When you first put your digi card in at start of shift does it show your driving time in total as your driving along? I’m just wondering how u know to be accurate for breaks etc.
If it’s a seimens tacho (most are), just press the down arrow once. This will show your driving time!
I’ve never even seen a tacho! Haha I’m just asking because when/if I finally pass doesn’t seem to be much info on learning about tachos.
Try a simulator then! 
novadata.co.uk/det/5132/Digi … Simulator/
There are a few of them about, not sure which ones are better than others…
Tachos and drivers’ hours are regular courses of ours. We have introduced a new version of the course designed specifically for absolute newbies. Call for dates.
Pete 
All digital tachos will show how much driving time has been undertaken. BUT the way in which that is shown is different across the various makes and version of tachograph.
For instance, my old 2008 Stoneridge, showed on the main screen while driving, the number of hours and minutes counted up, you had driven since your last break. All well and good, stop before it hits 4:30
My new 2015 Stoneridge shows a count down of the number of minutes left until you need your next break.
Sounds like a trivial difference, but by god the new one is so much easier for planning times and breaks while you are driving!
F-reds:
All digital tachos will show how much driving time has been undertaken. BUT the way in which that is shown is different across the various makes and version of tachograph.For instance, my old 2008 Stoneridge, showed on the main screen while driving, the number of hours and minutes counted up, you had driven since your last break. All well and good, stop before it hits 4:30
My new 2015 Stoneridge shows a count down of the number of minutes left until you need your next break.
Sounds like a trivial difference, but by god the new one is so much easier for planning times and breaks while you are driving!
Stoneridge you say. SPITS ON FLOOR. Horrible invention. Sorry for the thread jack. As you were.
If you press down arrow whole the vehicle is in motion, you can see how much driving is done and beside that if you have taken any valid breaks.
If the tacho is on other work and you press down, you can see the driving time for the day and underneath that you can also see how many hours you have driven in two weeks
You can also see your total driving time for the current shift by either doing a printout or using the display option.
When you get to a tacho unit and have been driving for a while, stop and wait about 5-6 minutes. This allows the data to get dumped to your card. If you do it as soon as you stop it won’t show the latest block of drive time. To do a printout, hit the OK button (On a VEDO unit), it will bring up the menu which should say something like Printout Driver 1, hit OK again and select the date which should default to the latest date. Hit OK again and it should start printing out. You’re drive time is located at the bottom of the printout.
To use the display option, hit the OK button to bring out the menu. Hit the down arrow till you reach Display Driver slot 1. Hit OK to select the date and then OK again. It will show you the latest printout in digital form over two lines. Just hit the down arrow to scroll through it.
So say your getting your wagon unloaded, you set it to other work and leave it in while you are unloaded? Also on a break can you leave the card in there while your away from vehicle getting food etc? It’s the manual entry part that confuses me watched a few videos on YouTube.
Newbie1985:
So say your getting your wagon unloaded, you set it to other work and leave it in while you are unloaded? Also on a break can you leave the card in there while your away from vehicle getting food etc? It’s the manual entry part that confuses me watched a few videos on YouTube.
Nearly all tacho units will default to other work mode when the truck comes to a stop so you won’t have to worry about putting it on other work. When you are doing anything related to work like strapping down, walk around checks, assisting in loading and unloading then it needs to be set to other work mode.
When you are on a break, hit the number 1 button till you get to the bed symbol, this is the break mode, you can then freely dispose of your time. You should not really need to remove the card unless you are moving vehicle or its the end of your shift.
Nice one that clears that up.Think I was just over thinking things haha
Newbie1985:
Nice one that clears that up.Think I was just over thinking things haha
These things will come to you over time, you’ll develop your own way of doing things. Just remember to keep it legal 
Tony Saprano:
Stoneridge you say. SPITS ON FLOOR. Horrible invention. Sorry for the thread jack. As you were.
Only someone who doesn’t know how to use them properly would say that. 
OK, the first generation had an appallingly bad manual entry process, but the newer ones are much better for manual entries than VDO ones.
And they don’t have those other annoyances that VDO have, like how break times aren’t displayed until you wake them up and have to wait, or how your current driving time doesn’t stay displayed while moving.
Be aware of two things that cause new guys issues with infringements.
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Some trucks if you put it on bed (rest) then cycle the ignition to put the radio on, wind a window up/down etc revert back to other work automatically, so you can take it off break without realising, mostly hire trucks we have had this issue with.
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If you use POA (period of availability) then Siemens tacho’s particularly after any period of 45 mins whether combined break and or POA will reset the driving time on the tacho head, so don’t in that case just assume the tacho says you can drive for the full 4.5 hours unless you have had the 45 mins break required using rest mode.
As an example for 2, you have driven for an hour, had a 15 min break then drive for another hour, get to your drop and told you will waiting, so you choose POA for an hour, the tacho will reset your driving time as more than 45 mins have elapsed and will show 4.5 hours drive time remaining. However you have only driven 2 hours so far and only had a 15 min break, so you can only drive for another 2.5 hours not the 4.5 it shows on the tacho head.
Most people do not like using POA and choose to use rest instead as any period of 45 mins or more will reset your driving time.
Biggest thanks Evil8Beezle for link. I never touched tacho as well, now I can try it and see how it works.
Just had a go on the simulator really good that to get you used to the few different tacho graphs. One question say you set to break/rest mode and only have 10 minutes, does that actually count to total rest or has it got to be a minimum of 15 minutes?
Got to be 15 to count…But i would let that go over a minute or two…To make sure it records a full 15 break
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