Admittedly I haven’t posted much on here, but I do read a fair bit! Quick update, I passed all my Class 2 related tests just before and after new year, and have now started getting agency work in the west midlands
I have only had two jobs so far…next one tomorrow. One so far was an analogue tacho, and one was a digi. Unfortunately I think on the digi I made rather a booboo, as I had completely misunderstood the drivers hours. I think I have sussed it now…but due to the fact that even the agency staff were getting muddled trying to explain it to me, I though I’d come on here for some clarification
My booboo was, that I had a run from Tamworth to Cardiff…it took me just over three hours to get there…when I got there and was doing the curtains, I let it go to other work…then I put it on break for 30mins while I was getting unloaded…then other work for a bit longer…then drove just over three hours back. On the drive back the tacho was flashing at me, with a break reminder…but I thought I’d done the right thing, as I’d thought you only took that 45min break after 4.5hrs of solid driving.
So what I now understand to be the case is…
For each 4.5 hour period of driving, within a day…whether it be 4.5hrs solid, or 4.5hrs broken into chunks, you have to have 45mins of break time within or after that time has elapsed…and it be 45mins solid or 15 then 30.
OR…what I think I was confusing it with…is the fact that if you have done six hours work…say three hours driving and three hours other work…you then have to have a 30min break.
Am I right? Or am I still confused? I have the official guide, but if you ask me…even that’s not 100% clear!
Admittedly I haven’t posted much on here, but I do read a fair bit! Quick update, I passed all my Class 2 related tests just before and after new year, and have now started getting agency work in the west midlands
I have only had two jobs so far…next one tomorrow. One so far was an analogue tacho, and one was a digi. Unfortunately I think on the digi I made rather a booboo, as I had completely misunderstood the drivers hours. I think I have sussed it now…but due to the fact that even the agency staff were getting muddled trying to explain it to me, I though I’d come on here for some clarification
My booboo was, that I had a run from Tamworth to Cardiff…it took me just over three hours to get there…when I got there and was doing the curtains, I let it go to other work…then I put it on break for 30mins while I was getting unloaded…then other work for a bit longer…then drove just over three hours back. On the drive back the tacho was flashing at me, with a break reminder…but I thought I’d done the right thing, as I’d thought you only took that 45min break after 4.5hrs of solid driving.
So what I now understand to be the case is…
For each 4.5 hour period of driving, within a day…whether it be 4.5hrs solid, or 4.5hrs broken into chunks, you have to have 45mins of break time within or after that time has elapsed…and it be 45mins solid or 15 then 30.
OR…what I think I was confusing it with…is the fact that if you have done six hours work…say three hours driving and three hours other work…you then have to have a 30min break.
Am I right? Or am I still confused? I have the official guide, but if you ask me…even that’s not 100% clear!
Cheers folks! Gary
The red bit is correct, Gary We all make mistakes, so don’t sweat it.
A minimum of 15 mins break for 6 hours of work not 30
Breaks count for both driving time and RTD regs but driving time break rules take preference
You could always make up a ficticious shift and post it on here to see if you have the breaks in the right place etc
start 0600
vehicle check 0600 - 0615
drive 0615 - 0900
etc etc
You could do the same with a check on the daily and weekly rests
fri finish 2000
sat + sun off
mon 0600 - 1800
tue 0500 - 2000
etc etc
As a newbie do you think that the intial dcpc module 2 thoery should have been a test on drivers hours etc instead of thoose senario questions ?
Thank you both for the reassurance Glad to know I’ve finally understood it now.
One more quickie on this UTC business…I was told about this (in a fashion) and then looked at those videos on here about how to adjust the local time on the tacho. Sooo, which time of year is it that it needs adjusting? Is it basically a case of, the time should be right on the tacho…and if it aint, then change it!?
To answer your question Rog, yes I do think there should have been more on drivers hours on the CPC. On mine I remember there being a question or two about driving in Europe…and also one about self employed regulations. I think those are things you would find out about when you’re a couple of years down the line, and the questions would have been better used to make sure someoe fully understands what I’ve been asking about!
One more quickie on this UTC business…I was told about this (in a fashion) and then looked at those videos on here about how to adjust the local time on the tacho. Sooo, which time of year is it that it needs adjusting? Is it basically a case of, the time should be right on the tacho…and if it aint, then change it!?
Without overcomplicating the issue, you need do nothing with the time on a digitach. Just remember that all records will be in UTC which will be an hour wrong during BST. But this is more of a headache for the TM rather than you especially when calculations for daily/weekly rest are being made and you have a mix of digi and analogue. Also remember that weigh tickets etc will all be 1 hour wrong during BST. Any manual record should be made in UTC regardless of the actual time.
You can, if you wish, set the local time but there is no requirement to do so.
And if you go across the water it still runs on UTC.
There’s loads more but that’s the basic answer to your question.
Nice one Pete, thank you for clarifying this for me. Much appreciated!
A while ago, before I started this work, I had a friend in Multi-drop…I said to him once “so how do you find that?” He said “stressful!”… Now I understand.
