tachograph laws

[stevenm1]

If i start driving at 6.00 am and make 2 deliveries first takes 10 mins and second 20 mins, i have not put tacho on break, at what time must i legaly take my 45 min tacho break at the latest

[Panic Button]

I reckon that would be eleven am in theory - four and a half hours driving and half an hour other duties.

However in my experience, on a paper tacho, the ten minute delivery might not be recognised as other duties by the tacho assessor. Ten minutes not moving could be stuck in a traffic jam. Leaving your break until what you consider the maximum will probably lead to a an infringement notice.

A digital tacho however will have it right on the button, and tell you when you need a break.

[sddsddean]

Agree on 11am, though would disagree with PB on the 10 minute stop. If you are not putting the tacho on rest and no driving is shown, it is not driving time (whether or not it is 'other duties'), so you shouldn't have a problem as long as no movement is shown. As to digital tachos, there are still problems with them rounding up minutes, so multi drop drivers who are driving quite legally are shown to be up to 20 mins over their driving time. Thats modern technology for you!!

[Panic Button]

Perhaps my outfit use cheap tacho assessors, but I find that if I stop my timer for a ten minute refuel break, and other non driving periods I get infringement notices for too much driving.

[bazmoore]

breaks must be at least 15 mins long

if you split your breaks up ie take a 15 min break first then your 2nd break must be at least 30 mins long

10 min breaks will not count at all

baz

[bazmoore]

also

you must take a 45 min breat after you have been working 6 hours regardless of how much driving youve been doing

baz

[sddsddean]

Become an owner/driver PB and do your own tachos!!

[Panic Button]

Baz, I didn't mean a ten minute rest break, I meant ten minutes away from driving to refuel, unload or do other duties. I shouldn't have used the word break.

Dean, I find I get more driving time from a digicard, particularly if there are hold ups. It appears to me that the digi tacho reverts to other duties when you have been stationary for between one and two minutes. I guess it keeps clocking up driving time for the rest of the minute you are in plus one whole minute. If you get a good hold up on the M25, of the handbrake on / engine off type, it extends your driving time.

I would be interested to know what the official line is on paper tachos for how long you have to be stopped before it counts as other work.

[stevenm1]

Thanks everyone, I am a releived man, someone told me I would still have to take a rest at 10.30, I have told him to check this website out! :-)

[Panic Button]

Surely if you assess your own tachos Dean, you could be compromised if you are not doing it correctly?

If you were involved in an incident and proved to be illegal they would throw the book at you.

[Panic Button]

Oh and Baz, after six hours duty you only need a 15 minute break, not the full 45.

You only need to make it up to the full 45 after four and a half hours driving.

[drive]

you need 30 min break or 2 15 min break after 6hrs duty

[IAN87]

You need 30 minutes break after 6 hours work as well as 45 after 4 hours 30 .If your 45 comes in before the 6 hours work that covers everything . But you then have to watch for the next 6 hours during your second 4 hours 30

[drive]

the working time directive is 30 min break up 2 6 but not over 9 hrs if u go up to 9 u must take another 15. its not 30mins for every 6hrs u work