Hi.
I just got my class 2 licence. I never used a tacho before and im a bit confused with hours brakes and wtd. Can anyone help please.
My questions are.
If i start lets say at 5am and do my daily check and load vehcle for 45 mins than i drive for 2hours unload vehicle aabut 30mins than drive again for 20 mins and unload again. How do i keeo my break? Does the other work unloading and daily check caunt as driving. Or its seperate? Inknow i have to take break of 45mins after 4.5 driving. But if i start wirking at 5 and i stop and drive as i have 4-5 drops it would take about 6hours to reach my 4.5 hours driving. I read a lot and watch videos but i dont get it. How do u guys take breaks pmease help im scared of fines… 
PatrikBader1994:
Hi.
I just got my class 2 licence. I never used a tacho before and im a bit confused with hours brakes and wtd. Can anyone help please.
My questions are.
If i start lets say at 5am and do my daily check and load vehcle for 45 mins than i drive for 2hours unload vehicle aabut 30mins than drive again for 20 mins and unload again. How do i keeo my break? Does the other work unloading and daily check caunt as driving. Or its seperate? Inknow i have to take break of 45mins after 4.5 driving. But if i start wirking at 5 and i stop and drive as i have 4-5 drops it would take about 6hours to reach my 4.5 hours driving. I read a lot and watch videos but i dont get it. How do u guys take breaks pmease help im scared of fines…
Have a read of GV262 here Drivers’ hours and tachographs: goods vehicles - Guidance - GOV.UK
Then I’d suggest ask individual questions on here.
Only driving whilst the wheels are turning counts towards your driving time. Work etc is not driving.
If on digital tacho it will show you your current driving period.
Get yourself booked onto a decent CPC course. I’ll do you a 7hr course for FREE if it helps. I’m in Burnley, if that’s any good to you.
PatrikBader1994:
Hi.
I just got my class 2 licence. I never used a tacho before and im a bit confused with hours brakes and wtd. Can anyone help please.
My questions are.
If i start lets say at 5am and do my daily check and load vehcle for 45 mins than i drive for 2hours unload vehicle aabut 30mins than drive again for 20 mins and unload again. How do i keeo my break? Does the other work unloading and daily check caunt as driving.
I’m only 9 days into using a tacho and I agree that it can all seem pretty confusing and needlessly complicated at first.
I think I am more or less right in saying that unless you are doing more other work than driving or working two jobs you can forget about the WTD for now because if you are abiding by the Tacho regs then the WTD will pretty much take care of itself. (quite happy to be educated on that point by someone more knowledgeable).
In the scenario above you would only have logged 2 hours 20 mins driving. The other work counts as “other work” on the tacho. I have discovered that the tachos in the two vehicles I have used both log this automatically which makes life alot easier - if the vehicle is moving then it knows you are driving if it isn’t then it will automatically switch to other work. Pretty much the only thing you need to do is switch it onto break when you take one. The tacho will give you a running total of your drivers hours logged and will tell you if you need to take a break anyway.
You need to have a 45 minute break after 4.5 hours of driving time, driving time is recorded automatically on the tachograph every time the vehicle moves, you can see on a digital tachograph display how much driving time you’ve done.
Driving time is basically when the wheels are moving and does not include other work or anything else other than actual driving.
You’re quite correct that on multi-drop, you can often get through most of your day before you’ve driven 4.5 hours and needing to reset your driving time. Instead what comes into play is the WTD rule of not working more than 6 hours in one block, anywhere in your shift. So assuming you started work at 5 am, you’ll need a break before 11am (6 hours later). Now this is possibly a bit early for lunch and a full 45 min break, and to reset your driving time. which you may not want if lots of driving pm… The other problem with trying to take a single break in the middle of say a 12 hour shift, is that you always have to dissect it in the middle, as you can’t exceed 6 hours at either end, morning or afternoon.
So the best way for a Newbie to stay Tacho legal whilst they get their head around the rules better is this:
Take a 15 min break approx 3-4 hours into your shift, and then take a 30 min Break 3-4 hours later!
Newbies should also appreciate that you are allowed to book Break on the Tacho whilst waiting and doing nothing, whether you count that as your official Break is down to you. But for me, it’s as I see fit and what suits me and the company. Generally firms want/need to keep a Newbies WTD average hours down below 48, and as Break or POA don’t count towards you’ll be encouraged to use them. Plus if your Tacho records are littered with lots of Breaks here and there, it becomes vary hard for them to know which is which! 
As for improving your knowledge of the hours, have a look here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=134561
So driving time is only when im actually driving.
Other work is crossed hammer… Anything but not driving.
I do have a stopwatch with me to record the driving hours so thats ok. After 4.5hrs drivinng i take a break.
But whats this 6hrs into my shift thing? How to keep brakes for that?
Do i need to keep a break for driving time and wtd seperate?
PatrikBader1994:
So driving time is only when im actually driving.
Other work is crossed hammer… Anything but not driving.I do have a stopwatch with me to record the driving hours so thats ok. After 4.5hrs drivinng i take a break.
But whats this 6hrs into my shift thing? How to keep brakes for that?
Do i need to keep a break for driving time and wtd seperate?
What sort of tachograph do you have in your truck? Is it digital where you insert your Drivers Card ? Or an older type with a disc you insert in the back?
Its a digital one.
On the tacho’s I’ve used, if you press the down button, it’ll show how much driving time you’ve used up… think you need the ignition key on for this though.
Ok i have a look on that.
Just a last question.
before 6 hours of work if i take a 15min brake. But i still got lets say 1hour drivinng time left. Do i need to keep an other break for 45 mins? Or my driving hours reset because of the 15min brake i take cause of the wtd…
Omg. So confusing lool. 
PatrikBader1994:
So driving time is only when im actually driving.
Other work is crossed hammer… Anything but not driving.
You can book Other Work for any time you’re not driving, and it’s probably the mode the Techo will default to once you stop moving. But as I’ve already said, you’ll probably be wanting to stick it on Break when you legally can, just to keep your WTD hours down.
And if you don’t keep your hours down, you could be looking at being stood down without pay whilst your hours recover… 
PatrikBader1994:
I do have a stopwatch with me to record the driving hours so thats ok. After 4.5hrs drivinng i take a break.
You don’t need a stopwatch, the Tacho counts your accumulated driving time, so use that.
And you taking a break BEFORE 4.5 hours of driving, not AFTER! 
PatrikBader1994:
But whats this 6hrs into my shift thing? How to keep brakes for that?
As I said, the 6 hour rule is part of the WTD (Working Time Directive), and is a second set of rules drivers need to follow, along with Tacho rules.
PatrikBader1994:
Do i need to keep a break for driving time and wtd seperate?
A Break for one will satisfy the other!
That first mid morning 15 min break I suggested resets your WTD 6 hour rule, and also counts as the first 1/3rd of your Driving break. 
(Hence why you only need a 30 min break later to reset your driving…)
Does that help?
PatrikBader1994:
Ok i have a look on that.Just a last question.
before 6 hours of work if i take a 15min brake. But i still got lets say 1hour drivinng time left. Do i need to keep an other break for 45 mins? Or my driving hours reset because of the 15min brake i take cause of the wtd…Omg. So confusing lool.
No, driving time will only reset when either a solid 45 minute break is taken. Or a 15 and a 30 minute break totaling 45 mins is taken.
(But only in that order, a 30 then a 15 won’t reset your driving time, the second break has to be 30 mins to reset driving time!)
Thank you for the help. I been trying to find answer for days. U helped a lot.
Whilst I remember (as a newbie myself) you may find at times your vehicle dash/ tacho will start flashing ‘Break!’ at you… on the wagons I’ve drove, you have 10 minutes (might be 15 on some units) to get yourself parked up and on rest… first time this happened to me I was on a motorway and panicked a bit as I didn’t realise I had a little time to get off the road.
PatrikBader1994:
Thank you for the help. I been trying to find answer for days. U helped a lot.
It can be all rather a lot to take in at first, and probably only really sinks in when you start doing it.
So don’t stress, read that link I posted which is possibly a bit easier to digest than the government docs…
And until you know any better, follow what I told you about splitting your breaks over your shift, and you shouldn’t go far wrong…
But ensure you do learn the rules!