Can some one please tell me if i have to put a tacho in as soon as i get to work even though i know i won’t be going anywhere?
Also today they decided to send me out in the 3.5 tonne luton van at 2pm and did’nt get back till 10 pm.Does this count towards my time on duty and if so does that mean i am not allowed to drive until 7 am tommrow.
Hope it makes sense
Thanks
Mark
Yes it does as other work.
However as there is no record of when you finished. If you got pulled you would have to explain that you were driving under 3.5 tonne today, If you dont want to drop yourself in it.
(They presumably could trace your finish time through any timesheets you give in, but that would be time consuming so if you give them no reason to be suspicious 
)
make a manuel record on a tacho fill in the t section as 3.5 or van at least you will have complete work record
The back of the chart has a grid on it marked with the work type marked on it, use this, you can write 3.5 ton on the back also , or just leave it recorded as other work.
I normally use the back to record vehicle details as per HGV. i.e. I record reg & miles. oops, sorry nearly forgot if you do record the vehicle details ALWAYS record it as under 3.5 tons as the VOSA etc will not know what it is, just that its recorded as other work but driving.
At one of the Truck Shows last year I was talking to someone who had cut drivers hours by 25% by tellng them not to put them in untill actually leaving the depot.
Illegal---------yes, but a big increase in profits for the company
from the moment you clock on so to speak that is when the clock is running .so you may as well put a tacho in or record it later on the other side as other work.plus if there is about 15 / 30 mins recorded other work at the start of your tacho ,this goes to show you done your daily checks.
Also today they decided to send me out in the 3.5 tonne luton van at 2pm and did’nt get back till 10 pm.Does this count towards my time on duty and if so does that mean i am not allowed to drive until 7 am tommrow
what time did you start work 
but basically you have to have 9 off minimum
Just thought…I could be wrong…but as far as I remember, once you drive one vehicle in a day which come under Tacho Rules, you must stick to those rules for the entire day. That includes driving time, which means you are still subject to the same hours limits as if you were in a bigger vehicle… 
As I said though, i may be wrong…will try and check for you. 
Day or week Lucy? I may have been doing it wrong but I’m sure that if you drive a tacho required vehicle at all in any Monday -Sunday week you had to keep to tacho regs and keep a record for the whole week. That is also consistent with the advice given on here about those folks who work Monday - Friday at a desk job then drive at week-ends.
Tin hat drops below the parapet. 
I’ll try and get this right, but it will get complex.
If you drive an EC controlled vehicle i.e. one that is over 3 500 kg then you are required to use a tachograph instrument (and chart) and keep with the EC drivers hours requirements; continuous driving, max daily driving, daily rest and weekly rest. Certain vehicles are exempt EC requirements eg, refuse vehicles, those built as specialised breakdown vehicles etc. The majority of EC exempt vehicles come under Domestic Regulations, where you can use either a tachograph or a log book to record driving / duty.
During a day when you drive an EC controlled vehicle you must keep a record of your whole days’ duty. This particularly effects folk like agency drivers where you get called into an RDC at say 06:00 but you don’t get a vehicle until 08:00. You need to make a manual record on the rear of the chart covering those two hours under the ‘duty’ symbol (box with the diagonal line through it). Same applies if you work in the warehouse for a couple of hours after driving, make a record on the grid on the reverse of the chart. However, if a vehicle with a tachograph is available you should use the instrument in perference to making a manual record. If you happen to drive a vehicle of 3 500 kg or below on the same day as you drive an EC controlled vehicle then you make a manual record on the reverse of your chart to cover the period of non EC driving. However, in this instance you record it as ‘duty’ and not ‘driving’ as the vehicle is not controlled by EC regulations (told you it got complicated!).
On a day when you do not drive any vehicle (EC or Domestic) you do not keep a record. So on the day you get sent around the yard tidying-up you don’t have to keep any form of record. However, many drivers fill out a chart giving start and finish times and writing something like ‘yard work, not driving’ on it. Not required, but sometimes makes life a bit easier at a check site.
Finally (breathes sigh of relief) whilst telling people not to make charts when required may increase profits short term, it won’t go down well in Court. Cause or Permit is more serious than use (actually doing the offence) and as creating a ‘false record’ can carry a £5k fine and up to 2 years inside (per offence) it’s probably better not to go down that road. If in doubt you can get a copy of the VOSA guide to drivers hours and tachographs, GV262 (it’s free) or you can download from their website.
geebee45:
Finally (breathes sigh of relief) whilst telling people not to make charts when required may increase profits short term, it won’t go down well in Court. Cause or Permit is more serious than use (actually doing the offence) and as creating a ‘false record’ can carry a £5k fine and up to 2 years inside (per offence) it’s probably better not to go down that road. If in doubt you can get a copy of the VOSA guide to drivers hours and tachographs, GV262 (it’s free) or you can download from their website.
couldn’t agree more geebee45 but that’s what he said
Clock in, Tacho in, the company wont thank you for saving them money and nor will they pay any fines you get if records are checked.
Thanks for the replys
I think i know where i stand now
Mark