Hi there,
been reading a few posts about breaks etc as i am trying to get to grips with it all before i book my course.
what weekly hours can you do once you become a driver?
i.e. overtime etc. is it fine to work like 50 hour weeks ?
thanks again
Complex subject
Driving hours
Working hours
Daily Rest
Weekly Rest
Fortnight hours
Check this out for a start
gov.uk/government/publicati … le-drivers
Steve
56hr driving a week. 90hr in 2 weeks. Drive for 9hrs a day. Aloud drive 10hrs twice a week.
davy1111:
56hr driving a week. 90hr in 2 weeks. Drive for 9hrs a day. Aloud drive 10hrs twice a week.
Is that in a noisy lorry 
mrhankey:
Hi there,been reading a few posts about breaks etc as i am trying to get to grips with it all before i book my course.
what weekly hours can you do once you become a driver?
i.e. overtime etc. is it fine to work like 50 hour weeks ?
thanks again
This can be a bit complex because of the way working hours can be calculated but I’ll keep this as simple as I can.
You can be at work work for up-to 13 hours a day, this can be extended to 15 hours three times between weekly rest periods and you can work 6 days (144 hours) before needing a weekly rest period.
So if you consider that three 15 hour shifts would be 45 hours, and three 13 hour shifts is another 39 hours, you can see that you could be at work for 84 hours, though most people aren’t.
Actually by splitting the daily rest periods you could be at work for 15 hours a day for 6 days before needing a weekly rest period, so that would be a maximum of 90 hours at work, but don’t worry most jobs don’t require that to be done
Bear in mind that what I’ve posted above includes breaks.
I said this can be a bit complex, that’s because the time you can be at work is not the same as working time as defined in the regulations, basically although you can legally do a maximum of 60 hours per week working time as defined by the regulations, that can be increased to over 84 hours by adding breaks and POA.
It’s not really possible to say how many hours a driver is expected to work because of the large variety of different jobs in road transport, some people will do maximum hours often some people do 8 hours a day.
Drivers Hours Regulations
Driving Breaks
- 45 minutes break after 4½ hours driving.
- The 45 minute driving break can be split into 2 parts, the first part must be at-least 15 minutes, the second part must be at-least 30 minutes, and they must be taken in that order.
Driving
- Maximum 9 hours driving between daily rest periods.
- Maximum driving between daily rest periods can be extended to 10 hours twice a week.
- Maximum 56 hours driving per week.
- Maximum 90 hours driving in any 2 consecutive weeks.
Daily Rest
- Must have a daily rest period of at-least 11 hours within the 24 hour period from the start of the shift (maximum 13 hour shift).
- The daily rest period can be reduced to 9 hours 3 times between 2 weekly rest periods (maximum 15 hour shift).
- Reduced daily rest periods do not have to be compensated for.
- A regular daily rest period can be taken in two parts, the first part can be taken at any time and must be at-least 3 consecutive hours, the second part must be at-least 9 consecutive hours and must be completed within 24 hours from the start of the shift (maximum 15 hour shift).
Weekly Rest
- Must have a weekly rest period of at-least 45 hours in a week.
- Weekly rest period can be reduced to no less than 24 hours-
- In any two consecutive weeks you must have at-least 1 regular 45 hour weekly rest period and 1 reduced weekly rest period.
- Compensation for reduced weekly rest periods must be paid back en block no later than the end of the third week following the week in which the reduced weekly rest period was taken.
Working Time Regulations
RT(WT)R Breaks
- You should not exceed 6 hours working time without a break of at-least 15 minutes.
- If your working time is more than 6 hours but not more than 9 hours you should have a total of at-least 30 minute break/breaks during the shift.
- If your working time exceeds 9 hours you should have a total of at-least 45 minute break/breaks during the shift.
- Breaks for the working time regulations can be split into separate breaks of at-least 15 minutes each.
- Breaks that are at the immediate start of finish of the shift will not count for the working time regulations (breaks must interrupt the working time).
Working Time
- Maximum 60 hours working time in a week (this does not include breaks or POA).
- Average working time over the reference period must not exceed 48 hours per week.
Driving breaks also count as working time breaks and where appropriate vice versa.
Thanks so much for this. So if I got a job and wanted extra cash I could do overtime every week and could do like 60 hours if need be. Just if I needed to as times can be tough at moment.
Appreciate the info.
tachograph:
mrhankey:
Hi there,been reading a few posts about breaks etc as i am trying to get to grips with it all before i book my course.
what weekly hours can you do once you become a driver?
i.e. overtime etc. is it fine to work like 50 hour weeks ?
thanks again
This can be a bit complex because of the way working hours can be calculated but I’ll keep this as simple as I can.
You can be at work work for up-to 13 hours a day, this can be extended to 15 hours three times between weekly rest periods and you can work 6 days (144 hours) before needing a weekly rest period.
So if you consider that three 15 hour shifts would be 45 hours, and three 13 hour shifts is another 39 hours, you can see that you could be at work for 84 hours, though most people aren’t.Actually by splitting the daily rest periods you could be at work for 15 hours a day for 6 days before needing a weekly rest period, so that would be a maximum of 90 hours at work, but don’t worry most jobs don’t require that to be done
Bear in mind that what I’ve posted above includes breaks.
I said this can be a bit complex, that’s because the time you can be at work is not the same as working time as defined in the regulations, basically although you can legally do a maximum of 60 hours per week working time as defined by the regulations, that can be increased to over 84 hours by adding breaks and POA.
It’s not really possible to say how many hours a driver is expected to work because of the large variety of different jobs in road transport, some people will do maximum hours often some people do 8 hours a day.
Drivers Hours Regulations
Driving Breaks
- 45 minutes break after 4½ hours driving.
- The 45 minute driving break can be split into 2 parts, the first part must be at-least 15 minutes, the second part must be at-least 30 minutes, and they must be taken in that order.
Driving
- Maximum 9 hours driving between daily rest periods.
- Maximum driving between daily rest periods can be extended to 10 hours twice a week.
- Maximum 56 hours driving per week.
- Maximum 90 hours driving in any 2 consecutive weeks.
Daily Rest
- Must have a daily rest period of at-least 11 hours within the 24 hour period from the start of the shift (maximum 13 hour shift).
- The daily rest period can be reduced to 9 hours 3 times between 2 weekly rest periods (maximum 15 hour shift).
- Reduced daily rest periods do not have to be compensated for.
- A regular daily rest period can be taken in two parts, the first part can be taken at any time and must be at-least 3 consecutive hours, the second part must be at-least 9 consecutive hours and must be completed within 24 hours from the start of the shift (maximum 15 hour shift).
Weekly Rest
- Must have a weekly rest period of at-least 45 hours in a week.
- Weekly rest period can be reduced to no less than 24 hours-
- In any two consecutive weeks you must have at-least 1 regular 45 hour weekly rest period and 1 reduced weekly rest period.
- Compensation for reduced weekly rest periods must be paid back en block no later than the end of the third week following the week in which the reduced weekly rest period was taken.
Working Time Regulations
RT(WT)R Breaks
- You should not exceed 6 hours working time without a break of at-least 15 minutes.
- If your working time is more than 6 hours but not more than 9 hours you should have a total of at-least 30 minute break/breaks during the shift.
- If your working time exceeds 9 hours you should have a total of at-least 45 minute break/breaks during the shift.
- Breaks for the working time regulations can be split into separate breaks of at-least 15 minutes each.
- Breaks that are at the immediate start of finish of the shift will not count for the working time regulations (breaks must interrupt the working time).
Working Time
- Maximum 60 hours working time in a week (this does not include breaks or POA).
- Average working time over the reference period must not exceed 48 hours per week.
Driving breaks also count as working time breaks and where appropriate vice versa.
Yes you can do 50+ hours a week and tbh most on here do 50+ as standard last 3 weeks before I broke up for holibobs were 67 3/4 then 61 and 59 3/4 as clocked in hours and no Poa either.
mrhankey:
Thanks so much for this. So if I got a job and wanted extra cash I could do overtime every week and could do like 60 hours if need be. Just if I needed to as times can be tough at moment.Appreciate the info.
In road haulage you can’t usually just decide you’d like to do some overtime one or two weeks when it suits you, working for a builders yard doing local deliveries for instance you’d probably be working pretty much the same hours each week, on the other hand on a lot of jobs you’re likely to be working longish hours whether you feel like it or not.
Most haulage jobs aren’t the sort of jobs where you can decide that you’d like to do some overtime this week but not next week, from my experience I’d say most companies that have a variety of work tend to give the hours to the drivers who want or are prepared to do them regularly.
So yes you could do 50/60 hours a week, and sometimes even when you don’t want to
Daytrunker:
Yes you can do 50+ hours a week and tbh most on here do 50+ as standard last 3 weeks before I broke up for holibobs were 67 3/4 then 61 and 59 3/4 as clocked in hours and no Poa either.
Sorry new to this. Am I right in saying you have been able to do these hours for the last three weeks as on the fourth week you went on your holidays.
Darrenb:
Daytrunker:
Yes you can do 50+ hours a week and tbh most on here do 50+ as standard last 3 weeks before I broke up for holibobs were 67 3/4 then 61 and 59 3/4 as clocked in hours and no Poa either.Sorry new to this. Am I right in saying you have been able to do these hours for the last three weeks as on the fourth week you went on your holidays.
If it was a weeks holiday then that would not reduce the 48 average because RTD counts a full week holls as 48 hours
ROG:
Darrenb:
Daytrunker:
Yes you can do 50+ hours a week and tbh most on here do 50+ as standard last 3 weeks before I broke up for holibobs were 67 3/4 then 61 and 59 3/4 as clocked in hours and no Poa either.Sorry new to this. Am I right in saying you have been able to do these hours for the last three weeks as on the fourth week you went on your holidays.
If it was a weeks holiday then that would not reduce the 48 average because RTD counts a full week holls as 48 hours
Broke up on the 11th of may and not back till the 30th
Darrenb:
Daytrunker:
Yes you can do 50+ hours a week and tbh most on here do 50+ as standard last 3 weeks before I broke up for holibobs were 67 3/4 then 61 and 59 3/4 as clocked in hours and no Poa either.Sorry new to this. Am I right in saying you have been able to do these hours for the last three weeks as on the fourth week you went on your holidays.
Either breaks will reduce the working time down to 60 hours a week or it’s not legal, to be fair no-ones likely to prosecute for none compliance of the working time regulations.
Most large companies do comply with the RT(WT)R and expect drivers to comply, but I believe some small companies probably don’t.
Daytrunker:
ROG:
Darrenb:
Daytrunker:
Yes you can do 50+ hours a week and tbh most on here do 50+ as standard last 3 weeks before I broke up for holibobs were 67 3/4 then 61 and 59 3/4 as clocked in hours and no Poa either.Sorry new to this. Am I right in saying you have been able to do these hours for the last three weeks as on the fourth week you went on your holidays.
If it was a weeks holiday then that would not reduce the 48 average because RTD counts a full week holls as 48 hours
Broke up on the 11th of may and not back till the 30th
Two full weeks counts as 48 hours per week and the other four days count as 8 hours per day for the RT(WT)R.
tachograph:
Darrenb:
Daytrunker:
Yes you can do 50+ hours a week and tbh most on here do 50+ as standard last 3 weeks before I broke up for holibobs were 67 3/4 then 61 and 59 3/4 as clocked in hours and no Poa either.Sorry new to this. Am I right in saying you have been able to do these hours for the last three weeks as on the fourth week you went on your holidays.
Either breaks will reduce the working time down to 60 hours a week or it’s not legal, to be fair no-ones likely to prosecute for none compliance of the working time regulations.
Most large companies do comply with the RT(WT)R and expect drivers to comply, but I believe some small companies probably don’t.
[/quote]^^^ Large fixed price discount retailer