Donbar:
I’m a day driver that’s ended up doing a night out. I’m without any night gear at all. I have to run in tomorrow with my trailer but then have a full days worth of work to do.
I need to go home to restock my daily food and drink supplies, perhaps have a shower but most importantly for medication that I will have missed.
My question is: how does this work with the tacho and my rest/breaks? I know you’re not supposed to take the card out until you finish so should I head home and leave the card in the truck? I’m also concerned how this will effect my shift length as I can see it easily becoming another ‘unplanned’ night out tomorrow night as well.
I know this is an old thread, but I thought I’d reply maybe to help others.
If was in your situation of leaving the truck to go home during the shift, I’d take your card out and do a manual entry when I get back, I’d also do a printout to give to the office in case you get a right bunch of jobsworths doing you analysis and to cover yourself if stopped by DVSA, although I doubt they’d really care that much, but might ask the question.
My tacho has a lot of manual entries, as I’m often working away from the truck, never been a problem with the authorities, even the Spanish, because of it.
Even on Day work I used to carry enough to do an unplanned night out, although I was also in sleeper cabs, things happen, motorways and major routes get closed and you can get trapped in there, bad weather and accidents don’t care that you are only a day driver or you only have a day cab, they might turn round the cars, but not always possible with the trucks. Although unlikely for many drivers, I’ve been stuck for hours at a port because bad weather buggered up the sailing timetables.
So a sleeping bag, flask of water, bit of a brew kit, a few snacks and even some dehydrated food and some wash kit and extra medication if required can make things a bit more comfortable, although not as a comfortable as somebody on regular nights out, this is more important with winter on its way and not much different to the travel advice all drivers are given for winter.
Of course if the night out is due to bad planning on the part of the company, too many drops, then as far as I’m concerned you should have a hotel paid for by them, especially if you’ve got a daycab.
Not sure what the situation was that got you nighted out, but when I’ve been on day work and its become obvious that I wouldn’t get the work done in the shift, I’ve called the office straight away and told them and they’ve had to make plans, believe me having worked in a transport office it happens all the time, I came to the conclusion as soon as you put a truck on the road all plans go out of the window.
The last time it happened to me it was due to snow holding up the loading for 3 to 4 hours as they cleared the area so the forklifts could work.
