just done dcpc. 35hrs over 5 days [yawn yawn] I want to know why the massive differnce between EU and domestic hours regs? surely any driver maxing out on domestic rules would absolutley knackered! anyone using dom regs ? the only time i ever used them was on an agency council dustcart job . Also do the french etc have thier own domestic regs?
TBH maxing out on Dom rules would be a killer, but the law does say that “reasonable rest must be allowed” therefore woolly as it is they can’t really make you work 1 hr on 1hr 2.5 mins off 24/7 
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I’m on Dom and our company makes us comply with the WTD rules and, we must have at least 9 hrs rest daily (when the snow comes that may be something to look out for), they also don’t let us work more than 6 days in a row, so its not bad at all.
schrodingers cat:
TBH maxing out on Dom rules would be a killer, but the law does say that “reasonable rest must be allowed” therefore woolly as it is they can’t really make you work 1 hr on 1hr 2.5 mins off 24/7I’m on Dom and our company makes us comply with the WTD rules and, we must have at least 9 hrs rest daily (when the snow comes that may be something to look out for), they also don’t let us work more than 6 days in a row, so its not bad at all.
How would maxing out domestic rules be a killer? I thought they allowed less working hours than EU regs?
Mike, it’s not the actual amount of work / driving that is necessarily the problem under domestic rules. When you look at HGV domestic rules there are no break requirements and no requirement for continuous daily rest or any weekly rest period.
An extreme example;start 06:00 Monday,
work 1 hour,
sit around for an hour,
drive for an hour,
sit around for an hour,
drive for an hour,
sit around for an hour,
drive for an hour,
sit around for an hour,
drive for an hour,
sit around for an hour,
drive for an hour,
sit around for an hour,
drive for an hour,
sit around for an hour,
drive for an hour,
sit around for an hour,
drive for an hour,
sit around for an hour,
drive for an hour,
sit around for an hour,
drive for an hour
take 2 hours off
It’s now 06:00 Tuesday start the above cycle again.
If I got my maths right the above shift would contain 10 hours driving and one hour of work in a twenty for hour period, totally legal. The ‘sitting around’ does not count as ‘work’ in the domestic rules so doesn’t count for anything. Because there is no requirement for continuous rest all you get left over at the end of the day is 2 hours to get you into the next 24 hour period.
Whilst the above is very extreme, it illustrates what could be scheduled. I’ve come across a couple of councils that decided because the regulations didn’t require breaks then the drivers on a 9 hour shift didn’t need them Strangely, the person in the office who thought of that one fully expected to have morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea!!