Just because some of us are happy to work long hours doesn’t mean we live beyond our means. I have more quality time at home now than when I worked in a sawmill. Ok i’m not at home at nights but I have a nice relaxing weekend, not sleeping most of it because of night shifts.
I work long hours during week so that my wife doesn’t have to work outside school hours. The extra I earn pays for luxuries, or holidays, or weekends away. I also save what I can. None of that is possible if I work 4 1/2 hours.
Scanner:
Never used it. The same as others have said, if I’m not working I’m resting.
Same here. I took a 3 hour break yesterday. Company says break instead of POA is fine.
Same as many never use it. Think I recorded 17 hrs worth of breaks last week and that’s not that unusual. Office don’t bat an eyelid.
Why would people not use it if they could? By not using it you increase your hours for WTD so it means there may be a chance you get parked up cos you exceed the 48hr average for a reference period or 60hrs for a week.
Showing too much break is like a red rag to a bull with VOSA.
VOSA can look all they like every one of those 17 ish hours is a legitimate break. Wasn’t working (ok may have answered a phone or two) wasn’t driving, so on break it goes.
Conor:
Why would people not use it if they could? By not using it you increase your hours for WTD so it means there may be a chance you get parked up cos you exceed the 48hr average for a reference period or 60hrs for a week.
Showing too much break is like a red rag to a bull with VOSA.
Only mugs use POA. And VOSA don’t give a ■■■■ about POA anyway so your argument is invalid. Like others have said, you’re either working (driving/other work mode) or you’re not (bed symbol).
Conor:
Why would people not use it if they could? By not using it you increase your hours for WTD so it means there may be a chance you get parked up cos you exceed the 48hr average for a reference period or 60hrs for a week.
Showing too much break is like a red rag to a bull with VOSA.
POA doesn’t count towards either of these only driving and other work do, it’s duty time not working time.
happysack:
48 hours. 4 days. No thank you. I know people who do this, no overtime, just a flat rate. And they get to work weekends too. Fantastic.
And last time I did that I was over half a decade ago and on just short of £30k and only doing 150 odd days work a year for that instead of the Mon-Fri mugs doing over 230.
Rob K:
Only mugs use POA. And VOSA don’t give a [zb] about POA anyway so your argument is invalid. Like others have said, you’re either working (driving/other work mode) or you’re not (bed symbol).
VOSA: Can you indicate on your tachograph where you did your walk round checks and when you loaded and unloaded?
You: Err…
VOSA: Better get out your wallet son…
DearBoy:
Conor:
Why would people not use it if they could? By not using it you increase your hours for WTD so it means there may be a chance you get parked up cos you exceed the 48hr average for a reference period or 60hrs for a week.
POA doesn’t count towards either of these only driving and other work do, it’s duty time not working time.
Thats the whole point of using it… 
And it is actually working time, not duty time.
Conor:
Why would people not use it if they could? By not using it you increase your hours for WTD so it means there may be a chance you get parked up cos you exceed the 48hr average for a reference period or 60hrs for a week.
Showing too much break is like a red rag to a bull with VOSA.
Legitimate two or three hour breaks or of any length for that matter are fine. I don’t fo it or use POA. My employer doesn’t really encourage it. Always finish before my 60 hrs per week and if I have to have days off on full pay (salaried) before the end of the reference period then bring it on! Over the three periods last year I had to have an extra 17 days off. Ok I lost nights out but still banked my salary. Love it!
Conor:
Rob K:
Only mugs use POA. And VOSA don’t give a [zb] about POA anyway so your argument is invalid. Like others have said, you’re either working (driving/other work mode) or you’re not (bed symbol).
VOSA: Can you indicate on your tachograph where you did your walk round checks and when you loaded and unloaded?
You: Err…
VOSA: Better get out your wallet son…
Well that would be when the tacho is showing other work.
Surely you could work that out?..
Conor:
Rob K:
Only mugs use POA. And VOSA don’t give a [zb] about POA anyway so your argument is invalid. Like others have said, you’re either working (driving/other work mode) or you’re not (bed symbol).
VOSA: Can you indicate on your tachograph where you did your walk round checks and when you loaded and unloaded?
You: Err…
VOSA: Better get out your wallet son…
Not sure if serious or just being a thick ■■■■■
Walk round checks : other work.
Loading and unloading : other work, or possibly break depending on the situation.
Clearly the DCPC isn’t a waste of time after all. It’s designed for people like you that don’t know how to use a tachograph correctly.
Conor:
And it is actually working time, not duty time.
No it ain’t, but you’ll believe what you will…
The Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005 - “The times of breaks, rests and periods of availability shall not be included in the calculation of working time.”
Conor:
Thats the whole point of using it…
Ah, you meant working on it, I see. Got the wrong end of the stick there. Not my bag.
You would be surprised on the legal definition of working time for mobile workers.
Almost all the time from key in at start of shift to key out at end of shift apart from your driving breaks is classed as work.
Hanging around a goods C D C or R D C is considered work as if you did not have to be there you would not be there.
If you had a choice of hanging around at a R DC no doubt some would love that, But if you can not practically leave your workstation then its work.
Waiting on call is work
standby on call is work
waiting in a queue is work
P O A is time when you are not required to remain at the workstation however you must be available to return to the workstation to perform your driving duties.
P O A is a loop hole that is being used to evade the calculation of working time.
Good luck drivers :arrow:
The reference period for calculating the 48-hour week is normally 17 weeks, but it can be extended
to 26 weeks if this is permitted under a collective or workforce agreement. There is no ‘opt-out’ for
individuals wishing to work longer than an average 48-hour week, but breaks and ‘periods of availability’
do not count as working time.Generally speaking, a period of availability (POA) is waiting time, the duration of which is known about
in advance. Examples of what might count as a POA are accompanying a vehicle on a ferry crossing
or waiting while other workers load/unload your vehicle. For mobile workers driving in a team, a POA
would also include time spent sitting next to the driver while the vehicle is in motion (unless the mobile
worker is taking a break or performing other work i.e. navigation).
now that’s the wording direct from the vosa book, now if they have it wrong I don’t think they would print it, do you!? 
wildfire:
The reference period for calculating the 48-hour week is normally 17 weeks, but it can be extended
to 26 weeks if this is permitted under a collective or workforce agreement. There is no ‘opt-out’ for
individuals wishing to work longer than an average 48-hour week, but breaks and ‘periods of availability’
do not count as working time.Generally speaking, a period of availability (POA) is waiting time, the duration of which is known about
in advance. Examples of what might count as a POA are accompanying a vehicle on a ferry crossing
or waiting while other workers load/unload your vehicle. For mobile workers driving in a team, a POA
would also include time spent sitting next to the driver while the vehicle is in motion (unless the mobile
worker is taking a break or performing other work i.e. navigation).
now that’s the wording direct from the vosa book, now if they have it wrong I don’t think they would print it, do you!?
What VOSA Book are you speaking about?
You don’t use POA for your walk round check do you? I use other work, because it’s other work, I’m not available to do anything else as I’m spending 15 minutes checking that my motor is fit and ready to work and making good anything that’s not right (bulbs and that)
I never use POA as I honestly don’t think anything I do counts as POA, as I’ve stated before I’m either driving, tipping or on break.
I assume that if you dont use P O A and dont work on break ,then you must work about 11 hour’s or less each shift,therefore you shouldn’t have a problem.
the problem only exists if you’re working the maxinum that the daily rest allows like operators who plan 15 hour and 13 hour shifts.
A driver regularly working 11 hours or just less would easily comply.
And with no need fir P O A