BMW Z3 Diary

As of May 2006, digital tachographs became a legal requirement installed on a new vehicle under the rules and regulations of the UK and Europe. A digital tachograph is the advanced version of the analogue tachograph and records information about the activities of a vehicle and driver. Thus we must know everything about the digital tachograph card rules for both drivers and operators. In this article, we will discuss the tachograph rules and discuss when do I need a tachograph?

How To Use A Digital Tachograph?
A common question we get asked is, “how to use a digital tacho-graph?”. The digital tachograph is fitted into the vehicle as a rule under the national law of the UK. The smart card of the driver is inserted into the tachograph before he starts the journey.

Tachograph records all the data of both the driver and the vehicle, which you can read using a digital tachograph card reader. The information in the digital tachograph must be downloaded once every 90 days from the tachograph memory.

Information from the driver’s smart card must be downloaded once every 28 days. The data downloaded from the card and the digital tachograph have to be analysed.

Tachograph Rules Made Easy:
There are a few digital tachograph card rules that every driver and operator must strictly follow. These are:

1. Maximum hours of driving:
The maximum daily hour of driving is 9 hours, but these daily driving hours can be exceeded up to 10 hours twice a week. The weekly maximum hours of driving cannot be more than 56 hours, and the top driving limit is 90 hours over any two-week period.

2. Breaks:
The driver of the vehicle must take a break of a minimum of 45 minutes every 4.5 hours of driving. This break can either be a single break of 45 minutes or a gap of 15 minutes, followed by another break of 30 minutes.

3. Minimum Rest Every Day:
Each day, the driver must receive rest of at least 11 consecutive hours. If the vehicle contains a compliant bunk, then the driver can take some or the entire rest in the vehicle when it is stationary. The rest period can also be split into two periods, a rest period of 3 hours followed by another rest period of 9 hours or more.

4. Minimum Rest Every Week:
The driver must receive a regular weekly rest of at least 45 hours or a reduced weekly rest of 24 hours every week. In 2 weeks, the driver must receive a weekly rest of at least 45 hours and another weekly rest of 24 hours.

Compensate for the missed hours by adding those hours to a daily rest block. Any reduction in the hours of weekly rest has to be compensated for. Keep in mind; the driver must receive the compensation rest hours before the end of the third week.

Remember, a digital tachograph receives all of this information accurately. A failure to follow all these rules and regulations can cause both the driver and the operator a fine or worse. The operator and the driver can both lose their licence; thus, it is essential to keep track of all the data.

When Do I Need A Tachograph?
Every vehicle in the UK requires a digital tachograph as per the national rule. Absence or tampering of a tachograph can result in a hefty fine or the loss of the operator’s licence. You will need a tachograph every time your vehicle starts a journey to keep track of the journey and ensure that all the rules are being followed.

The vehicle drivers receive a smart card that contains information. The smart card is inserted into the tachograph. And all the information that the tachograph records is saved in the internal memory of the tachograph and the card. Analyse and keep a record of the digital tachograph information properly.

Final Thoughts:
Now that we know why and when do I need a tachograph, it is now clear that all the rules will have to be followed strictly. Make sure that you properly analyse all the information stored in the tachograph and take proper action to ensure that all the drivers follow the rules.   Courtesy :Steve S. Morton

What are HGV vehicle inspections?
Regular HGV vehicle inspections are a legal requirement for all HGV vehicles or trailers, alongside a record of the full safety inspection report. This ensure that HGV vehicles are maintained to a full roadworthy condition at all times.
DVSA roadside checks: fines and financial deposits Example: exceeding the 4.5 hour driving limit

Severity - time driving beyond the 4.5 hour limit Endorsable Fixed penalty amount
Less than one hour                                            No                          £100
One hour up to (but not including) 2 hours     No                          £200
2 hours and over                                            No                          £300
The legislation shows the first hour as a £100 penalty, but DVSA examiners will generally allow 15 minutes’ leeway before issuing a notice. However, if they repeatedly use those 15 minutes then the examiner may still take action.