A thought occured to me today. I am going to hire a 7.5 tonner to do a removal for my mate.
I have a class one and a digi card so ther will be no problem. my question is ,
If someone who has a 7.5 tonne licence on grandfather rights but does not have a digi card because he is not a driver by trade. how does he go on if he hires a brand new truck with only a digital tacho??
one for you Rog.
Provided he has applied for the digi card, he’s allowed to drive using a print out before and after the drive.
No application, no drive.
If he is using the 7.5 tonner for PRIVATE use, he doesn’t need to use tacho at all.
if its for private use (ie moving house) you do not need to put a tacho in it! i know this as i rung vosa to find out about the legalities for when i moved house 2 weeks ago!
Ditto i used a 7.5 tonner last weekend to move house and didnt use a tacho
206doorman:
Provided he has applied for the digi card, he’s allowed to drive using a print out before and after the drive.No application, no drive.
Don’t wanna pee on your bonfire here 206doorman and if I’m wrong I’ll offer you a sincere apology but I’m almost certain that if you’ve merely applied for a digi card you are not allowed to drive a vehicle fitted with a digi tacho, whether you do printouts or not is immaterial.
I think the only time you can drive without the card is if yours is lost or defective and you’re awaiting a replacement. Max 14 days I think this applies for.
I thought what the maoster said was right (but 15days)
You cannot drive a vehicle fitted with a digital tachograph unless you have been issued (i.e. received) a digital tachograph driver card, where the use of that vehicle comes into scope of the EU drivers hours rules contained within Regulation (EC)561/2006. Printouts as a means of record keeping are not acceptable under these circumstances.
You may only use printouts as records where the driver card is lost, stolen, damaged or malfunctioning. You must report such to DVLA within 7 calendar days. They must issue a replacement card within 5 working days of receiving a valid request. You may drive a (digital) vehicle for up to 15 calendar days whilst awaiting for your replacement card. You may drive for longer, if necessary, in order for the vehicle to return to base.
But none of this matters in this instance because the use of a vehicle for the non commercial carriage of goods, where the maximum permitted weight (including a trailer, if drawn) does not exceed 7.5 tonnes, is exempt EU drivers hours rules and therefore the tacho does not have to be used. Provided that the use of the vehicle is in no way connected with earning a living, then the vehicles’ use falls outside UK domestic rules as well.
so i hire a 7.5 tonner and put my digicard in as im useing it for commercial reasons. how would i cover the missing kms for the truck ?. would the hire agreement date cover me ?. also what about the hire company covering missing miles ?. interesting 1
r slicker:
so i hire a 7.5 tonner and put my digicard in as im useing it for commercial reasons. how would i cover the missing kms for the truck ?. would the hire agreement date cover me ?. also what about the hire company covering missing miles ?. interesting 1
hazard a guess before you take the truck out the company notes down the start milage on the agreement and when you return they note the finish milage. that way no missing miles 
on your copy which you prob have on you, if you got tugged the start milage would be on it they would check your digi tacho for when you started and they should hopefully match up. they’d just ring the hire company i’ imagine to confirm things.
but i stand to be corrected on all of the above by geebee45 i can hear him now, chuckling at his computer screen while 
at the same time 
r slicker:
so i hire a 7.5 tonner and put my digicard in as im useing it for commercial reasons. how would i cover the missing kms for the truck ?.
You do not have to is the simple answer.
All anyone is interested in is the bit from when you start to when you finish your recordings
What anyone else does before or after you is not a concern for you
rocky 7:
one for you Rog.
geebee45 is the EXPERT and has given the definitive reply in relation to the OPs question
the maoster:
206doorman:
Provided he has applied for the digi card, he’s allowed to drive using a print out before and after the drive.No application, no drive.
Don’t wanna pee on your bonfire here 206doorman and if I’m wrong I’ll offer you a sincere apology but I’m almost certain that if you’ve merely applied for a digi card you are not allowed to drive a vehicle fitted with a digi tacho, whether you do printouts or not is immaterial.
I think the only time you can drive without the card is if yours is lost or defective and you’re awaiting a replacement. Max 14 days I think this applies for.
I bow down to ‘the maoster’ and ‘geebee45’ for correcting me and giving the definative answers.
I wrote the ‘office version’, but I suspected they were fudging it.(for their own advantages) 
Hats off to you gents! 
206doorman:
Provided he has applied for the digi card, he’s allowed to drive using a print out before and after the drive.No application, no drive.
Probably been asked before,but how do you do " a print out before and after the drive " without a card ?
James Bateman:
206doorman:
Provided he has applied for the digi card, he’s allowed to drive using a print out before and after the drive.No application, no drive.
Probably been asked before,but how do you do " a print out before and after the drive " without a card ?
Easy James, just scroll down until you see ‘vehicle?’ displayed. Basically the same procedure as ‘driver’.
206doorman:
James Bateman:
206doorman:
Provided he has applied for the digi card, he’s allowed to drive using a print out before and after the drive.No application, no drive.
Probably been asked before,but how do you do " a print out before and after the drive " without a card ?
Easy James, just scroll down until you see ‘vehicle?’ displayed. Basically the same procedure as ‘driver’.
Cheers mate.
Between you guys - you have got it all about right - i work for one of the biggest rental companies in the UK - everything from Cars through to Trucks. - current fleet sits at 61,000 vehicles…
When you hire a commercial vehicle (plus 3.5t gvw) for non commercial use & no hire or reward - you do not need to use a tacho - be it digi or analogue. With regards to the mileage - every hire company will do a check out sheet of some sort or another & that check sheet will definately record the mileage out & mileage in when it returns - that way we have a record etc of miles used & by whom when Vosa etc turn up to inspect our records…
As an addition - when we are delivering & collecting any vehicle to/from a customer with a tacho fitted - we are currently exempt from using the tacho - providing the vehicle is not loaded & we are not carrying a passenger, providing we keep some sort of manual record - drivers logs etc. One of our main problems is that fact that we may only be in a tacho vehicle once or twice a day & for very short periods of time - but one driver may deliver/collect anywhere between 10/20 vehicles a day depending on distance etc… & dont get me started on 4x4’s / 35cwt tippers with tow bars & minibuses - all now tacho’d (if needing to pull a trailer over a certain weight) & most speed limited - its a minor nightmare…
We have had many issues with this from day one - especially when digi tachos came in & we sit in a very grey area with regards commercial use & hire/reward - bearing in mind we purely deliver & collect empty vehicles - no goods are ever carried etc…
Any questions re hire etc - happy to help…
The hire company will probably ask you to prove that you are hiring the vehicle for non commercial use, this is to stop the cowboys using trucks for commercial gain with no operators licence! A letter from the solicitors confirming the house move should be sufficient, you may want your mate to hire the vehicle in his name as it’s his house move. And no you don’t need to use the tacho.
markywuk:
As an addition - when we are delivering & collecting any vehicle to/from a customer with a tacho fitted - we are currently exempt from using the tacho - providing the vehicle is not loaded & we are not carrying a passenger, providing we keep some sort of manual record - drivers logs etc. - …
AIUI this only applies to unregistered vehicles, ie one’s being driven on trade plates(?)
markywuk:
when we are delivering & collecting any vehicle to/from a customer with a tacho fitted - we are currently exempt from using the tacho
I’ll believe you if you can give me that exemption and/or a link to it.
Me thinks this is a management made up ‘get out’ and not legal but i’ll be prepared to be proved wrong…
ROG:
markywuk:
when we are delivering & collecting any vehicle to/from a customer with a tacho fitted - we are currently exempt from using the tachoI’ll believe you if you can give me that exemption and/or a link to it.
Me thinks this is a management made up ‘get out’ and not legal but i’ll be prepared to be proved wrong…
Could this be the 50 click rule Rog?