hi can anyone tell me if an employer can force you to reduce daily rest from 11 to 9 hours?
No they can’t,YOU are responsible for your own and others safety if YOU believe 9 hours is not sufficient rest for you to safely get behind the wheel then that’s your call.
no is the answer its your discretion however it may result in other issues.
if you are travelling to from site and not rested enough then I would say tell him tough luck. if your in a cab on a night out then I would reckon 9 is long enough.
but its your choice will they say oh ok and move on or make your life hell?
They can plan you for a 15hr day.
Used to be 9hrs away from base, and 11hrs at base, but that changed with the digi-tacho as it doesn’t store start - finish locations only country.
Personally, if I’m at depot, I’m having 11hrs off, but if I’m down the road, then I want to earn as much as possible.
There will no doubt be some heroes along soon who will tell you how they used to only have 9 hours off a week and you should just get on with it 
I often used to do 15 hours days but I had an agreement with my boss than I would still have about 11 hours off
It was still a reduced for the regs but at least I got the sleep/rest I needed
Is the boss ASKING you to do 9 off between shifts or do a 15 hour day followed by perhaps 11 hours off before the next shift 
If its 9 off between shifts and you need 8 hours sleep to be fully fit to drive then that aint gonna work out
These issues should really be discussed at the job interview
ckm1981:
There will no doubt be some heroes along soon who will tell you how they used to only have 9 hours off a week and you should just get on with it
Usually the ones that need little sleep - I need 8 hours sleep or I am like a zombie - we are all different
waynedl:
They can plan you for a 15hr day.Used to be 9hrs away from base, and 11hrs at base, but that changed with the digi-tacho as it doesn’t store start - finish locations only country.
Personally, if I’m at depot, I’m having 11hrs off, but if I’m down the road, then I want to earn as much as possible.
Really? where did you get that one from?
andyy2020:
hi can anyone tell me if an employer can force you to reduce daily rest from 11 to 9 hours?
Assuming you’re an adult no-one can force you to do anything, however your employer can legally plan a reduced daily rest period for you as long as you have one available.
tachograph:
andyy2020:
hi can anyone tell me if an employer can force you to reduce daily rest from 11 to 9 hours?Assuming you’re an adult no-one can force you to do anything, however your employer can legally plan a reduced daily rest period for you as long as you have one available.
This^
Whether you go with the plan is your choice but refuse too often and they may decide you are not suitable for the job and get you out by one method or another.
There is nothing in the regulations which defines who makes the decision and the operator is not breaking any rules by planning a reduced rest for you provided you have one available.
One of the most asked questions on TruckNet UK and usually stems form spending too much time listening to THOSE drivers in an RDC. 
waynedl:
Used to be 9hrs away from base, and 11hrs at base, but that changed with the digi-tacho as it doesn’t store start - finish locations only country.
Not true. There was never anything in the regulations with regard to restrictions on reducing daily rest based on location, You could always reduce your daily rest if you had one available whether home or away. It used to be for weekly rest you could reduce to 36 hours at base and 24 hours away but that changed years ago and was nothing to do with the digi tacho either.
Thanks guys for replies. I thought to be fair I was on a loser. I work agency doing day work no nights out and they constantly plan 14 hour shifts. I thought it was the driver who decided if he would work more than 13 hours. But if they can plan me for up to 15 then I guess my only option is to find other work. Cheers for all replies
andyy2020:
Thanks guys for replies. I thought to be fair I was on a loser. I work agency doing day work no nights out and they constantly plan 14 hour shifts. I thought it was the driver who decided if he would work more than 13 hours. But if they can plan me for up to 15 then I guess my only option is to find other work. Cheers for all replies
I would contact the agency to inform them that you only want to do 13hrs a day max and no more unless for unseen circumstances like stuck in traffic/snow ect.
It then lets them know to put you to clients that don’t do 15hrs working.
Eat My BB:
andyy2020:
Thanks guys for replies. I thought to be fair I was on a loser. I work agency doing day work no nights out and they constantly plan 14 hour shifts. I thought it was the driver who decided if he would work more than 13 hours. But if they can plan me for up to 15 then I guess my only option is to find other work. Cheers for all repliesI would contact the agency to inform them that you only want to do 13hrs a day max and no more unless for unseen circumstances like stuck in traffic/snow ect.
It then lets them know to put you to clients that don’t do 15hrs working.
I would say that’s too rigid and amend that to having at least X amount of hours off between shifts
I do not believe 9 hours break is a rest in itself. You should spend 9 hours in the bed to make your body and mind right prepared for 15 hours shift.
Wilk:
I do not believe 9 hours break is a rest in itself. You should spend 9 hours in the bed to make your body and mind right prepared for 15 hours shift.
This is the argument i had with my works when they tried to tell me I can reduce to 9…9 hours away from work,you’ll be lucky to get 4-5hrs sleep after taking away travelling time home,eating food,shower ect,trying to get to sleep,travelling back to work in the morning all within 9hrs!
Hence why I refuse to reduce.
weeto:
waynedl:
They can plan you for a 15hr day.Used to be 9hrs away from base, and 11hrs at base, but that changed with the digi-tacho as it doesn’t store start - finish locations only country.
Personally, if I’m at depot, I’m having 11hrs off, but if I’m down the road, then I want to earn as much as possible.
Really? where did you get that one from?
Coffeeholic:
waynedl:
Used to be 9hrs away from base, and 11hrs at base, but that changed with the digi-tacho as it doesn’t store start - finish locations only country.Not true. There was never anything in the regulations with regard to restrictions on reducing daily rest based on location, You could always reduce your daily rest if you had one available whether home or away. It used to be for weekly rest you could reduce to 36 hours at base and 24 hours away but that changed years ago and was nothing to do with the digi tacho either.
This must be what I was confused with, it was before my time and not relevant now anyway, which as I pointed out above, you can reduce home or away now.
I’m good on current regs, maybe not so good on the older regs and you know what it’s like when drivers tell you crap that’s from before your time.
I’ll make a mental note of this error and not do it again 
ckm1981:
Wilk:
I do not believe 9 hours break is a rest in itself. You should spend 9 hours in the bed to make your body and mind right prepared for 15 hours shift.This is the argument i had with my works when they tried to tell me I can reduce to 9…9 hours away from work,you’ll be lucky to get 4-5hrs sleep after taking away travelling time home,eating food,shower ect,trying to get to sleep,travelling back to work in the morning all within 9hrs!
Hence why I refuse to reduce.
What do you mean ‘constantly’? You can only reduce (or work over 13hr shift) your rest period 3 times between weekly rest periods. So if you work Mon - Fri, you can only do 3 14hr days or reduce your daily rest below 11hrs 3 times.
Eat My BB:
andyy2020:
Thanks guys for replies. I thought to be fair I was on a loser. I work agency doing day work no nights out and they constantly plan 14 hour shifts. I thought it was the driver who decided if he would work more than 13 hours. But if they can plan me for up to 15 then I guess my only option is to find other work. Cheers for all repliesI would contact the agency to inform them that you only want to do 13hrs a day max and no more unless for unseen circumstances like stuck in traffic/snow ect.
It then lets them know to put you to clients that don’t do 15hrs working.
Me too. I couldn’t give a crap what the laws say, the laws state the MINIMUM, and I won’t accept it.
When I was on for Turners, I went to get my next days container out of Frightliner (mis-spelled on purpose) and set off on-route to my next days job, the container wasn’t in, so I phoned the planner and said “I’ll sleep in the truck tonight if you pay a night out”, he said “Nope, you’re too close to the depot, we’ll not pay you a night out”, so I said “Fine, no probs, book tomorrows job as ‘late’ then, because I’ll be having 11hrs off”.
Queue lots of phone calls offering to pay me night out but I was at home by this time so they got told to ■■■■ off and I’d see them in 11hrs.
Legally, if you’re within a set distance of the depot, a night out payment would have to be taxable, but is still payable before anyone says that they couldn’t pay me it
I’d done approx 15hrs that day, so it classed as a reducer anyway, but by time I’d drove home, had tea and a shower, done all the crap the missus lines up for when you go home, woke up, quick shower and got stuff ready for work, 9hrs is not enough, 11hrs isn’t really.
waynedl:
They can plan you for a 15hr day.Used to be 9hrs away from base, and 11hrs at base, but that changed with the digi-tacho as it doesn’t store start - finish locations only country.
Personally, if I’m at depot, I’m having 11hrs off, but if I’m down the road, then I want to earn as much as possible.
It was never 11 at base ever and didn’t change with digi tachos keep taking the happy pills.
Yes they can plan you on 9 hr break over night regard less of where you are these days refusale would ideally lead to no job
alix776:
waynedl:
They can plan you for a 15hr day.Used to be 9hrs away from base, and 11hrs at base, but that changed with the digi-tacho as it doesn’t store start - finish locations only country.
Personally, if I’m at depot, I’m having 11hrs off, but if I’m down the road, then I want to earn as much as possible.
It was never 11 at base ever and didn’t change with digi tachos keep taking the happy pills.
Yes they can plan you on 9 hr break over night regard less of where you are these days refusale would ideally lead to no job
Read above genius, that’s already been clarified.
And, if refusing to reduce to 9hrs at base meant no job at that firm, it’s an easy choice isn’t it 