Fatboy slimslow:
Conor:
dle1uk:
the comments from stevie and rog, as well as comments in other posts proves that the tacho laws need cleaning up…No it doesn’t. It proves the DCPC is needed. The rules are not new and there have been very few changes to tacho rules since I started driving lorries over two decades ago.
tacho laws have only changed three times IIRC!
1974, 1984 and 2003 off the top of my head!
2007 FOR 561/2006
No rules or laws can say if a driver is fit to drive or not. Only the driver can. Clearly rules are needed but…
…the current rules are biased towards, not the driver or road safety, but to maximise the work you can get out of one driver, so the company can make a bigger profit out of them.
A fifteen hour shift is ridiculous, especially as you can be expected to do them back to back. And 70+ hours a week even dafter. In 1850, the average working week was between 70-100 hours. By 1900 the average working weeks was around 53.5 hours. So most drivers are putting in more hours than they did 112 years ago…
Hands up those of you doing more hours now than they did in the late 1800’s!!! This is the 21st century FFS. Time the laws were made so that no driver worked more than 50 hours a week. Trouble is, as most drivers seem ok with 8 quid an hour you couldn’t make a decent living then…
As drivers, we’re treated as 19th century workers in effect. I’d be interested to see the reaction if office types were expected to work 70+ hours a week for the same money they now get doing 37.5hrs… 
Truckulent:
I’d be interested to see the reaction if office types were expected to work 70+ hours a week for the same money they now get doing 37.5hrs…
Where i work the office lot work about 12hours a day, mostly 7 days a week…
If anything was changed, it would be to drop the RTD for EU/AETR Driving. Keep it for Domestic, then it is necessary.
A driver is allowed to drive 56 hours per week so drop the 90 hours per fortnight. Whilst still keeping the rest periods the same of course.
(Although someone said you were only allowed 45 hours per week)
If I really wanted to screw things up I would stop anyone having 24 hours off at home 
Any more limitations you put in will drastically affect some drivers getting home.
Saaamon:
Truckulent:
I’d be interested to see the reaction if office types were expected to work 70+ hours a week for the same money they now get doing 37.5hrs…Where i work the office lot work about 12hours a day, mostly 7 days a week…
That seems the norm in most transport companies with one or two being on call through the night, all night.
The top and bottom of it is that the European union brought out a set of safe working rules for drivers in tachograph regs. Now if that’s good enough why have another set of rules in the wtd. It’s either safe and correct with the tacho regs or it isn’t. How stupid to have 2 sets of rules for 1 same thing. I bet if you went to court if you were caught out by one set of rules but ok by the other set that you could argue successfully that the European said it’s ok to work such and such in them rules but according to them other rules it’s not. It can’t possibly stick on you in a law court
Kerbdog:
The top and bottom of it is that the European union brought out a set of safe working rules for drivers in tachograph regs. Now if that’s good enough why have another set of rules in the wtd. It’s either safe and correct with the tacho regs or it isn’t. How stupid to have 2 sets of rules for 1 same thing. I bet if you went to court if you were caught out by one set of rules but ok by the other set that you could argue successfully that the European said it’s ok to work such and such in them rules but according to them other rules it’s not. It can’t possibly stick on you in a law court
As you say the EU rules are more than sufficient, the RTD rules are too closely linked and yet so far apart from them. It only serves to confuse.
As no one appears to have been prosecuted yet, it cannot be so hard to review and relax the WTD/RTD
Wheel Nut:
it cannot be so hard to review and relax the WTD/RTD
Said from the point of view of someone who is happy to work to the full (or near extent of the EU rules) that may make perfect sense. From the point of view of someone who wants to work no more that other workers then the RTD doesn’t need relaxing at all, it needs bringing into line with the general WTD. Infact the RTD is a relaxed version of the WTD.
I think the starting point is that the WTD or RTD affects everyone, so why do we need any EU drivers regs?
Mike-C:
Wheel Nut:
it cannot be so hard to review and relax the WTD/RTDSaid from the point of view of someone who is happy to work to the full (or near extent of the EU rules) that may make perfect sense. From the point of view of someone who wants to work no more that other workers then the RTD doesn’t need relaxing at all, it needs bringing into line with the general WTD. Infact the RTD is a relaxed version of the WTD.
I think the starting point is that the WTD or RTD affects everyone, so why do we need any EU drivers regs?
Because tired drivers are generally more dangerous than those sat in an RDC or stood in a layby having a ■■■.
Both me and the 45 minute break were here first and you can’t please all of the people all of the time
Wheel Nut:
Mike-C:
Wheel Nut:
it cannot be so hard to review and relax the WTD/RTDSaid from the point of view of someone who is happy to work to the full (or near extent of the EU rules) that may make perfect sense. From the point of view of someone who wants to work no more that other workers then the RTD doesn’t need relaxing at all, it needs bringing into line with the general WTD. Infact the RTD is a relaxed version of the WTD.
I think the starting point is that the WTD or RTD affects everyone, so why do we need any EU drivers regs?Because tired drivers are generally more dangerous than those sat in an RDC or stood in a layby having a ■■■.
Both me and the 45 minute break were here first and you can’t please all of the people all of the time
You’re right. Under EU regs its possible to workdrive 10 or more (just used ten hours as an example) and no break required. Under any RTD or WTD you MUST have a rest break before this. Its a no brainer !!
Saaamon:
Truckulent:
I’d be interested to see the reaction if office types were expected to work 70+ hours a week for the same money they now get doing 37.5hrs…Where i work the office lot work about 12hours a day, mostly 7 days a week…
Ah, but that’s haulage. I mean other industries. Try the local council office, or perhaps the office at a solicitors. Or maybe in a school office. Admin in many businesses work much fewer hours than in haulage.
Reality is, most folk work 37.5 -45 hours a week not 70+…