Half way through my shift i came back to the depot to get another load and was tasked to double man on another two drops
I told the transport manager i did not think i would have enough hours but would have a crack at up it up 15hr point then it was game over.
I also told the second man the same.
Well i hit my 15 hrs, stuck my tacho on rest for the next two hours it took us to get back to the depot , the second man drove and had no problem with going over the 15hrs, i think in the end he was over by about three hours
we were told by transport that we could drive up to 22hrs, and not to worry about the 15hr mark
Not legal. Double manning rules did not apply as you would have had to be together all day bar the first hour. When you hit the 15 hour duty mark you were required to begin a rest period but sticking your tacho on rest did not count because a rest period cannot be taken in a moving vehicle, unless it is a ferry or train and you have access to a bunk or couchette. You have only had a daily rest period of 7 hours which is not legal. The other driver is in the same situation of insufficient daily rest.
Flipside:
i just had a gut feeling that this was dodgy, i took 9 hrs rest before i started the next day
Doesn’t matter how much rest you had before resuming the next day, as far as the tacho rules are concerned you had a 7-hour daily rest period.
Flipside:
what would normally happen if i hit 15hrs, is it case of park up?
At 15 hours duty the only option available is to begin a rest period. The only exception to this is double manning rules and for those the drivers must be together all shift bar the first hour. In the case you outline you should have parked and both began a rest period as you had both started at the same time that day.
Our boss has the habit of taking you upto 15hrs.Then has a company car waiting for you at the services with replacement driver.You tell him its still taking you over he replies "If you go straight home in the car and come to work in it tomorrow thats okay.Talk about twisting rules to suit.
johnpirate:
I thought they had removed the bit about one driver on own for the first hour?
Nah, they only stuck it in when the rules last changed in April 2007, before that the drivers had to be together from the start of the shift, and there haven’t been any rule changes since then.
I know it only came in recently .But I was sure I had seen in a recent book from VOSA it had gone again.But hey once the beer fairy pays a visit I see allsorts of things.
johnpirate:
Our boss has the habit of taking you upto 15hrs.Then has a company car waiting for you at the services with replacement driver.You tell him its still taking you over he replies "If you go straight home in the car and come to work in it tomorrow thats okay.Talk about twisting rules to suit.
Tell him to read THIS THREAD about the 15 hour rules
