When you begin and end shift, to show 15 minutes other work for checks, paper work etc?? Would VOSA pull you up on it or is it per company rule■■?
You need to show some other work but 15 minutes is usually a company rule.
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You need to account for any work prior to putting your card into the tacho. Eg. Going to the office, getting keys and paperwork, a cup of tea, find g your truck…etc. Depending on tbe operation, this could be 5 minutes or half an hour. It’s best not to put your card In, manually add 15 minutes for your walkaround checks, and drive off. VOSA might argue why you didn’t put your card in before you did your checks…
Also you need to allow more time if your a day or night driver, as you’re taking over a vehicle.
A fair few don`t bother with manual entries before and after.
By rights ALL work time that you are actually being paid,should be accounted for,if the Authorities looked at your card and see you put your card in and within a couple of minutes you started driving then they might ask questions.
Just an example where I worked we had to clock in to show we were on the premises,mainly if there was a fire they could account for everybody with a roll call.
So if your clocking in time and your tacho do not tally,then you could be in stooks.
There’s no law that says you have to show 15 minutes for vehicle checks ec’t, but you do need to show some other work to show that you’ve done the vehicle checks.
If you get stopped and something is found to be wrong with the vehicle you’ve got no excuse unless you’ve got time showing on the tachograph for vehicle checks.
The 15 minute thing is a company rule.
I’ve never worked for a company that this has been a rule, I’ve always done it since digicards came in though, so for me it was a self decided rule and I’ll be honest it was something I probably picked up on from here.
ValleysTrucker:
When you begin and end shift, to show 15 minutes other work for checks, paper work etc?? Would VOSA pull you up on it or is it per company rule■■?
You just have to follow the rules and show the time you actually spend.
Companies that have rules like “minimum 15 minutes” aren’t telling you to merely to show 15 minutes. What they’re saying is that they know their internal procedures from the start of your shift generally take 15 minutes or more, so they don’t expect to see you every day driving onto the public road 1 minute after you put the card in, because it’s just not possible that you could collect your keys, check the wagon, etc. in that time, and so it follows that you have either not recorded the time you are actually spending, or you are skipping your checks, or both.
I was in a Great Bear depot in Rotherham a few weeks ago, reading the boards in the transport office, and I read a briefing that said drivers MUST show 30 mins of work at the start and the end of their shift to allow for vehicle checks, and that the 30 mins at the end cannot be added as a manual entry the next day. Funnily enough, I read the minuters from a drivers’ meeting, and excessive shift lengths was an issue amongst drivers ha ha.
My last employer wanted 15 minutes at the beginning and end. My current employer just wants something at the beginning.
It depends on the employer, but the DVSA would like to see some period of other work at the beginning to show you’ve done your walkaround checks. Companies I’ve known stipulate anything between 10-30 minutes. Personally, I always do 15, and have never had a problem.
Question …How do you put your card and then go and get the keys?
I have never bothered to do a manual entry…stick the card in, confirm the vehicle checks and off we go.
It would be a real struggle for vosa to prove that I had not actually done a vehicle check based purely on the fact that I had not done a manual entry.
Heisenberrg:
Question …How do you put your card and then go and get the keys?I have never bothered to do a manual entry…stick the card in, confirm the vehicle checks and off we go.
It would be a real struggle for vosa to prove that I had not actually done a vehicle check based purely on the fact that I had not done a manual entry.
I reckon that’s a situation for common sense. If the work done before putting the card in is minimal (1 or 2 minutes, such as just walking to the wagon and putting the key in the door), then I don’t think it matters.
Unless, that is, you’re always running to the last minute of everything (and perhaps often beyond), like break times and shift lengths, maybe then the DVSA will say that you’re showing such particular attention to pushing the rules to the outer limits that it’s reasonable to think you’d pay attention to these extra minutes too.
Heisenberrg:
It would be a real struggle for vosa to prove that I had not actually done a vehicle check based purely on the fact that I had not done a manual entry.
The opesite is also true, while showing the time doesn’t prove that you have done your checks, showing no time makes it difficult to proof to them that you actually have done them.
I guess, no driver works for nothing, not even a 10 minutes check.
If you get paid per shift It probably becomes a bit easier.
The only thing you have to do is show a few minutes at start of shift before moving for your checks
And thats it just put your card in do your checks and away with you all this self inputting is never required unless you get paid only on your card and that’s the only reason you NEED to do it
Its a company rule. You should fill a ‘nil defect’ form out after doing your checks, and sign to that effect. That is all the proof that is of any consequence. A 15 minute period of ‘other work’ on your tachograph recording means nothing. You could of been doing anything.
Janos:
You could of been doing anything.
Or nothing 
It’s not a bad company rule if you think about it. “Lead In” and “Lead Out” means you are getting to book a little extra time.
The opposite is the kind of yard that’ll use your digicard data as your clock in/out card, and pay you based on that data.
I still remember the firms where I turned up there on the first day, was told to take a seat, because a vehicle wasn’t ready for me yet…
…
2 hours later. Finally get given a vehicle.
Made a manual entry to back-date the time to when I actually turned up.
Got told "No bud, you only get to book (agency) for the time you spent here FROM the time you entered your card into our vehicle.
“SO…” I argued… "I’ve been here two hours, you want me to book on then, and then you can have me here another 15 hours all nice and legal? With bugger all regard to my personal well-being or the safety of others working around me?
Beware the Clippers who’ll try and reduce your pay by attempting to get you to fraudulently edit your daily driving data.
Even if you comply, and lose the money involved - you risk falling foul at another yard with more strict procedures, not to mention the law should you get pulled by VOSA having been at work more than 15 hours that day!
I take as long as I take,very rarely fifteen minutes, but if DVSA want to argue they are quite welcome to download the hard drive from the cameras covering the whole of the lorry,then they can watch me doing my daily checks.
I keep my keys on me all the time (taken home). I drive to work in a works van, unlock truck and change tacho setting from rest to work. I leave my card in all week, only removing it for weekends or holidays. I leave a “tacho in” notice on the dash so my boss or our fitter know to eject my card if the truck needs to be moved but usually they warn me to remove it beforehand.
tachograph:
There’s no law that says you have to show 15 minutes for vehicle checks ec’t, but you do need to show some other work to show that you’ve done the vehicle checks.If you get stopped and something is found to be wrong with the vehicle you’ve got no excuse unless you’ve got time showing on the tachograph for vehicle checks.
The 15 minute thing is a company rule.
Always drop and hook back up Friday evening. A good check over the trailer is essential with the state of some of our tilts and even do a full turn of the trailer wheels to look at the insides of the sidewalls to check for bulges under load but come Sunday its card in and…>>>>>>
card in…out the door for a pee,check and see the doors are still on the back,shake the drips,quick glance to see the pin handle aint been moved and offski. all relevant h&s bullchecks duly done in 2 mins.worry about things like lights and indicators on a as and when need. if i dont use them,then nobody will know they dont work. 
If you’re meamt to fill in a defect book before you drive off, why does it ask you about the speedo and speed limiter?