Hello All
After reading these for forums for a very, very long time here’s my first post and I’m feeling guilty cos I’m after some help !! Aplogies for starters then.
So, end of last year I got a digi card when I started looking for a new job…thought I might get somewhere with a nice shiney new truck …& meantime I carried on using old analogue cards in my nice, old, ERF. Anyway, found myself with a non-driving job for 6 months.
That’s finished, & what I wanted to know was …
If I did a couple of days work next week in a newish hired truck do I just stick the card in & away I go?
Or, as I think I’m about to find out, is it just the beginning of a big pain in the …?
(I think I’m picking it up at hire company so not sure any one will be around to ask.)
Also, dont them little smiley faces just copy and paste ■■!!■■
Thanks in advance peeps
Well as you haven’t driven commercial vehicles for 6 months then I’d say yes just put the card in and let it do it’s business whilst you follow the prompts, the tachograph will take a minute or two to read and process the card so be pacient.
After the first day it’s likely that you will need to do manual entries.
Here are some instructions on various digital tachographs, most tend to be Siemens tachographs so unless you think you’ll be using one of the others then perhaps that would be a good place to start.
The first link is reasonably straight forward 
Siemens Digital Tachographs - How to use them - Printable download
The Tachomaster Drivers Guide To The Digital Tachograph
DRIVERS SHORT OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS —Siemens DTCO 1381
Stoneridge Digital Tachograph - SE5000 user manual. (PDF)
The digital tachograph simulator
Digital Tachograph Simulator Direct Downloads
Install “Interactive Digital Tachograph Simulator” first, then either or all of the training sequences.
Interactive Digital Tachograph Simulator v4.exe
Training sequences for the Actia tachograph (V 4.0)
Training sequences for the Siemens tachograph (V 4.0)
Training sequences for the Stoneridge tachograph (V 4.0)
You can now run the simulator on-line (links bellow)
For [u]ADSL[/u] connections
For [u]Modem[/u] connections
peterpunto:
Also, dont them little smiley faces just copy and paste ■■!!■■
No need to copy/past just put your cursor where you want the smiley in the text-box and then click on the smiley of your choice, use the preview button bellow the text-box to see exactly how it looks and when you’re satisfied press the submit button
Thanks very much Tachograph
I’ve printed off first link…information seems straightforward, and I now know to get a roll before starting out (not sometime in the first 28 days) Plenty more to read on the other links !!
The people I used to work for owned a handful of old trucks, & I never expected them to buy anything new enough to have a digi tacho before they retired.
There’s been a few threads on here about the digi’s & their faults… but I suppose most drivers probably go out every day without hitches/malfunctioning
After 6 months away I’m beginning to miss the call of the open road…
Thanks again
peterpunto
Yes you should carry a roll of tachograph printing paper in case you get stopped and they want a printout, there’s a fixed penalty for not carrying the printing paper though I can’t remember offhand how much the fixed penalty is.
As you say most drivers have no problems but If your card does for any reason fail you will need to do a printout off the tachograph head at the start of the shift and another at the end of the shift.
The digital tachograph will steal a few minutes off your driving time if you do a lot of stopping and starting so best keep an eye on the times.
Good luck