Any advice on best way to keep track of drivers hours? Do many companies handle this for you and some just leave you to sort it out yourself? This is the main bit about the job (once I get a licence) that i’m concerned about. I imagine it is very easy to forget to flick the switch every time you change activities. I have heard of drivers hours devices you can buy but just another switch you have to use as well!! What if switch one but forget the other! Before long you won’t know what’s going on. How easy is this in practice to get used to. Do you have a reminder in cab where you can easily see it so you never forget. Or does everyone forget sooner or later.
It’s relatively easy nowadays,providing your driving a newish wagon with a digi tacho in,most wagons have your driving time on a display by the clocks or failing that you can get it from your digi tacho,also it will alert you when your up to 4:15 driving time so effectively giving you 15 mins notice to find somewhere to stop but bear in mind 15 mins on a motorway won’t always see you to the next services.
So that’s the driving part covered then the WTD side of things is just 6hr increments so if you start at X o’clock you’ll need a break either during or before that 6hrs is up.
To be honest unless your really not “all there” you re not going to forget to take your breaks and if you do once you get pulled by DVSA and they’ve issued you a fine you won’t forget again!
Driving wise if your in a unfamiliar area either motorway wise or not id start thinking about your driving break around 3:30/3.45hrs drive time that lay-by/services you pass at 3:45hra driving may be the last you see for another hour!
If you have a smartphone you could do a lot worse than truckertimer.com/
Be aware that some tacho’s are set in an odd manner. I was in one of our rigid’s a week or two ago and stuck it on a break. Problem was, that the symbol had been ’ flashing ’ which required a further press of the button to confirm. Which I had not done. By the time I looked up and realised that it was still on crossed hammers, I had wasted a chunk of my time.
On other wagons,I have also experienced problems with turning the ignition on (to operate electric windows, aircon etc ), and it reverting back to other work and not noticed, ending up in an infringement.
So keep your eyes peeled!
I’ve picked up on the Tacho issues you describe Beaver, but I’ve been on the forum a while now. I also went on a DigiTacho CPC a few weeks back, and no mention of these issues were made. So it’s a point well worth highlighting to Newbies!
I’m preparing myself for doing a LOT of printouts when i start, and writing on the back how I’ve been a “bell end” this time! 
And I bet the office staff love dealing with all the printouts and admin that goes with these sorts of mistakes.
P.S. For info of others. current turnaround on DigiTacho cards is about 4 days after posting 1st class. Well Done DVLA, Impressive!
If I wrote on a print out how many times I have been a bellend, there would be no trees left in Brazil and I would have arthritis in my right hand.
ckm1981:
if you start at X o’clock you’ll need a break either during or before that 6hrs is up.
This is exactly how I’m gonna go about my day, coz its pallet deliveries (no handball) and I won’t go near the driving hours limit in one go. And a 15 min break is over before you know it anyway. Keeps it simple 
i use a kitchen timer, about 2 quid off ebay, set it for 4.5 and every time you’re driving set it counting down. handy for multi drop
Good idea jbaz, I’ll probably just use countdown timer on my phone for now. Saying that I now need a better phone! I’ve currently got a JCB one - just calls and texts lol! I’m gonna have to get something a bit better, coz google maps is a must.
jbaz73:
i use a kitchen timer, about 2 quid off ebay, set it for 4.5 and every time you’re driving set it counting down. handy for multi drop
If you press the down arrow on your tachograph it tells you how much driving you have done and what rest period you have taken thus far.
Dan Bear 87:
Good idea jbaz, I’ll probably just use countdown timer on my phone for now. Saying that I now need a better phone! I’ve currently got a JCB one - just calls and texts lol! I’m gonna have to get something a bit better, coz google maps is a must.
Good idea DB I use my S3 to look at the destination and it is a gods send honestly. I have had mine two years now and just got the contract rate halved but the S3 with my tomtom truckers satnaz and my colins map makes it 99% sure I am not going to hit trouble especially if you are driving a decker! 
ckm1981:
So that’s the driving part covered then the WTD side of things is just 6hr increments so if you start at X o’clock you’ll need a break either during or before that 6hrs is up.
Have not come across the WTD break!! Got theory tests booked. So if you work for 6 hours and have driven for 4.5h and taken a 45 minute break do you need another WTD break?
Max-Cady:
ckm1981:
So that’s the driving part covered then the WTD side of things is just 6hr increments so if you start at X o’clock you’ll need a break either during or before that 6hrs is up.Have not come across the WTD break!! Got theory tests booked. So if you work for 6 hours and have driven for 4.5h and taken a 45 minute break do you need another WTD break?
No mate the WTD break is counted with your driving one in that case. If you start work at 6am you must take a WTD break before 12 noon. If your driving time of 4.5 hours expires before then you already need to take a 45 minute break so you would have killed two birds with one stone
This may be of help to you
transportsfriend.org/wtd/echours.html
Thanks alder. Had heard of WTD but wasn’t aware of the extra break. I suppose it would be very difficult to forget that. Can’t see me working for a more than a couple of hours without a break! Even if pulling over and taking a ■■■■. I take it you would still need to operate tacho to record a WTD break?
Max-Cady:
Thanks alder. Had heard of WTD but wasn’t aware of the extra break. I suppose it would be very difficult to forget that. Can’t see me working for a more than a couple of hours without a break! Even if pulling over and taking a ■■■■. I take it you would still need to operate tacho to record a WTD break?
If you are stressed and say on multi drop and you think you might not get the chance to even have a proper legal break you might want to put the tacho on bed while you are unloading just to stop infringements. Of course I park up and have my break no matter what the situation is but that’s me. I mostly do trunking so the artic is on a bay usually and that is a break as I am on break.
be careful putting the tacho on break while unloading, its a no no
Above post is good advice." A break is any period during which a driver may not carry out any driving or any other work and which is used exclusively for recuperation ".
Also, VOSA like to sit outside certain RDC’s as they know that drivers put tacho on break whilst on a bay, so pull them when they leave the customer and say, could you do us a printout please drive!!! Or so I have heard!! I have yet to see this!! But something to be aware of!!
It DOES happen Claretmac. I was at Home Bargains in Knowsley last week.
DVSA drove up to the security lodge and the guy in the passenger seat got out, walked into the lodge and TOLD the security guard to tell the manager’s that they were on site.
They then drove over to bays 6-12, and started mithering the drivers that were docked on.
i thought it was ok to put it on rest while you were on a bay? im sure i read somewhere that was ok?