Hi there, newbie Class 1 driver here. I have currently only completed around 7 shifts for a local haulage company but am worried I have already committed a few driving hour infringements in that short space of time. The main one being on my first day on the road in which I did not have a full 45 minutes break(was sure I had but the tachograph then flashed at me saying I needed to take a break) and then subsequently drove on again for another 20mins. I was very concerned at this so rang my Transport manager who told me to just ignore it and put it on break when I got to the destination while I was being unloaded. I realise now that this was completely illegal and I should not have listened to him, but being new(and he knew it was my first day) I took his word for it.
Anyway I’m not looking for any sympathy but was just interested in how long it takes to get the dreaded letter in the post from VOSA to say I have made the infringements? My TM downloaded all the data off my card last Thursday (22nd December).
You won’t get anything in the post from VOSA. They will only get involved if the infringement turns up in a roadside check or if they do a check on the company’s records.
The worst you’ll get is an infringement report (generated by the company internally or by a tachograph analysis outfit such as Tachomaster) which your TM is supposed to discuss with you and ask you to sign to acknowledge that you’ve seen it. Just crack on and try not to do it again
djt1881:
Anyway I’m not looking for any sympathy but was just interested in how long it takes to get the dreaded letter in the post from VOSA to say I have made the infringements? My TM downloaded all the data off my card last Thursday (22nd December).
The data that’s downloaded from your driver card isn’t sent to the DVSA, generally the only way they will see it is if you get stopped at a road-side check.
Oh right, I just assumed it worked like a speeding fine and once the data was downloaded they would be able to see!! Thanks for your advice guys, will put it down to experience
The company downloads the data to keep their own records and to analyse it.
It may be sent to a third party company to carry out the analysis, but not to the DVSA.
The company will have a weekly report which will list any infringements you get and they will usually ask you to sign this to acknowledge that you have been told. This is an internal process, rather than anything legal, but the company have to be able to demonstrate to DVSA that they are checking tachograph records and informing drivers of issues, which is why companies like this paperwork to be signed.
Ultimately these infringements, if they happen too frequently, could lead to disciplinary action against you. Some companies have a points system where infringements are awarded a number of points depending on their severity and a certain number of points will invoke the disciplinary process.
When you get a driving related infringement like driving over your 4.5 etc. Do 3 printouts, one for you to show the DVSA if you get stopped, one for the office and one extra for yourself. That third one can save your bacon if either you lose the original or the office “loses” it.
Radar19:
When you get a driving related infringement like driving over your 4.5 etc. Do 3 printouts, one for you to show the DVSA if you get stopped, one for the office and one extra for yourself. That third one can save your bacon if either you lose the original or the office “loses” it.
I’m sorry but that’s completely over the top, there’s no point in doing any printouts unless there’s a genuine excuse for not complying with the regulations and you need to explain it on a printout, if there is a genuine reason why you couldn’t comply with the regulations at-most you need 2 printouts, one to keep with you in case you get stopped at a road-side checkpoint and one to hand in when your card is downloaded, to be honest I can’t see how any more than that is anything other than a wast of printing paper.
The Christmas spirit must still be flowing, as no one has stated that you need to change your name, move to the Highlands of Scotland and delete all traces of yourself from the internet to ensure you avoid being sentenced to 10 years at the infamous VOSA Azkaban Prison for this horrific infringement…!
You’ll get them from time to time, either accidently or semi-accidently, eg: 5 mins from destination and you run out of time pre-break. Two things that can catch you out are:
Using POA as mentioned by nick can really mess things up. Don’t use it until you absolutely have to as per instructions from the office as on some tachos they reset your driving time without it counting as a legal break, so you can effectively go over unless you’re really carefully keeping manual track.
On some new tachos, if you switch the ignition on or even aux say to drop the window, it’ll change your tacho to “other work”. Absolutely no idea why they do this stupid thing, but it’ll reset your break without you realising. Suspect this might have happened in your case as it’s caught me out twice. In these cases, do the printout and show that the “other work” and break addup to more than 45 mins.
As for putting it on break when tipping…erm, yeah be careful not to do that around large distribution centres as VOSA sometimes hang around those, but elsewhere it can sometimes be done (not 100% legit), eg: a quick 15. Just do it for yourself, not the boss to ensure you get proper breaks.
djt1881:
Hi there, newbie Class 1 driver here. I have currently only completed around 7 shifts for a local haulage company but am worried I have already committed a few driving hour infringements in that short space of time. The main one being on my first day on the road in which I did not have a full 45 minutes break(was sure I had but the tachograph then flashed at me saying I needed to take a break) and then subsequently drove on again for another 20mins. I was very concerned at this so rang my Transport manager who told me to just ignore it and put it on break when I got to the destination while I was being unloaded. I realise now that this was completely illegal and I should not have listened to him, but being new(and he knew it was my first day) I took his word for it.
Anyway I’m not looking for any sympathy but was just interested in how long it takes to get the dreaded letter in the post from VOSA to say I have made the infringements? My TM downloaded all the data off my card last Thursday (22nd December).
Thanks!
Oh Bless!
I wish I was this sweet and innocent…
Don’t worry OP, you’ll be fine.
Just as long as you learn the rules…
