart tachographs help simplify the job role, despite seeming overwhelming. As of 2024, the smart tachographs count down your driving time, to make you aware of when you need a break or rest period.
Tachographs are a great asset and over the years, they have aided in workers not being fatigued, which further reduces accidents and errors.
When you are breaking into the logistics sector as a commercial driver, you must have a good understanding of tachograph hours to help you stay compliant and keep safe when driving.
If you are looking to join the industry, or simply upskill your licence category, then you should train with 2 Start, the leaders of logistics training in the South.
Find out what you need to do to become a logistics driver, call our team on 02392 123 555 today. Alternatively, fill out our enquiry form.
Leave a Reply