What is the correct way to use ferry mode? I read up on this a while ago & came across posts on here also.
Anything i read or watched on youtube said to do it this way, this is the way i understood, I pull up at the docks & start my daily rest, before im about to board the ferry select ferry mode & drive on to the boat, put tacho back to rest when stopped. Before disembarking select ferry mode again so this will show 2 interruptions to my daily rest & find somewhere to park, not exceeding 1 hour in total for both shunts & complete my daily rest including shunt times added on.
Tonight i was stopped by vosa and they said im using ferry mode wrong, they said only use ferry mode when parked on the boat, so start rest at docks, drive on boat as normal & select ferry mode when on the boat, & drive off as normal & find somewhere safe to park & complete my rest.
They didn’t fine me for it but just wondering which is the correct way, thanks
On the Stoneridge tacho when you are about to make your ferry movement, and have selected the ferry mode, one hour will appear on the screen and start counting down as you start the move. That wouldn’t happen if you hadn’t selected the ferry mode before the move into the boat.
Edit.
If you are doing this regularly and have no issues with the tacho flashing messages to take a rest nor any mentions when your records are analysed, then once again, it looks like the individual officer from DVSA is the one in the wrong.
I’ve always understood that you select ferry mode at the start of your Rest, not once it’s been interrupted to get on the boat, which doesn’t make sense.
So long as ferry mode is selected after you start rest, and before actually moving the vehicle than all is OK.
The 1 hr countdown starts only when the vehicle is moved.
From memory:
If you are into a required daily rest then the tacho will flash up “daily rest required” or similar and will accept input of ferry move at that time.
If you had chosen to start your daily rest earlier and were still within a “15hr spreadover” (I’m using shorthand) then it would not flash up any messages at all, and would treat what you wanted to book as part of your daily rest as a break unless ferry mode was correcftly selected.
Yea it is a stonebridge tacho in the lorry i was driving and as you say once you select ferry mode it counts down from 1 hour for your 2 shunts.
The way the officer said to do it doesnt make sense as you wouldnt be using any of the allocated hour for your shunts, he thinks ferry mode is for sitting on the boat. I did question him at the time but he said i was wrong.
When actually on the boat the tacho should be set to rest, as you are sleeping in your bunk.
The ferry mode is for the move on/off the boat not time spent on it.
Not often I would say it, but the VOSA have got it wrong.
VOSA have ceased to be (since 2014), they’ve passed on! This authority is no more! They’ve expired and gone to meet their maker! They’re a stiff! Bereft of life, they rest in peace! If you hadn’t nailed them to the perch they’d be pushing up the daisies! etc
Thanks for clearing that up i was right for a change then
Also have a question on my daily rest which commenced last night, not sure if i should start another post but anyway,
I removed my card from tacho at 22.40 ( Scania Stonebridge ) this is when i started my daily rest. I was taking a 9hr rest so i could restart at my other work at 07.40
Other lorry is an Iveco S way not sure what tacho they use but i put my card in at 07.40 and it was only showing that i had took 8 hours rest, so i sat on too 08.40 for peace of mind.
This happened before but i drove anyway as i knew i had took 9 hours & it was flashing daily rest required or something similar, any idea as to why it loses an hour and is this likely to get me a fine?
