What with the latest technology to aid transport operators and drivers along came digital tachographs.
I have worked for a few transport companies and find that the digital tachographs differ as some vehicles digi tachographs default to rest when the ignition is turned off.
Is this a fault with the machine and is it ok to just leave it on rest.
Is there a way the drivers can reset the digital tachograph machine to other work.
I did hear that to leave it on rest Is fine
What’s the view on this.
Wize truckers once said." you can get fined for not having enough rest breaks but you won’t for having to many.
But seriously can the tacho machine be changed from default to rest and changed to other work.
Or is it faulty.
As said it’s not faulty but it is your responsibility to ensure the mode reflects what you are doing. So regardless of what mode it changes to you are going to have to push a button at some time.
Defaults to rest/break and that’s what your doing then leave it, if you’re working, change it.
Defaults to other work and you’re working then leave it, if you are on break or rest, change it.
^^+1 you can’t have to many breaks true but vosa may be interested if for instance your working 10 hours a day and 4 hours are recorded as rest now either they’ll think your getting paid for sleeping a lot or may take a more sinister view as to what you’ve really been upto all week.
A technician at DAf. explained whilst fitting a digital tachograph that its up to the first user operator who specifies what mode is wet as default.
I hear some machines in Mercedes trucks revert to rest when the ignition is off.Not sure if that’s true.
A driver for Daschser explained once that its trucks default to rest.
I would prefer they reset to other work.
I know many drivers who leave the tacho on rest and show many hours of rest every day.
I often joke with some drivers that they drive round having breaks all day.
In my opinion the machines should all default to other work.
Ross v stobart:
What with the latest technology to aid transport operators and drivers along came digital tachographs.
I have worked for a few transport companies and find that the digital tachographs differ as some vehicles digi tachographs default to rest when the ignition is turned off.
Is this a fault with the machine and is it ok to just leave it on rest.
Is there a way the drivers can reset the digital tachograph machine to other work.
I did hear that to leave it on rest Is fine
What’s the view on this.
Wize truckers once said." you can get fined for not having enough rest breaks but you won’t for having to many.
But seriously can the tacho machine be changed from default to rest and changed to other work.
Or is it faulty.
Or does it make any difference either way.
The tachoraph is working incorrectly. The tacho graph should record the mode it is set to. The only mode a tachograph should record automatically is driving. Therefore if the thing is setting its self to rest without user intervention then its not operating to the legal requirements. Also a tachograph is a recording device requiring manual input, even though it has an automatic function. It does not have a ‘default’ anything. Contrary to what anyone thinks.
I’ve heard numerous excuses for how tachographs are programmed differently and they’re pretty lame excuse’s. BUt the mere fact people are programming them ‘differently’ should arouse an eyebrow as to the legitimacy of such actions. Plain and simple they should continuously record the mode they are set at unless interupted by automatic driving.
Mike-C:
Therefore if the thing is setting its self to rest without user intervention then its not operating to the legal requirements.
If that is the case then I have driven an awful lot of trucks with illegal tachos as quite a few of the trucks my customers have automatically switch to break when you turn the ignition off.
Mike-C:
Therefore if the thing is setting its self to rest without user intervention then its not operating to the legal requirements.
If that is the case then I have driven an awful lot of trucks with illegal tachos as quite a few of the trucks my customers have automatically switch to break when you turn the ignition off.
Paul
Me too. They’re just not working to the type approval, i’m not sure how they let them slip through like this. Amongst other things they’re supposed to be illuminated for you to see and adjust the mode, you cannot do this with the ignition off, well you can but its difficult to see sometimes.They’re supposed to warn you when you’re driving period is almost up. They do this, but sometimes don’t. Some people call it a glitch that it doesn’t recognise POA or some rubbish, i just call it not working to type approval !!
Thanks for your reply.
It sounds sensible to get it sorted out at the dealers during the tacho check and calibration.It probably would not cost anything.
Mind you if it was booked in as a defect there would likely be a charge.
I feel that most drivers would prefer the tacho to revert to other work.
It can be tedious to have to constantly keep putting the tacho to other work.
Easy to forget to set correctly.
VOSA. do appear to have a soft approach to this issue.
Karl86:
^^+1 you can’t have to many breaks true but vosa may be interested if for instance your working 10 hours a day and 4 hours are recorded as rest now either they’ll think your getting paid for sleeping a lot or may take a more sinister view as to what you’ve really been upto all week.
I think thats a driver myth, they have told me they like to see lots of breaks on a card/disk, as long as you show some work they wouldnt bat an eye lid!
Ross v stobart:
Thanks for your reply.
It sounds sensible to get it sorted out at the dealers during the tacho check and calibration.It probably would not cost anything.
Mind you if it was booked in as a defect there would likely be a charge.
I feel that most drivers would prefer the tacho to revert to other work.
It can be tedious to have to constantly keep putting the tacho to other work.
Easy to forget to set correctly.
VOSA. do appear to have a soft approach to this issue.
Its each to there own with this one, I do boxes and dont do much work in a day, but if i do it involves twist locks and container doors, and when i do them i just leave the engine running (off road of course) so i dont forget to show some other work, although if your quick enough it wont actually record any.
so i am happy to have it to default to break/rest.
I had a problem on one fitted to a DAF, had to have it reprogrammed.
Reverted to other work every time the ignition was knocked off. Doesn’t sound too bad, but if you’re 35mins into a 45 break and you need the loo, but you’ve dropped your window and wanted the radio on, so you take your keys out, and bingo, break over.
If you think quick, you can change mode back to break, but forget, and you’ve just destroyed your break.
Had all ours changed to revert to other work when stopped, and not to change modes when the ignition was knocked off
Tacho defaulting to rest is for one reason.
The operators want to evade the hgv drivers working time limits.
when the vehicle is ordered by the operator they request the digital tacho is set to default to rest.
Drivers who are low paid hourly workers then record rest whilst working.
VOSA at present dont enforce working time and instead only monitor driving regulations.
The UK transport operators cant accept there’s an issue with hgv driver duty time and requure drivers to work up to and over 80 hours a week.
Drivers just need the money so do what they have to do.
operators and drivers are kidding themselves if they believe that they’re operating lawfully.
Most operators and drivers are clueless or willfully blind to the correct workings of the Road Transport working time regs.
The regs are not hard to follow and are easy to understand.
Digital tachos default to rest for one reason only and thats to fiddle.
Ross v stobart:
Tacho defaulting to rest is for one reason.
The operators want to evade the hgv drivers working time limits.
when the vehicle is ordered by the operator they request the digital tacho is set to default to rest.
Drivers who are low paid hourly workers then record rest whilst working.
VOSA at present dont enforce working time and instead only monitor driving regulations.
The UK transport operators cant accept there’s an issue with hgv driver duty time and requure drivers to work up to and over 80 hours a week.
Drivers just need the money so do what they have to do.
operators and drivers are kidding themselves if they believe that they’re operating lawfully.
Most operators and drivers are clueless or willfully blind to the correct workings of the Road Transport working time regs.
The regs are not hard to follow and are easy to understand.
Digital tachos default to rest for one reason only and thats to fiddle.
Ross v stobart:
Tacho defaulting to rest is for one reason.
The operators want to evade the hgv drivers working time limits.
when the vehicle is ordered by the operator they request the digital tacho is set to default to rest.
Drivers who are low paid hourly workers then record rest whilst working.
VOSA at present dont enforce working time and instead only monitor driving regulations.
The UK transport operators cant accept there’s an issue with hgv driver duty time and requure drivers to work up to and over 80 hours a week.
Drivers just need the money so do what they have to do.
operators and drivers are kidding themselves if they believe that they’re operating lawfully.
Most operators and drivers are clueless or willfully blind to the correct workings of the Road Transport working time regs.
The regs are not hard to follow and are easy to understand.
Digital tachos default to rest for one reason only and thats to fiddle.
Most drivers I talk to readily admit a bit of fiddling.
Its a part of the job.
But to know your fiddling one has to understand what is the fiddle.
Take it from me the current way our transport sector works is a big fiddle and plenty will admit it.
Its a part of the job at present.
There is no shame in fiddling as there are lots that do a fiddle so it O K.{ think of the money £££££££ }
I merely wanted to point out that most drivers are recording there working time the wrong way.
I understand what many drivers consider a rest or P O A, I do not !
It just seems a odd situation for h g v drivers to think they are following the law or rules when really they are not.
I expect one day in the future someone with common sense will see that the working time hours that h g v drivers currently work is excessive.
Many drivers work up to 80 plus hrs a week on a regular basis.
I have seen drivers having accidents and making silly mistakes and acting foolishly whilst driving and if you ask me these are symptoms of fatigue.
Look if your an operator or self employed contractor or a brown nose employee you wont like what I am saying about excessive working time as your principal interest will be money.{£££££}
But if your an employee who pays tax then you are entitled to work lawfully and responsibly.
Following the requirements of the working time legislation will have a negative effect on your pay packets {£££££}if you work for a company who does not comply with the requirements as they will make your job difficult and try to get rid of you. {on yer bike}
I just wanted to point out that within the transport sector operators and drivers are not complying with the limits set by the regulations.
Just Bang It On P O A or Rest mode!
A V O S A Geezer once said you can not get done for having to many rest breaks but you can get done for not having enough.
please note: Fiddling is fine remember, it just like your local M P or Banker who got caught fiddling,However they were quids in and getting well paid for there fiddling of which truckers do not.
