Evening all I start my new job on Monday and would just like some tips and info on using Tachographs in the lorry. I’ve been driving service buses for the past five years so never needed a digi card for that, I’m off for a sort of induction on Saturday where the boss is going to show me the truck I’ll be driving and how things work round the yard etc and I’m sure he’ll be able to advise me on the Tacho machine as well but thought I’d pick some brains on here first.
Seeing as though it’ll be my first time using a tachograph will I have to do a manual entry or can I just put the card in as soon as I arrive at work and just make sure it’s on other work for 15 minutes to show I’ve done my walk rounds? Watched a few vids on manual entries and read some older posts on here about them and there seems to be divided opinion on doing a manual entry and putting the card straight in? The job also requires the occasional night out and without wanting to sound like a total idiot if you’re on a night out do you eject the card as normal or leave it in on the break/rest symbol?
In as soon as you get in the truck. If you’ve been getting keys, paperwork etc show that as a manual entry and then do your walk round. There’s no set time for doing your checks just do them and then get on with your day.
Opinion seems to be split but it’s your choice to leave the card in overnight or eject it.
Whether or not to leave the card in overnight is at the company’s discretion, some want that some don’t, ask what they want.
As Santa mentions do not leave it in unless you have the keys and total control of the vehicle during your rest period, if the card is in any movement of the vehicle at all will be a major headache, ie even to move a yard or two to let someone out may well trigger a recording, so best to take it out and record manual entries.
Manual entries will seem incredibly complicated the first few times you do them, and if you come across the old style Stoneridge head unit and manage to perform manual entries you are in the wrong job and should be in charge of NASA , it’s as much as i can do to get me card back from one of those bloody things, thankfully the new Stoneridge is a vast improvement.
Some people don’t bother with manual entries, but companies who run absolutely spot on and are proud of being squeaky clean will almost certainly require them to be done.
When on nights out whether you take the card out or leave it in is your choice, personally when I did nights out I always preferred to take the card out but other drivers prefer to leave it in so it’s something you have to decide for yourself.
Legally if you leave the card in you’re supposed to manually record the country/location where the shift ends and again where the next shift starts, but I’m not sure how many people do.
Be aware that whilst most tachographs these days seem to default to rest when the ignition is switched off some still default to other work when the ignition is switched off, this means that if you leave your driver card in and turn the ignition on while you’re on your daily rest period it may start recording other work when you switch the ignition off again, you have 5 seconds to change it back to rest so it’s not really a problem just something you need to be aware of.
When you get your vehicle be sure to check what the tachograph defaults to when the ignition is switched off, then you won’t get caught out
You only need to do manual entries if you’ve done some work while the driver card was not in the tachograph, I’ve always done manual entries when needed but plenty of drivers don’t bother, as long as you’re aware that legally you are required to record all activities during your working day you won’t go saying the wrong things to the DVSA if you get stopped
How manual entries are done depends on the make/model and age of the tachograph so until you know that it’s probably best to ask someone to run you through it at your induction, without knowing what sort of tachograph it is we’d probably just confuse you.
Thank you everyone for your replies, I’m going in tomorrow for an hour so my new boss can show me the truck I’ll be driving and how things work around the yard etc so I’ll get to see what type of Tacho I’ll be using as well, then it’s on the road Monday I can’t bloody wait it’ll certainly be a bit different to driving buses around in circles all day
liam6226:
Thank you everyone for your replies, I’m going in tomorrow for an hour so my new boss can show me the truck I’ll be driving and how things work around the yard etc so I’ll get to see what type of Tacho I’ll be using as well, then it’s on the road Monday I can’t bloody wait it’ll certainly be a bit different to driving buses around in circles all day
Yep and the cargo don’t talk back or moan about your driving [emoji6][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
liam6226:
Thank you everyone for your replies, I’m going in tomorrow for an hour so my new boss can show me the truck I’ll be driving and how things work around the yard etc so I’ll get to see what type of Tacho I’ll be using as well, then it’s on the road Monday I can’t bloody wait it’ll certainly be a bit different to driving buses around in circles all day
Yep and the cargo don’t talk back or moan about your driving [emoji6][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
Haha these are exactly the words I’ve been saying to my bus driving colleagues all week!!
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, it’s as much as i can do to get me card back from one of those bloody things, thankfully the new Stoneridge is a vast improvement.
