A lot of questions after another agency job

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Well today I reluctantly took a job to help out the agency staff as they needed this job filled, now I regret it.

it started off like lots of other agency jobs where they just give you the paperwork and the keys and tell you to get on with it. All went well and I made deliveries to Swindon, reading and Camberley.

I had already had a 15 minute break after Swindon and I was going to have half an hour after Camberley which I did but that is where the problems started.

At my second drop in Reading we took an hour to unload the lorry as everything was not packed together. During this time I was in other work and my driving time was reset to zero.

After my next drop I had accrued around about an hour of driving time and then had a 30 minute break but this did nothing for my driver hours and on my return to South Wales it took longer due to the bank holiday traffic and my tacho said I was 18 minutes over on my driving hours. And it also would not return my card when I try to eject it.

Now my questions are:

  1. Why when you are in other work 45 minutes does it reset your driver hours and is there anything you can do to combat this?

  2. Will I get pulled up because I went over my drivers hours even though I did not really?

  3. How do you get your card out of the tachograph when it says card ejection not possible 34?

  4. I also need a truck sat nav so does anybody have any advice?

2

oldwelshdude:
Now my questions are:

  1. Why when you are in other work 45 minutes does it reset your driver hours and is there anything you can do to combat this?

  2. Will I get pulled up because I went over my drivers hours even though I did not really?

  3. How do you get your card out of the tachograph when it says card ejection not possible 34?

  4. I also need a truck sat nav so does anybody have any advice?

  1. It doesn’t. You were either on break or POA. You stop it doing that by making sure it’s on other work.

  2. You should do a prinout and write it down. I’m sure for such a small amount you’d be okay. If pulled in the next 30 days you could get a modest fine. Companies scanning your card won’t like it though.

  3. You turn the ignition on. It said ejection not possible because your ignition wasn’t on. Infringements don’t stop you ejecting. Otherwise the tacho was faulty. I presume someone got it out for you - so I’m going with ignition.

  4. Tomtom 6200/6250.

3

  1. It doesn’t. You were either on break or POA. You stop it doing that by making sure it’s on other work.

  2. You should do a prinout and write it down. I’m sure for such a small amount you’d be okay. If pulled in the next 30 days you could get a modest fine. Companies scanning your card won’t like it though.

  3. You turn the ignition on. It said ejection not possible because your ignition wasn’t on. Infringements don’t stop you ejecting. Otherwise the tacho was faulty. I presume someone got it out for you - so I’m going with ignition.

  4. Tomtom 6200/6250.

  1. I turned the engine off so maybe it went straight into break as I have noticed a different lorry do a few weeks ago. I will have to watch that.

  2. Yes I did a print out and I will be writing on it but I haven’t done yet…

  3. Yes I tried with the ignition on so I guessed it was a faulty tacho. And no I do not have the card as it is stuck inside and everybody had gone home because it is the bank holiday weekend. I locked the lorry and left a note on the tacho and in the office with the paperwork and the keys. The tachograph is on break also.

I have another job on Tuesday that is ongoing but I do not have my tacho card now so I guess this new company won’t like that either and I won’t be starting on Tuesday

4

oldwelshdude:

  1. It doesn’t. You were either on break or POA. You stop it doing that by making sure it’s on other work.

  2. You should do a prinout and write it down. I’m sure for such a small amount you’d be okay. If pulled in the next 30 days you could get a modest fine. Companies scanning your card won’t like it though.

  3. You turn the ignition on. It said ejection not possible because your ignition wasn’t on. Infringements don’t stop you ejecting. Otherwise the tacho was faulty. I presume someone got it out for you - so I’m going with ignition.

  4. Tomtom 6200/6250.

  1. I turned the engine off so maybe it went straight into break as I have noticed a different lorry do a few weeks ago. I will have to watch that.

  2. Yes I did a print out and I will be writing on it but I haven’t done yet…

  3. Yes I tried with the ignition on so I guessed it was a faulty tacho. And no I do not have the card as it is stuck inside and everybody had gone home because it is the bank holiday weekend. I locked the lorry and left a note on the tacho and in the office with the paperwork and the keys. The tachograph is on break also.

I have another job on Tuesday that is ongoing but I do not have my tacho card now so I guess this new company won’t like that either and I won’t be starting on Tuesday

Can drive if it’s ‘lost’. Prinout start and end of shift. Take advice on here about what to write on it. DVSA will want it done properly as it’s a thing some drivers do to get around weekly rest.

And back to 1. If it went to break (as some are set to do - drives me mad) then you have no infringement unless you did 4.5 hours driving after this.

Upload the prinout (blocking out your name if you want) let us see what’s gone on.

5

I will post the printout tomorrow for advice on what to write on it thanks.

Yes I think I did over an hour of driving after I turned the ignition off and it went to break. Then I had a 30 minute break and drove back to the depot. All in I accrued 4h48m driving. At least I believe that’s what happened. As I say I will post a printout tomorrow.

It was such a long day I haven’t even looked at it to be honest, especially when I couldn’t get my card out, I just wanted to go home [emoji23]

6

Sammy beat me to it, but just to reiterate, I would guess you were on poa. If you had been on break, there would be no problems. Poa resets your driving time so you have to remember when to take a break, I don’t use it because of that.

If you have money, get the Tomtom 6200, they are fantastic! If money is a bit short, use copilot truck. You can buy a full year license for 50 quid, or if that’s too much you can payg for 9 quid a month :wink:

7

I have looked at my printouts and yes I was on Poa for 30 minutes which cancelled my 3 hours and 6 minutes driving time.

I next took a 31 minute break after 1 hour and 14 minutes driving. I then continued on for 3 hours and 34 minutes. And that is where the 4 hours and 48 minutes driving time comes in.

If I had taken 45 minutes all would have been fine. But as I have already been told that did not stop my tacho card coming out. Obviously the tachograph is faulty.

I will not be using Poa again as it is messing me up.

Anyway how do I write this up on my printout so that I am covered if VOSA stop me. Actually I don’t know what I should be writing and where on this printout? Do I need to fill in card no, reg, to, from etc too? Do I write numbers in the different boxes?

Help!!!

8

unless it helps your wages somehow,then theres no need for poa.
ive never ever used it.
irrespective of what im doing,then as soon as my wheels stop,then unless i somehow want to show other work to suit me,im on break and never a problem.
same as manual entries.unless its a story to cover tipping or loading off card,then theres never a need to do one.

9

oldwelshdude:
I have looked at my printouts and yes I was on Poa for 30 minutes which cancelled my 3 hours and 6 minutes driving time.

I next took a 31 minute break after 1 hour and 14 minutes driving. I then continued on for 3 hours and 34 minutes. And that is where the 4 hours and 48 minutes driving time comes in.

If I had taken 45 minutes all would have been fine. But as I have already been told that did not stop my tacho card coming out. Obviously the tachograph is faulty.

I will not be using Poa again as it is messing me up.

Anyway how do I write this up on my printout so that I am covered if VOSA stop me. Actually I don’t know what I should be writing and where on this printout? Do I need to fill in card no, reg, to, from etc too? Do I write numbers in the different boxes?

Help!!!

Without seeing the printout I can’t say for certain but it’s likely that you don’t need to do anything, digital tachographs wrongly count POA as break and will reset the driving time on the tachograph display but in reality your driving time is not reset.

Check your printout and ignoring the POA see if you’ve had the correct breaks, as long as you haven’t gone over 4.5 hours driving time without a 45 minute break (or a split 45 minute break) and havn’t gone over the 9/10 hours daily driving time you should be fine.

While you’re at it check to see if you’ve gone over 6 hours working time without a 15 minute break, although that’s not really serious companies will see it as an infringement when they download your card.

POA does have it’s uses but generally it’s best to avoid using it if you can, if you do need to use it make a note of your driving time before the POA resets it on the tachograph display.

10

Without seeing the printout I can’t say for certain but it’s likely that you don’t need to do anything, digital tachographs wrongly count POA as break and will reset the driving time on the tachograph display but in reality your driving time is not reset.

Check your printout and ignoring the POA see if you’ve had the correct breaks, as long as you haven’t gone over 4.5 hours driving time without a 45 minute break (or a split 45 minute break) and havn’t gone over the 9/10 hours daily driving time you should be fine.

While you’re at it check to see if you’ve gone over 6 hours working time without a 15 minute break, although that’s not really serious companies will see it as an infringement when they download your card.

POA does have it’s uses but generally it’s best to avoid using it if you can, if you do need to use it make a note of your driving time before the POA resets it on the tachograph display.

Thanks for the information Tachograph. I’ve just checked and taking out the Poa like you said, nowhere did I go over 4.5 hours driving or 9/10 hours daily driving, and WTD are also not infringed either. So it looks like I am in the clear there yay [emoji322]

Now my only issue is the fact that my card is stuck in the ■■■■ tacho machine saying “ejection not possible 34”. And it being a bank holiday there is nobody there till Tuesday to get it out for me somehow.

And of course I have a different job to goto on Tuesday too, so I don’t know what is going to happen there either!! I think I will turn up at that job willing to work but just explain my problem and see what they say.

11

dieseldog999:
unless it helps your wages somehow,then theres no need for poa.
ive never ever used it.
irrespective of what im doing,then as soon as my wheels stop,then unless i somehow want to show other work to suit me,im on break and never a problem.
same as manual entries.unless its a story to cover tipping or loading off card,then theres never a need to do one.

I’m not going to use Poa from now on as it just messes me up

12

oldwelshdude:
Thanks for the information Tachograph. I’ve just checked and taking out the Poa like you said, nowhere did I go over 4.5 hours driving or 9/10 hours daily driving, and WTD are also not infringed either. So it looks like I am in the clear there yay [emoji322]

Now my only issue is the fact that my card is stuck in the ■■■■ tacho machine saying “ejection not possible 34”. And it being a bank holiday there is nobody there till Tuesday to get it out for me somehow.

And of course I have a different job to goto on Tuesday too, so I don’t know what is going to happen there either!! I think I will turn up at that job willing to work but just explain my problem and see what they say.

This is a strange one, the “ejection not possible 34” error means “A card cannot be ejected (i.e. whilst driving)”, I imagine there could be a faulty motion sensor on the vehicle or something like that.

It would be worth giving your agency a ring if you can and check that the company will be OK with you driving without them checking your card first, if you can still do the job do a vehicle printout at the start of the shift (or as soon as you get a vehicle) and another printout at the end of the shift.

On these printouts you must write:

  • The driver’s name or driver card or licence number, so the driver can be identified
  • Any manual entries needed to show periods of other work, availability, and rest or break
  • The driver’s signature

(I would also write your start time because the printouts will show the activities from midnight)

You need to keep these printouts with you for 28 days then hand them back to the transport company.

Use the tachograph mode switch as usual, all your activities are recorded on the VU so all your activities will be shown on the end of shift vehicle printout.

From memory, to do a vehicle printout on a VDO tachograph when the vehicle is stationary:

  • Press “OK”, this will take you to driver 1 printout
  • Use the arrow keys to scroll down to “Vehicle printout”.
  • Select the date (which will be current) and do the printout

edit: The DVSA don’t specify it but it probably wouldn’t be a bad ides to write on the printouts the reason for them being made, something like “printouts done because driver card is stuck in a tachograph in vehicle ”.

13

This is a strange one, the “ejection not possible 34” error means “A card cannot be ejected (i.e. whilst driving)”, I imagine there could be a faulty motion sensor on the vehicle or something like that.

It would be worth giving your agency a ring if you can and check that the company will be OK with you driving without them checking your card first, if you can still do the job do a vehicle printout at the start of the shift (or as soon as you get a vehicle) and another printout at the end of the shift.

On these printouts you must write:

  • The driver’s name or driver card or licence number, so the driver can be identified
  • Any manual entries needed to show periods of other work, availability, and rest or break
  • The driver’s signature

(I would also write your start time because the printouts will show the activities from midnight)

You need to keep these printouts with you for 28 days then hand them back to the transport company.

Use the tachograph mode switch as usual, all your activities are recorded on the VU so all your activities will be shown on the end of shift vehicle printout.

From memory, to do a vehicle printout on a VDO tachograph when the vehicle is stationary:

  • Press “OK”, this will take you to driver 1 printout
  • Use the arrow keys to scroll down to “Vehicle printout”.
  • Select the date (which will be current) and do the printout

edit: The DVSA don’t specify it but it probably wouldn’t be a bad ides to write on the printouts the reason for them being made, something like “printouts done because driver card is stuck in a tachograph in vehicle ”.

I have text the “on call” mobile number I was given and asked that very question, but I have had no reply yet.

So if I am ok to start with this other company on Tuesday I make a vehicle printout at the start of the day and record my weekend rest period on it and any other work prior to getting the vehicle right?

Use the modes on the tacho throughout the day, then do a vehicle printout at end of shift. All my breaks etc will be recorded on that.

Obviously add my details to identify myself on the printouts too and I should be good. Do I have all the details correct?

And I am assuming that the tachograph will still display my driving time and breaks throughout the day, or do I need to keep notes for myself so I don’t get any infringements?

14

Re it not ejecting, sometimes the unit will do that for a couple of minutes after you stop. I found letting it sit with ignition on for that little bit of time after switching to break usually sorts it. Might be it’s in the middle of writing to the card but there is no code for that.

Other thing to remember is that some tachos change the mode usually to “other work” either when you turn the ignition in or off. Very annoying esp near the end of a break.

15

trevHCS:
Re it not ejecting, sometimes the unit will do that for a couple of minutes after you stop. I found letting it sit with ignition on for that little bit of time after switching to break usually sorts it. Might be it’s in the middle of writing to the card but there is no code for that.

Other thing to remember is that some tachos change the mode usually to “other work” either when you turn the ignition in or off. Very annoying esp near the end of a break.

I left it on break for over 45 minutes after the message. Tried with ignition on and off, with engine on too. Even tried getting out, locking the door and getting back in and putting ignition on (suggested by the one guys mobile number from the company that I managed to get from another agency driver(saved into his phone as unknown, as he doesn’t know his name either!!!)) But nothing worked so tacho must be faulty

16

Ok I started with a new company today. They were ok with me not having my card at the moment.

So I did a print out at the start of my shift and one at the end of my shift.

Now what do I write on them?

17

oldwelshdude:
So I did a print out at the start of my shift and one at the end of my shift.

Now what do I write on them?

That was answered in post #12.

Sent from my mobile.

18

Ok I have been written the start time on my first printout before I do anything, name and card number, vehicle reg, start mileage, signature

At end of day printout I have put the end time, end mileage and all the rest above.

I have been told that my card is at DAF in the town that I work in so I hope to get the address and to pick it up tomorrow