My card is not closing (as of yesterday when I ejected it at end of shift) got the message “Card fault 41”.
I discovered this morning that yesterday’s activity has not been downloaded to the card (card not closed).
Obviously I need to send off for a new card but, as an agency driver, I won’t be allowed to work until I get a new one back.
My question is: shouldn’t this be classed as a parity issue (formal employees would not have to stop working if they lose or damage their card), I should expect the same working conditions etc?
Also, does anyone have any up to date experience of DVLA lead times right now? Have they all been seconded to DWP to cope with UC claims deluge?
When this has happened to me, it is the unit that is at fault, not the card.
Always make sure the mode is on REST when you insert and eject - or you’ll be awarded however long your card was out of the device between shifts as “Drive Through” WHEN the device reports a “Card Not Closed” error.
Dancing Brave:
Hello My question is: shouldn’t this be classed as a parity issue (formal employees would not have to stop working if they lose or damage their card), I should expect the same working conditions etc?
Depends on the company. If you’re with a single company over a prolonged period of time they might allow you to carry on as long as you do 2x vehicle printouts before and after starting (keep one and hand the other in).
If you’re working for multiple companies, then theres no parity since you’re basically a new employee and they have no way to check you can legally work. Eg, daily rest has been taken.
As for timing, mine took a week from time of sending off the form to receiving it and that was last month.
Btw, remember to keep the old card on you for 28 days.
Winseer:
When this has happened to me, it is the unit that is at fault, not the card.
Always make sure the mode is on REST when you insert and eject - or you’ll be awarded however long your card was out of the device between shifts as “Drive Through” WHEN the device reports a “Card Not Closed” error. Car smashes into McDonald's in Ashford's Eureka Park No, not that kind of Drive-Through!
I am hoping you are correct, card ejected without any fault codes at end of shift today so mildly optimistic this was an issue with the unit. I’ve just downloaded to tachomaster and my stats are horrific! A 39 hour shift with over 32 hours driving - infringements galore!
Dancing Brave:
Hello My question is: shouldn’t this be classed as a parity issue (formal employees would not have to stop working if they lose or damage their card), I should expect the same working conditions etc?
Depends on the company. If you’re with a single company over a prolonged period of time they might allow you to carry on as long as you do 2x vehicle printouts before and after starting (keep one and hand the other in).
If you’re working for multiple companies, then theres no parity since you’re basically a new employee and they have no way to check you can legally work. Eg, daily rest has been taken.
Thanks for your response. I work regularly for two different companies so I guess IF my card is U/S then I’m going to be having some unscheduled leave! Atm I am hoping Winseer is correct and it is the unit that is at fault. I won’t know for sure until my next shift.
No need for unscheduled leave. Just do the print outs as you’re told to do by DVLA when your card is faulty. Keep them on you and as they meet the legal requirement for recording your work then there’s no issue. Hand them in after 28 days. It’s no different than working on agency when it used to be paper charts other than this is now a computer print out with human readable times instead of a squiggle scratched onto a paper disc.
Conor:
No need for unscheduled leave. Just do the print outs as you’re told to do by DVLA when your card is faulty. Keep them on you and as they meet the legal requirement for recording your work then there’s no issue. Hand them in after 28 days. It’s no different than working on agency when it used to be paper charts other than this is now a computer print out with human readable times instead of a squiggle scratched onto a paper disc.
At one of the places I work, a DHL contract, they will not allow agency drivers to start a shift without a fully-functioning digi card.
Winseer:
When this has happened to me, it is the unit that is at fault, not the card.
Always make sure the mode is on REST when you insert and eject - or you’ll be awarded however long your card was out of the device between shifts as “Drive Through” WHEN the device reports a “Card Not Closed” error. Car smashes into McDonald's in Ashford's Eureka Park No, not that kind of Drive-Through!
I am hoping you are correct, card ejected without any fault codes at end of shift today so mildly optimistic this was an issue with the unit. I’ve just downloaded to tachomaster and my stats are horrific! A 39 hour shift with over 32 hours driving - infringements galore!
Yep, that’s what happened to me. I got banned from site a few weeks later over mainly the back-issue of “too many tacho infingements…” A 28 hour shift with 26.5 hrs solid driving, “insufficient daily rest, insufficient weekly rest, no break taken after 4.5hrs driving” etc etc…
The “Card not closed” error - didn’t come up until the following START of shift - when the card went into a different device with no fault with it… That meant any infringements duly inflicted - stood.
It was the last device the card was ejected from - that was eventually discovered to be the culprit. Didn’t save me though.
Conor:
No need for unscheduled leave. Just do the print outs as you’re told to do by DVLA when your card is faulty. Keep them on you and as they meet the legal requirement for recording your work then there’s no issue. Hand them in after 28 days. It’s no different than working on agency when it used to be paper charts other than this is now a computer print out with human readable times instead of a squiggle scratched onto a paper disc.
At one of the places I work, a DHL contract, they will not allow agency drivers to start a shift without a fully-functioning digi card.
That’s why so many places insist you download your card at both the start AND end of shift.
…If the card is broke - they’ll know straight away with a “read error” or some other thing flagging up.
They’ll also know straight away before you get handed your keys - if you’ve pulled 3x15 hour shifts already this week, when they were actually planning you for a 14 hr likely-to-over-run job tonight…
