I am looking into different careers at the moment, having had a brief and slightly unsettling spell with a government department/agency. Out of the blue I was contacted to see if I fancied an interview with a haulage firm setting up a base locally. Nothing to lose I thought.
Unfortunately, I seem to have grown into obstinate sod since I started driving 9 years ago. After waiting for an hour in reception, we had the interview and went through the complicated pay structure, then I faced the usual legislation knowledge test. I despise these on a normal day as they seem to want to know the answers to the most obscure rules. It was a test with a pass or fail so I stuck to my guns when he said I had the minimum break at 6 hours working time wrong. We had a stand off as the haulage man insisted it was 30 mins, and I said it was 15 mins and had documentatary evidence from the Dft and VOSA proving this. I think the silence after this point told me all I needed to know.
Next week I am applying to join the diplomatic service.
cheersdrive:
I am looking into different careers at the moment, having had a brief and slightly unsettling spell with a government department/agency. Out of the blue I was contacted to see if I fancied an interview with a haulage firm setting up a base locally. Nothing to lose I thought.
Unfortunately, I seem to have grown into obstinate sod since I started driving 9 years ago. After waiting for an hour in reception, we had the interview and went through the complicated pay structure, then I faced the usual legislation knowledge test. I despise these on a normal day as they seem to want to know the answers to the most obscure rules. It was a test with a pass or fail so I stuck to my guns when he said I had the minimum break at 6 hours working time wrong. We had a stand off as the haulage man insisted it was 30 mins, and I said it was 15 mins and had documentatary evidence from the Dft and VOSA proving this. I think the silence after this point told me all I needed to know.
Next week I am applying to join the diplomatic service.
It wasn’t an unsettling spell with a government agency like the Jobcentre was it?
But seriously, I often find that these knowledge tests involve a degree of interpretation. Some of them oddly enough deal with corner cases where it would be perfectly valid for an experienced and knowledgeable driver to say “there’s a grey area there and I’d need to look into it if it ever arises”.
On the WTD break, my own opinion is that after 6 hours work a break of at least 30 minutes (in total) must be taken before any further work is done. In other words, the principle is the same as with the 45 minute driving break.
But I’d be interested to see alternative interpretations of the legislation, and any evidence from the DfT or Dvsa.
+1. I take 15 at / just before 6 hours duty is up, then 30 before 4.5 hours driving is up. Never had a problem with doing it that way, and AFAIK it also covers me for duty beyond 9 hours too.
My interpretation is that if you are going to use a 15 to extend the break requirements the 15 rest must be completed before 6 hours is up, so a break of 15 at 5.30hrs for example.
Doncha just ■■■■■■■■ ticking interviews/assessments.
Your not alone, I had to produce my photo licence as id at a jobcentre interview yesterday, as I handed it over the lady said " have you got the paper licence with you ? "
My reply - No I binned it when they were declared as no longer required.
You need a 15 minute break before exceeding 6 hours working time.
If your total working time is between 6 and 9 hours you need a total of 30 minutes break, 15 minutes of it should be before exceeding 6 hours working time.
tachograph:
You need a 15 minute break before exceeding 6 hours working time.
If your total working time is between 6 and 9 hours you need a total of 30 minutes break, 15 minutes of it should be before exceeding 6 hours working time.
Stop it, you’re spoiling the grey area for those among us who are hard of thinking.
F-reds:
I believe unlike driving time you can do this…
Work 6 hours
15 minutes Break
Work 6 hours
15 minutes Break
Work 2 hours
15 minutes Break
Work 15 minutes
Forgetting drive time of course…
Yes you could do that as long as you have a reduced daily rest period available or are multi-manning.
You need to start a 15 minute break before exceeding 6 hours working time, you don’t have to have completed the break before reaching the 6 hour point.
F-reds:
I believe unlike driving time you can do this…
Work 6 hours
15 minutes Break
Work 6 hours
15 minutes Break
Work 2 hours
15 minutes Break
Work 15 minutes
Forgetting drive time of course…
You need to start a 15 minute break before exceeding 6 hours working time, you don’t have to have completed the break before reaching the 6 hour point.
Well that’s my interpretation out the window, i was certain the 15 minutes had to be completed before the 6 hours expired, thanks for confirming.
Yes that’s what I was getting at Tach, you don’t need to have it before 6, ie 5:59.
Obviously that’s a 15 hour spread, so yes you would need a reducer available. I was going for a worst case example. I’m not suggesting its sensible, just legal.
Juddian:
Well that’s my interpretation out the window, i was certain the 15 minutes had to be completed before the 6 hours expired, thanks for confirming.
My first post in this thread may have been a bit misleading, blame the fact I was typing on from my phone
If you’re not working more than 6 hours you don’t need a break for the WTD, though to be honest I don’t remember very often working for 6 hours without a break
F-reds:
Yes that’s what I was getting at Tach, you don’t need to have it before 6, ie 5:59.
That’s right you can start the break bang on the 6 hour mark if you can time it that way, I’m not sure why anyone would want to though
cheersdrive:
I am looking into different careers at the moment, having had a brief and slightly unsettling spell with a government department/agency. Out of the blue I was contacted to see if I fancied an interview with a haulage firm setting up a base locally. Nothing to lose I thought.
Unfortunately, I seem to have grown into obstinate sod since I started driving 9 years ago. After waiting for an hour in reception, we had the interview and went through the complicated pay structure, then I faced the usual legislation knowledge test. I despise these on a normal day as they seem to want to know the answers to the most obscure rules. It was a test with a pass or fail so I stuck to my guns when he said I had the minimum break at 6 hours working time wrong. We had a stand off as the haulage man insisted it was 30 mins, and I said it was 15 mins and had documentatary evidence from the Dft and VOSA proving this. I think the silence after this point told me all I needed to know.
Next week I am applying to join the diplomatic service.
It wasn’t an unsettling spell with a government agency like the Jobcentre was it?
But seriously, I often find that these knowledge tests involve a degree of interpretation. Some of them oddly enough deal with corner cases where it would be perfectly valid for an experienced and knowledgeable driver to say “there’s a grey area there and I’d need to look into it if it ever arises”.
On the WTD break, my own opinion is that after 6 hours work a break of at least 30 minutes (in total) must be taken before any further work is done. In other words, the principle is the same as with the 45 minute driving break.
But I’d be interested to see alternative interpretations of the legislation, and any evidence from the DfT or Dvsa.
we were told officially it is 15 min,but we are told to take 30 before 6 hrs and then 30 after
