Probably been posted elsewhere, but unable to find it, so here goes…
Can anyone clarify the use of POA and how it affects both double manned and single manned journeys. I have always understood that the use of POA as a single manned journey does count towards your rest, ie. okay drive, were busy for next 2 hours, park over there - will give you a shout ! You know you are not doing anything for 2 hours - pop it on POA (or rest if you are due ) and first 45 minutes counts as rest and kickstarts a new 6 hr period…
over to you guys, what is the correct interpretation of POA, any links etc welcome.
On MM first 45 mins of POA counts as break- not rest
That is each time the second driver slot is used
On single POA cannot count as break
Most do not bother with POA and simply use break because the requirements are less and saves the tacho from thinking POA is break which can then screw up the driving time breaks
as I understand it, the 1st 45mins of POA is only counted as break if you are double manned and at that time as far as the digi card placement is concerned the 2nd driver, because you cannot put driver 2 onto rest whilst the vehicle is moving.
While your sat in the passenger seat with your driver card in slot 2 the first 45 minutes of POA is counted as break as long you’re not working, this is because slot 2 automatically records POA when the vehicle is moving and cannot be changed to break.
On a single manned journey POA never counts as break or rest.
“period of availability” means a period during which the mobile worker is not required to remain at his workstation, but is required to be available
to answer any calls to start or resume driving or to carry out other work , including periods during which the mobile worker is accompanying a vehicle being
transported by a ferry or by a train as well as periods of waiting at frontiers and those due to traffic prohibitions;
Some analogue equipment and all digital tachographs will automatically record all time spent as a second driver when the vehicle is in motion as a period of
availability and do not allow the mode to be changed to either ‘break’ or ‘other work’. Provided the second driver is not required to carry out any work
during this time, enforcement authorities will accept the first 45 minutes of this time as a break from driving.
Any periods of other work, however, must be manually recorded on a printout or chart by the driver