How do you lot keep track of driving hours

[tachograph]

Ryan090:
If I arrive really early and put my tacho onto available does that count towards any of my hours for anything?

Also if I arrive somewhere and they are on there dinner break so I have to wait to be unloaded so I set my tacho to rest or available ?

If you use a digital tachograph I would advise you not to use POA until you’re more comfortable with keeping track of your times.

45 minutes of POA will wrongly reset the driving time on the digital tachograph display to zero, however legally POA is not break so does not legally have any affect on the amount of driving time you’ve done.
If you get paid for breaks use break when you’re waiting instead of POA, it’s less confusing.

Example:

You drive for 2 hours then put the tachograph on POA for 45 minutes.
The tachograph display will now show that you have 4.5 hours driving time until you need to take a break, but in reality you have done 2 hours driving so can only do another 2.5 hours driving before needing a 45 minute break.

[ryan090]

Does a digital tacho tell you how many hours you have been driving since start of the shift then?
Never used a tacho before I ain’t got a clue how to use one, ill just figure it out Monday I guess lol

[dipper_dave]

tachograph:
As far as I’m aware it’s not called the RTD and never has been, some people have adopted RTD rather than write the full initials RT(WT)D.

However they’re both wrong anyway, we work to the RT(WT)R 2005

+1 from me, RT(WT)R 2005 from now one
Might have to shorten it to the ‘WTF 2005 regs’ for my own benefit though.

[206doorman]

Ryan090:
Does a digital tacho tell you how many hours you have been driving since start of the shift then?
Never used a tacho before I ain’t got a clue how to use one, ill just figure it out Monday I guess lol

Yes Ryan,it tells you everything you need to know.
I suggest you find out the make of the Tach and download a manual to read.[Just Google it.]
Perhaps there’s another driver on your firm that’ll show you the initial basics?
You’ve got your card,hey?

[dipper_dave]

Ryan090:
Does a digital tacho tell you how many hours you have been driving since start of the shift then?
Never used a tacho before I ain’t got a clue how to use one, ill just figure it out Monday I guess lol

This link might help:
fomento.gob.es/transportes/s … _adsl.html

Or try googling tachograph simulator as I haven’t had chance to check this link out properly.

[m1cks]

If you’re doing pallet network multi drop then you should be ok with the following example of how your day is likely to be

07:30 start - paperwork and vehicle checks
08:00 - 13:00 deliveries (not likely to do more than 3 hours driving)
13:00 - 13:45 rest
13:45 - 17:30 remaining deliveries and collections
17:30 - 17:45 unload and hand paperwork in

Most days you won’t do more than 5-6 hours driving. Some days (when you get quicker) you might get a 2 hour break in the middle of the day.
Just also be aware of your 48hr week average.

Keep it simple. You are unlikely to need POA doing what you’re doing.
Although some have said to just keep it on break, this is against regulations if you are working (I’m not condoning it or suggesting to do it)

[driveroneuk]

m1cks:
07:30 start - paperwork and vehicle checks
08:00 - 13:00 deliveries (not likely to do more than 3 hours driving)
13:00 - 13:45 break
13:45 - 17:30 remaining deliveries and collections
17:30 - 17:45 unload and hand paperwork in

Fixed that 4u M1cks, best not confuse the lad more eh

Ryan you asked about putting your card in at the beginning of shift.

Say you’re given a start time of 07.00. You roll up to work at 06.50.
You may not get allocated a truck until 07.20.
You then put your card in and do a manual entry showing a shift start time of 07.00
Then do your vehicle checks with the tacho set to other work.

[martyh]

Another recomend for trucker timer here.best 4quid I ever spent.recent updates makes the home screen easier to read and there are different settings for the type of tacho and generation ,it also keeps track of WTD ,handy for multi drop drivers

[m1cks]

Driveroneuk:

m1cks:
07:30 start - paperwork and vehicle checks
08:00 - 13:00 deliveries (not likely to do more than 3 hours driving)
13:00 - 13:45 break
13:45 - 17:30 remaining deliveries and collections
17:30 - 17:45 unload and hand paperwork in

Fixed that 4u M1cks, best not confuse the lad more eh

Ryan you asked about putting your card in at the beginning of shift.

Say you’re given a start time of 07.00. You roll up to work at 06.50.
You may not get allocated a truck until 07.20.
You then put your card in and do a manual entry showing a shift start time of 07.00
Then do your vehicle checks with the tacho set to other work.

I originally put break but not to confuse him I went with rest as that’s the mode he would need for the tacho.
Confusing business this!!!

[tarrman]

You need at least a 15 minute break before 6 hours work is up but you are legally entitled to 30 minutes. Always give it an extra 2 minutes on your break ,compensates for any time difference on the tacho.

Other work and driving count as working time.

POA and breaks do not count towards working time.

I work on average 10 hours a night, I have 30 minutes break before 6 hours and then I will usually need a driving break before the next 6 hours is up, so I have another 30 minutes. This will reset my driving time as its been a split break (they say 15 min and 30 min but I have two 30 mins).

Then once that break is up if I get near another 6 hours work I’ll have another 15 minute before I finish for the day. It’s daunting at first but give it a couple of weeks and you’ll get the hang of it.

Usually the tacho will keep track of your times.

Failing that get some pen and paper and jot down each break you have during the day.

[tachograph]

Tarrman:
You need at least a 15 minute break before 6 hours work is up but you are legally entitled to 30 minutes.

When will people stop posting this 30 minute stuff

The law requires you to have a break of at-least 15 minutes before exceeding 6 hours working time.

That’s it, there is no more to the 6 hour rule than that.

You’re not legally entitled to 30 minutes before exceeding 6 hours, you’re required to have 15 minutes, it really is that simple … honest

[doubleq]

Ryan090:
Does a digital tacho tell you how many hours you have been driving since start of the shift then?
Never used a tacho before I ain’t got a clue how to use one, ill just figure it out Monday I guess lol

Yes it does, assuming you havent reset the counter

Dont ask me about the Stoneridge or Actia

But on (the most common) Siemens

Assuming your stationary:
Its just one simple key press on the [down arrow] to display whats accumilated,

But beware:
any accumilation of Beaks or POA’s with a duration equal or greater than 15minutes each,
totaling 45minutes or more, will reset this counter to ZERO

On some with OLD firmware,
any accumilation of periods of POA/Break (no matter what there duration)
will RESET the counter, when there total equals 45minutes or greater,

Also on the Siemens Head:
You can also display your total accumilated driving time
(since last daily or weekly rest,i.e when the shift began)
by srolling down the menu’s until you find " Display Driver "

This counter is NOT reset by BREAKS/POA’s
( except continous periods of POA/Break exceeding 9hrs )

Its the TOTAL ACCUMILATED DRIVING TIME ( since the start of shift )

But beware, this display is only refreshed at 1 minute intervals
( so wait at least one minute before viewing it )

Also beware if you pass Midnite UTC (i.e 00:00 UTC ) during your shift
Your record will be spead across two dates ( The previous day & Today’s DATE )

( you can also view past records this way, ie if your nosy and someone else drove your wagon yesterday, you can look at how many miles they did, what breaks they took,
when they started finished etc etc.
by changing the Display Driver [date] option )

The formation of the display in “Display Driver” is almost identical to that of a printout,
But you can only view a single line at a time (not the whole record, like in a printout)
(accumilated driver hours are near the bottom, just like on a printout )

Have fun…

Ho Yes, if you have an habbit of frequently recording Break or POA
just to keep your WT hours down.

check your Driving Time [one down-arrow press], before setting either:
( and NOTE it down somewere)

see you out there

[tarrman]

On a side note, to make using/reading the tacho easier, it may be a good idea to learn what the symbols mean. Obviously you have bed for rest, square for POA, cross hammers other work and the circle is driving. What I mean is the symbols for daily/weekly/accumulative driving time and rest. On the theory you learn the basic 4 symbols but I can’t for the life of me ever remember being taught about the symbols for accumulative time.

It’s only a little thing but it might make it a bit easier for you.

[tarrman]

tachograph:

Tarrman:
You need at least a 15 minute break before 6 hours work is up but you are legally entitled to 30 minutes.

When will people stop posting this 30 minute stuff

The law requires you to have a break of at-least 15 minutes before exceeding 6 hours working time.

That’s it, there is no more to the 6 hour rule than that.

You’re not legally entitled to 30 minutes before exceeding 6 hours, you’re required to have 15 minutes, it really is that simple … honest

Forgive me I’m new

I was looking at the RTWTD and its 30 minutes for 9 hours. Plus I’ve been told twice at my place that the first break is 30 and my planner is always telling me to go and have my 30 (works for me ). I know it’s 15 but I did think you we’re entitled to 30 so my bad. If my planners want to make me have 30 then who am I to argue? lol

Infact I might bring it up with them tonight so I know where I stand.

[doubleq]

ah dont get me started on working time & Breaks/Rest requirements

Basically its like this:

For working periods less than 6 hours, your require 15minutes break
which can not occure at the start or finish of the working period.

Simularly 30minutes for less than 9 hours (but exceding 6 hours)

Simularly 45minutes for any working time exceeding 9 hours.

So in therory if you shift is more than 6 hours but less than 9 hours
you require a total of 30minutes break, which could be taken as 15minutes + 15minutes
with the 1st 15minute break occring within the 1st 6 hours (but not at start of shift)

or if you wanted, you could take the whole 30minutes as one continious break, BUT
you would have to time it very carefully, so that either the whole 30minutes falls within the 1st 6hours, or at +5hrs 45mins since shift began

But watch out, dont take it within the 1st 02:30min in this example (see below)

The other thing to watch with WT / Breaks.
Is that you can NOT work any continious period exceding 6 hours without taking a break
I.e it doesnt matter NOW MANY Breaks you took in the preceding hours
WT says that you can not work greater than 6 hours without a break
( your get an infringment, I did )

Here’s is how it happened.

I started at 06:00,
took 15min break at 9:00
took 30min break at 11:30
shift ended at 18:30

end of last break =12:00
12:00 to 18:30 ( = 6hr’s 30mins ) No Break… WT INFRINGEMENT

have fun…

[tarrman]

Nicely put ^^^^^

Usually your first driving break will cover the second WTD break.

I’m willing to bet that you’ll have a 15 minute break before 6 hours, this will effectively make your driving break a split break (15 & 30), meaning after your first WT 15 minute break, you’ll probably need a 30 minute driving break which will also cover the next WT break.

Don’t do what I did though, in my second week of driving I was still trying to get my head around it all. I had a 15 minute break for my first 6 hours, then a bit later on I was getting near my first 4.5 hours of driving so thought I would have a split driving break so stopped for a 15. Shortly after the tacho was flashing because I needed a driving break and I ended up going over my driving hours.

I didn’t realise the tacho would recognise the first 15 minutes WT break meaning I then needed a 30 minute break not a 15.

It sounds complicated but give it a few weeks and you’ll get the hang of it.

[tachograph]

DoubleQ:
ah dont get me started on working time & Breaks/Rest requirements

Basically its like this:

For working periods less than 6 hours, your require 15minutes break
which can not occure at the start or finish of the working period.

That’s not correct.

If your total working time is not over 6 hours you are not legally required to have a break.

DoubleQ:
So in therory if you shift is more than 6 hours but less than 9 hours
you require a total of 30minutes break, which could be taken as 15minutes + 15minutes
with the 1st 15minute break occring within the 1st 6 hours (but not at start of shift)

or if you wanted, you could take the whole 30minutes as one continious break, BUT
you would have to time it very carefully, so that either the whole 30minutes falls within the 1st 6hours, or at +5hrs 45mins since shift began

That’s also incorrect.

There is no legal requirement to have any part of the break within the 6 hours working time.

The rule is that you should not work over 6 hours without a break.

[doubleq]

tachograph:
The rule is that you should not work over 6 hours without a break.

Not wishing to step on Mr Tachograph’s Toe’s,
as he’s our resident expert, in regard to WT/2005 & Driver Hours/Tachograph rule’s

I was just providing an easy to remember practical example
of how “one” might comply to this rule !.

Assuming that acumilated driving time doesnt force you to take Breaks sooner !.

while also attempting to highlight,
how easy it is to become distracted by presure (and keeness) to get “The work” done.

And unintentionally brake the rule!

Im an Old hand, and ive been cault out ( see my example in preceding post )

PS: There is nothin in the rules which say that you cant take MORE Breaks
or more “Daily/Weekly Rest” than required…

So Mr 2xQ says’ Grab any extra you can, when you can ( Happy days )

Pps: Someone suggested an Kitchen Timer ( set it to 5hrs 30ish )
which is fine, so long as your near enouth to hear it sound.

2xQ suggest instead, use a spare timer/alarm in your Mobile Phone !!!

Most people these days, get withdraw symtoms
if there unable to touch there Mobile Phone for comfort
( i.e they keep it near-by, carry it everywere )

So in there situation, Might be better