Can anyone tell me what I legally need to have or get when I upgrade to a digicarded truck next month? I have a digicard, but have been told I need a control card, a plug in thing, a laptop, some software.
I have an iPad and an old laptop at home that I could use but have no idea what I need or what to get.
Silverback
3 Feathers Haulage
You won’t be getting (or needing) a control card - they are for the police and VOSA. What you need, in addition to your own driver card, is a company card.
Both control cards and company cards allow downloading of data from the vehicle unit (the tachograph unit itself). The difference is that a control card allows downloading of all data on the VU irrespective of company locks, whereas a company card only allows downloading of data whilst the VU was locked to your company.
When you get the vehicle, you lock in the tachograph to your company using the company card. You lock out when getting rid of the vehicle.
The company card is needed to download the data from the VU, which you must do at least every 56 days. You also need to download your driver card at least every 28 days. In practice it is better to download this information much more frequently!
You must keep secure backups of the tachograph data.
So, in summary, you need a company card (send the application off now), download hardware for VU and driver card, and some way of storing the data. Typically you buy a software and hardware bundle that works with a laptop - I’m sure others will have recommendations for you.
Edit: corrected download interval for VU - thanks wilbur.
djw:
The company card is needed to download the data from the VU, which you must do at least every 90 days. You also need to download your driver card at least every 28 days. In practice it is better to download this information much more frequently!
It’s actually every 56 days for the vehicle.
Ok I will get my company card now, how long does it take to come, can anyone recommend a software package? I have seen on eBay a cable that plugs into the tractor unit head, do I need one of them?
Silverback
3 Feathers Haulage
wilbur:
djw:
The company card is needed to download the data from the VU, which you must do at least every 90 days. You also need to download your driver card at least every 28 days. In practice it is better to download this information much more frequently!It’s actually every 56 days for the vehicle.
Thanks for the correction.
Im not sure of other methods for downloading from the truck itself, this is something you’d need to find out from perhaps the maker of the digital tachograph? Are you able to get cards for the vehicle to download it that way?
Saratoga:
Im not sure of other methods for downloading from the truck itself, this is something you’d need to find out from perhaps the maker of the digital tachograph? Are you able to get cards for the vehicle to download it that way?
You can’t download the vehicle with a smartcard that goes into the tacho - the ‘company card’ is only used to grant permission to the tacho to let you download it.
The downloading interface is standardised across different makes of tacho, so all vehicle downloaders should work with all tachos.
Some other links that are probably relational then.
shuttlespanker:
this will do everything you need
Will it make the tea? 
dunno, i don’t drink tea
absolutely disgusting stuff 
