Ferry Crossing Query

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

I’ve been trying to get my head around drivers hours while preparing for my theory and practical training but have got a bit confused about ferry or rail crossings. The details below might be an unlikely scenario but I thought I’d post it on the main forum as many of you guys may have been there/done it yourselves and be able to clarify it.

“You may ignore interruptions to your regular daily rest as long as you do not interrupt it more than twice (once to get on the ferry and once to get off). Also, these interruptions may not exceed more than 1 hour in total. If the interruptions are within these factors then they are counted towards the rest period and ignored entirely.”

So far so good. [except doesn’t say anything about interrupting while on the ferry. Board ferry and do half hour OW and you complete full 11 hours rest before disembarking■■? Allowed?] The implication is that to benefit from these relaxations it has to be a regular daily rest. Obviously if you drive on to the ferry or train then you can have a 9 hour reduced rest if there are no interruptions.

To simplify matters (not sure if it is possible) but let’s say you are driving your artic onto the ferry to the Hook of Holland. Let’s just assume maybe it was delayed a bit due to someone being pulled out of the sea (maybe a few illegals tried to swim to the UK).

You arrived at the port having maxed out your duty and driving time.

You start your regular daily rest. 2 hours pass. You board the ferry. Took 55 minutes. There were problems that I won’t go into. You continue with your rest. 8 hours later someone finds you tells you that your load has fallen off the back. Humour me! You now start doing other work and go beyond the 1 hour concession. Let’s say it takes you a good 3 hours to sort the mess out. You finish and go back to resting. 6 hours later due to other problems you arrive in Holland. Drive off ferry 10 minutes. Park up.

“In a situation where your interruptions exceed 1 hour in total (or interrupted more than twice - you’ve done both to add insult to injury) you will be required to take your full daily rest as normal and all events prior to the rest will be included in your previous duty.”

So in conclusion:

2 hours rest wasted as now is just an extended break
55 OW is an infringement as you had maxed out your hours already
8 hours just a break
3 hours OW added to the infringement
6 hours break
10 minutes driving takes you over you driving limit as you drove 10 hours that day

You can I’m sure claim unforeseen events for the infringements.

But all those hours which should have been your daily rest were wasted and you now have to take a full 11 hours rest.

Like I said probably doesn’t happen often. But is it correct the way I have understood it?

You also knew before embarking on ferry that on arrival in Holland you only had an hour or so before you needed to take regular weekly rest.

Do you now have to park up for 45 hours before continuing.

On the plus side you can always go to Amsterdam by bus or train and get some wool. [Sorry, just been watching The Warriors while typing this.]

Thanks.

P.S. Apologies to anyone who has a ferry trip coming up.

2

I think you’re over thinking the whole thing.
Your scenarios are a bit OTT, and unlikely and as with all regulations they can’t cover every possible event, but there is the Unforeseen events that would probably cover your ferry scenario.

Unforeseen events
Provided that road safety is not jeopardised, and to enable a driver to reach a suitable stopping place, a departure from the EU rules may be permitted to the extent necessary to ensure the safety of persons, the vehicle or its load. Drivers must note all the reasons for doing so on the back of their tachograph record sheets (if using an analogue tachograph) or on a printout or temporary sheet (if using a digital tachograph) at the latest on reaching the suitable stopping place (see relevant sections covering manual entries). Repeated and regular occurrences, however, might indicate to enforcement officers that employers were not in fact scheduling work to enable compliance with the applicable rules.

Some examples of such events are delays caused by severe weather, road traffic accidents, mechanical breakdowns, interruptions of ferry services and any event that causes or is likely to cause danger to the life or health of people or animals. Note that this concession only allows for drivers to reach a suitable stopping place, not necessarily to complete their planned journey. Drivers and operators would be expected to reschedule any disrupted work to remain in compliance with the EU rules.

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Thanks muckles. Pretty unlikely but am I right with regards to the need to take a full daily rest despite all the hours of rest already taken? Just a far fetched scenario to see if I have got to grips with the rule.

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> Equus:
> You board the ferry. Took 55 minutes. You continue with your rest. 8 hours later someone finds you tells you that your load has fallen off the back. Humour me! You now start doing other work and go beyond the 1 hour concession. Let’s say it takes you a good 3 hours to sort the mess out. You finish and go back to resting. 6 hours later due to other problems you arrive in Holland. Drive off ferry 10 minutes. Park up.

Highly Unlikely you would be allowed on the vehicle deck if there was a problem with your load during the crossing - far too dangerous

5

Here is a more likely scenario-
Start at 00hr01. (Makes maths easier).
Checks, driving, load, drive to port, book in, end at 09hr00.
Ferry due to sail at 12hr00 for a 6hr crossing.
So you book off at 09hr00.
Your loading lane starts to move at 10-30 and you get on boat and chained down at 11-00.
Boat arrives on time you start moving at 18-15 and join customs & immigration queue.
45 mins later you’re cleared.
Now what do you do?
Edit. Assume all times are on same base.

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the other thing to remember is : if you use the ferry as part of your break, you have to increase your break by 2 hours, so 2 interrupted movements is 1. driving onto the ferry. 2. driving off the ferry into the port/parking area…then increase your break by 2 hours…so if you had a 9/11 off increase to 11/13. And btw, there is a mode on the tacho ( showing a picture of a ship ) which we use for a ferry crossing.

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truckyboy:
the other thing to remember is : if you use the ferry as part of your break, you have to increase your break by 2 hours, so 2 interrupted movements is 1. driving onto the ferry. 2. driving off the ferry into the port/parking area…then increase your break by 2 hours…so if you had a 9/11 off increase to 11/13. And btw, there is a mode on the tacho ( showing a picture of a ship ) which we use for a ferry crossing.

not at all. You do it on a regular rest which adds to the fortnightly. So if you bust thirteen hours on your spreadover, you can NOT do it legally. :grimacing: you can pull up to docks/ quays on/ before thirteen hours. Your having eleven off. Enter bed and country your finished in. You could wait for four hours, embark taking say 15 mins, entering ferry mode. Back on bed on the vessel. 3 hour crossing, back on ferry mode drive for 45 mins, called disembark and sleep for further four hours, after selecting bed in a different country. Regular rest completed, drive time adds to fortnightly. Good idea though be fluent in French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Italian, Luxembourg and every other language that a FOREIGN copper may like to relieve you of your hard earned pounds, euros, spondoolicks, paper and wonga. :grimacing: