Is there anything in the rules to prevent a reduced (24 hour) or even full (45 hour) weekly rest being taken on board a ferry, assuming the crossing is long enough and you have access to a bunk?
Also, if I start a shift on Sunday afternoon (the end of one fixed week) and finish on Monday morning (the start of a new fixed week) during which I extend my driving time to 10 hours, which fixed week is the shift in for the purposes of the limit of 2 extended driving times within any fixed week?
first bit no restriction on taking a weekly rest on board 
second bit, not a clue sorry. not a fan of night working and especially a sunday for that very reason trying to work out the hours thing 
Gogan:
Is there anything in the rules to prevent a reduced (24 hour) or even full (45 hour) weekly rest being taken on board a ferry, assuming the crossing is long enough and you have access to a bunk?Also, if I start a shift on Sunday afternoon (the end of one fixed week) and finish on Monday morning (the start of a new fixed week) during which I extend my driving time to 10 hours, which fixed week is the shift in for the purposes of the limit of 2 extended driving times within any fixed week?
not Sunday
The Sunday working comes in the previous week but if you drive passed midnight then the 10 would come off this weeks but someone with far more knowledge will be along soon just have to keep an eye on fortnightly driving hours too
Not a problem to take weekly rest on a ferry. Just remember that the weekly rest period cannot be interrupted to board or disembark (unlike a daily rest period). So you would have to have all 45 hours or 24 hours (or anything in between) after having driven onto the boat and before driving off.
The ‘extension’ to driving time would be counted in the week it occurred in. If before midnight Sunday then it gets counted in week 1.if after Midnight Sunday, then it will be counted in week 2.
malcolmj:
The Sunday working comes in the previous week but if you drive passed midnight then the 10 would come off this weeks but someone with far more knowledge will be along soon just have to keep an eye on fortnightly driving hours too
If you drive less than 9 hours on the Sunday that is all you have done, the working week runs from Monday 00.00 - Sunday 23.59
Remember there are no driving limits in a 24 hour period, only between 24hr rest periods, so realistically you could drive for 13.5 hours on Monday
geebee45:
Not a problem to take weekly rest on a ferry. Just remember that the weekly rest period cannot be interrupted to board or disembark (unlike a daily rest period). So you would have to have all 45 hours or 24 hours (or anything in between) after having driven onto the boat and before driving off.The ‘extension’ to driving time would be counted in the week it occurred in. If before midnight Sunday then it gets counted in week 1.if after Midnight Sunday, then it will be counted in week 2.
Hello Graham.
I would like you to clarify what is acceptable as a Bunk or Couchette in the eyes of your paymaster, it has caused several “discussions” over the past few weeks 
Malc
malcolmj:
The Sunday working comes in the previous week but if you drive passed midnight then the 10 would come off this weeks but someone with far more knowledge will be along soon just have to keep an eye on fortnightly driving hours too
Does that mean you can run out on a Sunday afternoon/Evening and providing you do not complete after midnight, you can legally run back home the following Saturday morning, effectively 7 days sraight. ■■? 
When we ran out Sundays we always had to be back home again Friday night before Midnight or we had to weekend.
JLS Driver SOS:
Does that mean you can run out on a Sunday afternoon/Evening and providing you do not complete after midnight, you can legally run back home the following Saturday morning, effectively 7 days sraight. ■■?
Yes, you can work for a maximum of six consecutive 24 hour periods, so, if you start at 1600 on Sunday, regardless of what time your shift finishes, you can work until 1600 on the following Saturday.
There is also no limit to the number of daily duty periods, so it would be quite lawful, in the right circumstances, to have more than six charts in six days.
The important distinction is that in six 24 hour periods, the day may change six times, giving seven different days.
Nothing new, I don’t think.
Regards,
Nick.
Wheel Nut:
Remember there are no driving limits in a 24 hour period, only between 24hr rest periods, so realistically you could drive for 13.5 hours on Monday
Seriously?
Unbelievable.
So you’re saying its OK to do 5x15hr spreadovers as long as you have 11hrs off between the last two?
Conor:
Wheel Nut:
Remember there are no driving limits in a 24 hour period, only between 24hr rest periods, so realistically you could drive for 13.5 hours on MondaySeriously?
Unbelievable.
So you’re saying its OK to do 5x15hr spreadovers as long as you have 11hrs off between the last two?
Start work Sunday night at 10pm, drive until 7am Monday. Have 9 hours off and start again and drive until midnight. knock an hour and half off for breaks.
Technically you have done 13.5 driving on Monday whilst still having a legal rest period. A lot of the reason why most Belgians had a crash at the beginning of the week 
But you cannot do a 15 hour “spreadover” if you have 11 hours off as it doesn’t all fit into a 24 hour period.
That is how I read the rules anyway
Conor:
[Seriously?Unbelievable.
So you’re saying its OK to do 5x15hr spreadovers as long as you have 11hrs off between the last two?
It’s that day versus 24 hour thing again.
Obviously you can’t do 13.5 hours driving in a shift, but for example, you start on Sunday at 1600 and at midnight you are driving and continue until say 0330, there is three and a half hours.
Then you stop, have 9 hours off, start driving at 1230 and do 10 hours driving in 11.5 hours, finishing at midnight, you have done 13.5 hours driving, quite legally, in 24 hours.
PS Snap…
Regards,
Nick.
Malc,
a bunk is; a narrow shelf-like bed, typically one of two or more arranged one on top of the other.
The Oxford English dictionary version. There is nothing about how wide, long or the depth of the mattress contained in the drivers hours regulation. Although I think it would be fair to expect that a driver must be reasonably comfortable whilst on the bunk.
A couchette is a bit more specific: a railway carriage with seats convertible into sleeping berths. A berth is defined as; a fixed bunk on a ship, train, or other means of transport. So a seat that folds down to form a bunk in a railway carriage. Again no mention of sizes. I don’t think that a ‘reclining seat’ would be acceptable within the definition.
Hope that helps.