Any LGV drivers out there?

[Dalgety4]

Hi Guys & Gals

Any LGV/HGV drivers (Tacho users) out there :?: ... I have a question......... or two :?

[SteveN]

I'm an hgv driver but only work very local so don't spend a lot of time worrying about tachos, but I can always give you an opinion if it helps.

cheers
STEVE

[chumba]

i drive an artic ill try an help if i can

[Dalgety4]

That was Fast!!!!

Last year I had to retire early (after 20 years) from the fire service following an injury. Now I am fit enough to work again I thought i would use my HGV qualification for some part time work.

I never had the need to use a tachograph. I am a little confused about what modes a Disc type tacho should be switched to... when they should be switched and which symbols are OTHER WORK and P.O.A

any other info on hours etc would be good...i understand the rules changed in April 2007.

Cheers

[chumba]

when the card goes in it will display the bed symbol thats break .

press the button to turn on to work which is the small sqaure with a line through it.

the crossed hammers(other work) if you press the button again i never tend to use so cant say alot about it.

you can drive for four and half hours and then you have to have a 45min break(turn on to the little bed for this then back on to the sqaure after it)then you can drive for another four and a half hours.

you can split your break into two if you want eg stop put on break for 15 mins then have 30mins later.after your second break it restarts your 4.30.

do you want me to go on theres gotta be a website with all this lot on :lol:

[Dalgety4]

I have been checking various web sites and printing info etc.... there seems to bee a lot of contradictory stuff out there. I need to get it straight in my head coz I have to take a wee test before I can start work.

Thanks for your help!!

[chumba]

you`ll be fine it dont take long to get in to the routine -welldone-

[supertaff]

Hi, I'm a coach driver, but the tacho and hours are similar. I would suggest you take a look at VOSA 's website ( They are the new version of the Department of Transport). All the information you need, including new legislation and any new or forthcoming changes to the law are available here.
Matt.

[Dalgety4]

I will give that 2 coats of looking at!

Thanks Pal

Don't forget that you MUST take at least a 30 min break within 6 hours of starting work, regardless of how much driving time you have accumulated. This is for the working time directive.

Any more question you have feel free to ask, I've spent the last 4 1/2 years instructing on LGV including tachos and working time directive.

Have you applied for your digi card yet, £38.00. Most firms now insist that all drivers have them irrespective of if they have digi tachos yet.

Most firms will provide limited instructional time to help you (they have to by law).

I have in the past found this web site to be usefull: http://www.transportcafe.co.uk/drivers_hours.html

[Dalgety4]

Thanks...

I will send you a PM with questions tomorrow. Right now i need to put my feet up and chill. I have just lost loads of money and the will to live during a mammoth trip to the cash and carry.

I will be applying for a digi-card.

cheers

Gray

[terranokid]

I was given a complete training pack by my works.Training cd a thick book on digital tachos three rolls of paper and a small carry with you ref book the pack was made by siemens and is very good. But in the end there is only a couple of buttons you need to press

[Dalgety4]

I had a dig around following the help you all gave me and found this pdf doc. from VOSA


Drivers’ Hours and
Tachograph Rules for
Goods Vehicles
in the UK and Europe
Second Edition: Effective from December 2006
LGV

It does seem overly complicated but I think it has all the info in there :?

I may yet ask more questions... I always was inquisitive :lol:

[Mike_spy]

I am the middle of doing my class c training, test in a few weeks. I feel just as confused about the tacho rules as you do and I passed my theory test :D

I have the general idea as posted above but it seems to be a bit of a minefield for me as I only intend on driving some sundays for an extra few £. It appears with will effect how long I can work in the week even though I dont drive much (and will never be with a tacho) at my normal job.

I am amazed how many people are breaking the rules without knowing. As tachos apply to all vehicles over 3.5 tonne for hire or reward, most of the small car / caravan delivery terms are driving illegally. You often see transit sized car transporters towing a trailer with a car on. Unless they have a tacho (and someone with an O license of course) they are illegal. You cant even charge for delivering a car towed by your 4x4 on a trailer.

[supertaff]

The reason any other work is taken in to account is obviously to cover for work done elsewhere. What if you did 40 hours in a factory Monday to Friday, and after finishing work you did two 15 hour shifts on LGV/PCV , so thereby doing 70 hours work .... then fell asleep at the wheel, wiping out innocent people in a fatal RTA ?? Work is work, whether in a factory or behind a wheel.
Another weird point of law, is that if I am going to travel down to say Dover, to take a PCV over to the continent, if I drive or travel down in a works car, that is classed as working, but if I drive or travel down in my own car, that is not classed as work. 8O :? :|

I am the middle of doing my class c training, test in a few weeks. I feel just as confused about the tacho rules as you do and I passed my theory test :D

I have the general idea as posted above but it seems to be a bit of a minefield for me as I only intend on driving some sundays for an extra few £. It appears with will effect how long I can work in the week even though I dont drive much (and will never be with a tacho) at my normal job.

I am amazed how many people are breaking the rules without knowing. As tachos apply to all vehicles over 3.5 tonne for hire or reward, most of the small car / caravan delivery terms are driving illegally. You often see transit sized car transporters towing a trailer with a car on. Unless they have a tacho (and someone with an O license of course) they are illegal. You cant even charge for delivering a car towed by your 4x4 on a trailer.

Even if you only drive Sundays, you must still take the legal beaks from driving, weekly and fortnightly, which means you can't work 7 days. Your breaks can be checked by VOSA by means of your clock cards or normal working hours if not on clock or tacho. Be carefull of the time you finish Sunday and the time your normal work starts Monday. Likewise the time you finish Friday and the time you start Sunday.

Another weird point of law, is that if I am going to travel down to say Dover, to take a PCV over to the continent, if I drive or travel down in a works car, that is classed as working, but if I drive or travel down in my own car, that is not classed as work. 8O :? :|

Even wierder, if your employed by an agency, travel in your own car to Dover (for example) is classed as driving time.

Recently a driver doing container work and running out of Felixstowe for a Sheffield agency was told to take a (paid) night out on the way home or he would be in breach of his drive time. He failed to do so as he was in his own car and was subsequently dismissed from the agency.

[supertaff]

Sometimes these EC rules change for the worse. At one time, on a 2 driver job on coach driving , the drivers could do a 22 hour shift if there was a bunk on the vehicle, but only a 17 hour shift if there was not a bunk. The desk-pilot looneys in charge then decreed that a driver didn't really need a bunk, and consequently can now do 22 hours without a bunk. Try driving from Dover to , say Italy without proper rest !!
Talk about the looneys running the asylum !!! 8O :roll: -banghead-
Matt.

[waterman]

Supertaff is WRONG in what he said- as an EX coach operator I learnt this - if you use your own car to travel to pick up a coach it is still classed as other work as in the eyes of VOSA you are doing it for the "benifit of the company" and therfor it will be classed as work it is the same if you hand over a vehicle to another driver at a service area when you have worked your duty time - you cannot make your journey home without having your rest period even if it is in your own car or being driven by another person as it will be to the "benifit of the company" I was told this at a tacho course being run by VOSA a few years back
Hope this helps
Waterman