Getting to grips with the tacho laws

Hi all,
I recently passed my Class 2 and hoping to do my Class 1 within the next 8 weeks and I am new to the Tacho rules and regs etc.
My question revolves around extra work/hours, I will try to explain.

I currently work as a self employed courier/transporter driving a LWB Sprinter van with no tacho, so never needed to worry too much about my hours etc. I have built up some very loyal customers and if at all possible would still like to help some of them and boost my earnings on my rest days (if permitted ?). You may possibly have guessed where my question is leading to.

IF I work for a company driving the maximum permitted hours in a week, then have to go on my rest period, am I allowed to drive my own vehicle during this period and for how long? I currently drive between 2000-4000 miles per week both in the UK and Europe. Whilst I appreciate I will not be able to do anything like as much once I hopefully begin working with a company, I would like to be able to continue to help my loyal customers and top up my salary if at all possible.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Markyboy1008:
Hi all,
I recently passed my Class 2 and hoping to do my Class 1 within the next 8 weeks and I am new to the Tacho rules and regs etc.
My question revolves around extra work/hours, I will try to explain.

I currently work as a self employed courier/transporter driving a LWB Sprinter van with no tacho, so never needed to worry too much about my hours etc. I have built up some very loyal customers and if at all possible would still like to help some of them and boost my earnings on my rest days (if permitted ?). You may possibly have guessed where my question is leading to.

IF I work for a company driving the maximum permitted hours in a week, then have to go on my rest period, am I allowed to drive my own vehicle during this period and for how long? I currently drive between 2000-4000 miles per week both in the UK and Europe. Whilst I appreciate I will not be able to do anything like as much once I hopefully begin working with a company, I would like to be able to continue to help my loyal customers and top up my salary if at all possible.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Any commercial work you do with your own vehicle counts as other work for the EU regs so cannot be used as rest

What you’re asking is, if you work the maximum hours as a HGV driver can you then work more hours for another company i.e. your own company, if you think it through I’m sure you’ll realise that you cannot legally do that.

Many thanks for the prompt replies.
I was unsure as to whether it would be permitted as my own work would not be on the tacho, although it makes perfect sense for it to be classed as other work, and I would not entirely be resting. It answers my question and also confirms that it will be pointless carrying on paying through the nose for all my current insurances as they will not be used any longer.
Is there a maximum that you are allowed to drive for your own purposes? If for instance I was to take the family to the coast for a day or two or over to Europe for the weekend ?

You can drive your car privately as long as you like in your own time, what you cannot legally do is drive commercially.

You can drive a goods vehicle up-to 7.5t in your own time and carry goods in it as long as it’s not a commercial venture, for instance if you was moving house and hired a 7.5t van to move your furniture it would be exempt from the regulations, but if you do it as a commercial venture it comes in-scope of EU regulations.

Many thanks for the reply tachograph, that is most helpful.