Caught out by an analogue tacho

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

I’ve been driving for a while now, using a digi card mainly and the odd analogue tacho, no problems with either, just the early days when I didn’t know what to do.

Below a small tale for the New & Wannabe’s to watch out for, it came as a surprise to me. :astonished:

I started work at 05:00 approx. jumped in the lorry, completed the chart ready for work and inserted into the tacho machine and started paper work, walk round checks etc. I set off for my first tip, the day went to plan, until I stopped for a 45 break, I went to press the button to put the tacho on break and it was already on break, I thought that’s good, how did it know I was due to have a break; I pressed the button to check that all was well, no problem so left it on break.

After my 45 I carried on with my day, no dramas, back to the yard for 1630, checking the tacho once more, it’s back on break, taking the chart from the machine the whole day has been done on break! :open_mouth: The machine is faulty was my first thought but when I checked the operation modes earlier all was well. At a loss as to what had happened I walked into the transport office to try and find out what was wrong.

The TM scanned my chart and said there was an obvious infringement, as if I didn’t know, and would have to sign the form indicating same, he went to explain what had happened.

There are some tacho’s which will not detect when the lorry is moving so not automatically switch to drive, nor will it sense that the lorry is stopped, therefore assuming other work, so in effect the last person to drive the lorry, which I had picked up, had left the tacho at rest, which was the correct mode for that person, I should have set the tacho to other work when I started work and then all would have been OK, but as I had assumed, obviously incorrectly, that it would switch to other work, drive etc I had inadvertently committed the error. :blush: :blush:
There are are only two lorries in the fleet, both registered in 2004, with tacho recorders which work in this manner, just my luck to get one of them!

Always check if you’re using an analogue tacho that the mode of operation is selected correctly before you do anything! :wink:

2

Unless that is a really old tacho fitted to a 2004 vehicle then the tacho is faulty. How many symbols are on the mode switch? If it is just crossed hammers, square box and bed then it should record driving automatically and will be faulty. If it has four symbols, crossed hammers, square box, bed and steering wheel then you will have to select driving mode. They must be really old tacho units if this is the case, and it’s a long time since I used one, but I am pretty sure even if you didn’t turn the mode to driving they still recorded the speed and/or distance trace and only the mode trace was wrong.

3

Hi Coffee, it did record the speed the only thing it did record along with what looks like my day of rest. I’ve seen the old type of tacho’s, switch for all modes, the recorder generally set behind the speedometer, this one was set in the headboard with just a button for the modes, which with hindsight I should have investigated more, assuming it would record driving automatically, a lesson learned!

4

Sounds like a CD type tacho with digital display and its probally not faulty as these can be set to default to break or other work when the truck stops moving.
when they default to break, you need to change the mode every time the truck stops
Im guessing it was a MAN

5

teatree:
Hi Coffee, it did record the speed the only thing it did record along with what looks like my day of rest. I’ve seen the old type of tacho’s, switch for all modes, the recorder generally set behind the speedometer, this one was set in the headboard with just a button for the modes, which with hindsight I should have investigated more, assuming it would record driving automatically, a lesson learned!

All those ones will record driving automatically and if you had investigated the mode switch you would find you only had three options with driving not being available for selection.

You have said it has recorded the speed trace but did it also record the distance trace? Little up and down lines round the centre field, with each line denoting 5km.

I’m beginning to think the problem here is with the way you are reading the chart rather than the head being faulty. Just because it defaults to break when the vehicle stops doesn’t mean it is not recording driving. What is it from the chart that makes you think it wasn’t as the fact the speed trace was present suggests it was?

The only thing that would show it wasn’t recording driving would be the mode trace. That is the second one out from the centre field and is a black line of different thickness for each mode, as in the image below.

TachographChart.gif
TachographChart.gif704×704 138 KB

If that one is all one thickness, a thin line for break/rest, but the speed and distance traces are present then the unit is faulty. If that line varies from thin to thick then all is fine and your driving was correctly recorded.

6

205:
Sounds like a CD type tacho with digital display and its probally not faulty as these can be set to default to break or other work when the truck stops moving.
when they default to break, you need to change the mode every time the truck stops

What it is defaulting to when the vehicle stops isn’t the problem he was asking about. He is saying the unit didn’t record his driving, which would be a fault.

7

The speed trace is there too, just not that familiar with reading the chart, I’ve got the Tachomaster Guide to the Correct Use of the Analogue Tachograph printed now, I’ll no doubt understand a lot more from a bit of studying.

All down to my miss operation. :blush:

Hi 205, yes it was a MAN

8

teatree:
The speed trace is there too, just not that familiar with reading the chart, I’ve got the Tachomaster Guide to the Correct Use of the Analogue Tachograph printed now, I’ll no doubt understand a lot more from a bit of studying.

All down to my miss operation. :blush:

Hi 205, yes it was a MAN

Ah, it seems to have been the well known PIDNIT* problem, not too serious and easily cured.

Of more concern is the fact the TM you dealt with is an obvious ■■■■, be wary of him in future. :wink:

*Problem In Driver Not In Tacho :wink: :stuck_out_tongue:

9

Very true PIDNIT! :blush: :blush:

Thanks for asking the questions. :smiley: