My Digicard stopped working Saturday morning. Came up invalid card in 2 seperate trucks, then about 3 hours later, I got it to work in a third. This morning it failed to work again. I then had a driver approach me with tacho troubles, his card wouldn’t work. He said about a dozen drivers at his company have the problem this morning, and asking at random at a local dealer, they said one of their customers had seven cards u/s today. It’s not the VU as both Stoneridge and Siemens reject them, but it does seem card age related as a colleague has a 2011 issued card which is fine. Anyone else having problems today - looks like DVLA will be busy
how old is your card??
Runs out in July
I’ve just read the earlier threads.
SKYNET!!! 
This happened to me on sat and sunday and to two other drivers on sat.I put my card in it then spat it out so i put it back in and it said invalid card but then worked very odd.
Mine too, reporting expired card, but expiry date is Oct 2012.
Print out at start and end of duty, see how it is tomorrow.
This was a major problem @ Tesco Hinkley on sunday morning, one lad went through seven different units and still had a problem…me ?, mine was renewed late last year, so, I was ok 
Mind you, my day got worse when I got into my truck, and it was one of those bloody stonebridge contraptions, I was`nt expecting one of these in a Merc, ■■■■■■■ ■■■■■ design IMO
DVLA’s tachograph people, tel: 0300 7906109 have an announcement on their phone system about this. No idea if an 0300 number is free or not… They are fully aware of the issue, have no idea why it has happened, and are trying to resolve the issue.
If you do call they are taking the details of those affected just in case you get a tug by our ever-friendly authorities.
0300 means you pay for calling the other side of the country regardnless of distance - even if you live in Swansea. “Global National Rate Applies”. It’s cheaper than 0870 but as dear as calling John O’Groats.
Funny enough I was just checking to see if anything had been posted about card failures on a nationwide basis?
My Son works for Asda in Washington, went into work this morning and his card failed in 3 different units, showing as an invalid card then error, so he went back into the transport office, they told him they were aware of it as its affecting a number of Asda Depots along with Stobarts and Morrisons depots along with others.
They’ve told the drivers to fill out manual charts in the meantime, when asked when it would be sorted the office staff said they didn’t know, however, they gave him a copy of a letter from Asda House stating that drivers must fill in manual tachos until the problems resolved, he’d asked me to see if others were having the same problem?
Davey Driver:
They’ve told the drivers to fill out manual charts in the meantime, when asked when it would be sorted the office staff said they didn’t know, however, they gave him a copy of a letter from Asda House stating that drivers must fill in manual tachos until the problems resolved, he’d asked me to see if others were having the same problem?
You would think a company who run as many trucks as Asda wouldn’t be giving their drivers dodgy advice like that. Printouts at the start and end of the shift is the correct way to operate when you have a faulty card.
Cheers Neil I’ve passed that info onto him, I aint used a digi card so dont know the score with them and never bothered applying for one since I let my LGV Licence expire last May.
updated
It appears they were initially told to take a printout but some units wont allow a printout as they are saying no driver / office card present as the tachograph recorders are not recognising the card, hence the reason they were told to make a manual chart “IF” the printout wasn’t possible.
He’s just emailed me a scan of the letter he was given.
Davey Driver:
It appears they were initially told to take a printout but some units wont allow a printout as they are saying no driver / office card present as the tachograph recorders are not recognising the card, hence the reason they were told to make a manual chart “IF” the printout wasn’t possible.He’s just emailed me a scan of the letter he was given.
he needs to do a vehicle printout rather than a driver printout , you can do the vehicle one without a card while the driver one needs a card in the unit
Cheers Denis
I’ve been on the phone to DVLA today, and was told it is a nation-wide problem.
If you phone them and explain your problem, they will give you an eight digit reference number to quote to an enforcement officer in the event of being stopped. This proves you have informed DVLA and are working to solve (their) problem. How this works outside office hours, I don’t know.
I wouldn’t fancy quoting it to the Poilizia Stradale and asking them to call some Welsh bird though. All the best with that if it happens to you… 
I rang the 0300 number this aft. DVLA surprisingly helpful. They took card and licence details and my contact number and then asked me to return the card as normal and they’ll replace it within 7 days (!). Posted it tonight 'cos I think there’ll be a bit of a queue…
We are driving 60 plates at our office.
All 2012 expiry cards rejected to the man!
I wonder if it has more to do with 60 plate machines than it does with the cards…
No idea how long it will take to sort all this out, as either the machines have to be re-calibrated which will take some days at least, OR our cards have to be replaced…
2012 card expiries, or 60 plates - What say everyone else? Either or both you think?
I’ve heard of 59 plates and 12 plates working no problem. Anyone else care to elaborate on this?
I’ve got enough printouts to wallpaper the cab in frilly curtain style! 
All core drivers at my depot expire oct 12, we drive 59 plates no problems so far for us!
Summary so far seems to be 60 & 61 plates don’t work.
I don’t know if this is just on Mercs or if that includes Dafs and other tractors as well.
Are both Stonebridge and Siemens card devices affected?
We seem to be all agreed that it is only affecting cards with an expiry later this year.
NOT AFFECTED SO FAR are:-
12 plates, 59 plates (58 and lower too?)
Cards already renewed in the last 12 months.
Cards that don’t expire until 2013.
If anyone can add some facts to this list, now’s the time. I reckon this will take at least a week to sort out as if involves a recall of either tractor units to have the faulty card reader replaced/repaired and/or our digicards being replaced, which I believe involves us all sending the old card back to swansea before getting a replacement.
I would imagine such a replacement would have it’s charge waived by DVLA as a show of good faith for this monumental ■■■■-up! 