What does this mean,■■
Just a newbie btw,
I have read that after around 28 days the card needs to be downloaded before it is written over, How do you do this??
koikeeper:
What does this mean,■■Just a newbie btw,
I have read that after around 28 days the card needs to be downloaded before it is written over, How do you do this??
The records for each days driving, breaks, POA ec’t are stored on the digital tachograph and the drivers “Driver card”, basically the driver card has a memory chip in it where the data is stored.
The company have to download the data from the driver card at least every 28 days, this is done with the aid of a card reader, you insert the driver card in the card reader and the data is downloaded to a computer where it can be seen in readable form.
The Driver card is designed to hold a minimum of 28 days worth of records then start overwriting them but in reality the card is likely to hold several months worth of records before the data is overwritten.
A typical “Driver Card” often referred to as a “digi tacho card” or “digi card” will look like this.
A typical “Driver Card” reader will look like this.
HTH 
Thanks for that…
So it is the company & not the driver that has to download the card…
how does the driver keep records, is it all in the printouts??
koikeeper:
Thanks for that…So it is the company & not the driver that has to download the card…
how does the driver keep records, is it all in the printouts??
It’s the company that are responsible for downloading the data on the driver card, the drivers responsibility ends at making the card available for download.
Under normal circumstances there’s no need for printouts as all the data is stored on the driver card which the driver is required to carry with him whenever driving HGV’s, downloading the data on the driver card does not wipe the card clean so the data is still stored on the card until the memory chip is full, then it’s overwritten with the oldest records being overwritten first.
The only time the driver is required to carry printouts is if he’s had to do a manual entry on one for activities that can’t be recorded on the tachograph, for instance if he’s been forced to over-run the driving time because of being held-up by an accident or something similar.
This problem will occur with agencies who do not hold a licence. It is the operators responsibility to keep drivers records for 12 months or 24 months if they use the digital record to reckon up RTD duty time. It is the drivers responsibility to keep 28 days plus the current days records at all times. If you drive an analogue equipped vehicle, you must also carry your digital card with you. Like the seatbelts, if you have not had a digital card issued then there is no need to carry it!
What will happen is an agency driver who does “odd days” will not get his card downloaded at the end of his shift, then next day he is sent to another operator. This means the first operator is at fault for not keeping proper records.
As a driver you may have to bully a snotty clerk to download your card, if he doesn’t, you have covered your arse. An agency may ask for a printout, but that doesn’t cover an operator who must have a means of downloading the card and the VU.
For these reasons I believe that employment agencies are leeches who are living off the dregs.
Some companies have a download machine in the canteen, traffic office or fuel hut which allow the driver to do this themselves, but at the end of the day if you have asked the company to download the data, your arse is covered.
I was talking to a man recently about this downloading job. He reckoned you don’t have to download as long as you do a printout every shift & his card or unit hadn’t been downloaded in several years.
I thought the card had to be downloaded every 28 days & the head every 56 days so I’ve bought the kit to download it all. Can you tell me who is right, is it me or him??
I see it’s likely to take an hour to do the vehicle unit, can this download be done with my drivers card in place or only at the end of my shift, does this download time count as duty time?? We tried my card reader here one saturday after lunch when a mate was here & it put the date & time of download on the spreadsheet. I don’t even know how to download the head so it’s likely to take me longer than an hour.
Advice would be appreciated.
BB
Basilbrush:
I was talking to a man recently about this downloading job. He reckoned you don’t have to download as long as you do a printout every shift & his card or unit hadn’t been downloaded in several years.I thought the card had to be downloaded every 28 days & the head every 56 days so I’ve bought the kit to download it all. Can you tell me who is right, is it me or him??
You are right and he is wrong, he can keep as many printouts as he likes but it does not negate the need to download from both the driver card and the tachograph unit.
Downloading is not optional it is a requirement under the regulations.
Thanks for the reply Tachograph, I’ll get that information to him as soon as I can. He’s a lovely chap & I wouldn’t want to see him in trouble.
I’m having a problem with my download though & perhaps you can advise me please.
I download the card & it goes into Clockwatcher with no problems at all. However, I downloaded the head at the end of my shift last night & I can’t for the life of me get the PC to read the memory card. I’m using a Digidown supplied by Tachodisc.
I’ve downloaded the head before it’s 56 days to make sure I get it right, if I have to I’ll do it again on Monday with a new memory card but advice would be appreciated.
BB
I’ve never had to download from the VU so know little about the downloading process I’m afraid.
There are some basic video’s here that may be of help but if not I can only suggest that you contact Tachodisc for advise, otherwise other people who have had the same problem may be able to help.
It could be that the SD card is full but that’s only a guess
Thanks for the reply Tachograph, I’ll call Tachodisc on Monday, all the kit is brand new the card is also new. It’s showing on my PC but will not open & try as I might I can’t make it work. I guess it’s possible that I didn’t download it 100%. Thankfully I have a few days to find out gefore the 56 days is up for the VU to be downloaded.
If I get anything I feel may help others from the call on Monday, I’ll post the info.
BB