i have searched this but can’t find anything relevant.
I had a discussion today with another driver about other work hours. He said he’d just make it back to base before his hours ran out, he left at 13:00 and returned at 17:30, thats 4.5 hours. But he was on multi drop work and the tacho had only recorded 3.5 hours driving time and the rest was down as other work. He said he had been told that other work counts towards your 4.5 hours before a break is needed. I was sure that this isn’t true, I said he could still drive for another hour but that other work would be included in his working day hours going by the WTD. Am I right in saying this as I have to do his job next week lol?
euroscot:
i have searched this but can’t find anything relevant.
I had a discussion today with another driver about other work hours. He said he’d just make it back to base before his hours ran out, he left at 13:00 and returned at 17:30, thats 4.5 hours. But he was on multi drop work and the tacho had only recorded 3.5 hours driving time and the rest was down as other work. He said he had been told that other work counts towards your 4.5 hours before a break is needed. I was sure that this isn’t true, I said he could still drive for another hour but that other work would be included in his working day hours going by the WTD. Am I right in saying this as I have to do his job next week lol?
your correct mate as i do multi drop courier work at minute
its 4 n half hours accumalative driving so no way he could of done that
basically the law is after 4 n half hours driving you have to take 45 minutes break
where as the wtd is after 6 hours any work you gottas take a minimum of 30 minutes break
therefore the other work he mentioned would not be included in the 4 n half hour rule he is on about
hope this helps
Did his Tacho Card show BREAK whilst he was tipping on the tacho card? If so this is ILLEGAL. But if it doesnt and he made it back to base within 4.5hours whilst showing OTHER WORK on the card then oviously he hasnt surpassed his driving hours and showed other work and he DOESNT require a break as the WTD states your allowed 4.5hrs driving and 1.5 hrs OT before requiring a break.
euroscot:
he left at 13:00 and returned at 17:30 … 3.5 hours driving time
If that was all he did between rest periods then he needs no breaks at all
GAZLEEDS:
where as the wtd is after 6 hours any work you gottas take a minimum of 30 minutes break
If the WORK during the shift is between 6 & 9 hours then 30 mins is correct
RTD(WTD) BREAKS explained by a GURU … AND AGAIN HERE
Ok thanks for clearing that up guys. I would be doing a morning run but always have to be back to the yard at around half past 11 then start loading for the daily run to aberdeen which leaves at 1. Won’t even really have to look at the tacho times.
euroscot:
I would be doing a morning run
That makes a big difference - your break requirements start from the end of the REST you took before starting work that day/shift
Did you have any BREAK between 11.30 and 1pm or during that morning run?
GAZLEEDS:
where as the wtd is after 6 hours any work you gottas take a minimum of 30 minutes break
Seany:
No, 15 minutes minimum 
15 mins at or before 6 hours of work is correct but GAZLEEDS said AFTER 6 hours of work then 30 mins must be taken which is correct for a shift which has work in it of between 6 and 9 hours
Depends which way he meant it…
Seany:
GAZLEEDS:
where as the wtd is after 6 hours any work you gottas take a minimum of 30 minutes break
No, 15 minutes minimum
Correct, your working time should not exceed 6 hours before having a break of at least 15 minutes.
If your working time is between 6 and 9 hours you should take a total of at least 30 minutes which can be split into 2 segments of 15 minutes and one of these 15 minute breaks should be taken before exceeding 6 hours working time.
euroscot:
i have searched this but can’t find anything relevant.
I had a discussion today with another driver about other work hours. He said he’d just make it back to base before his hours ran out, he left at 13:00 and returned at 17:30, thats 4.5 hours. But he was on multi drop work and the tacho had only recorded 3.5 hours driving time and the rest was down as other work. He said he had been told that other work counts towards your 4.5 hours before a break is needed. I was sure that this isn’t true, I said he could still drive for another hour but that other work would be included in his working day hours going by the WTD. Am I right in saying this as I have to do his job next week lol?
You’re correct, driving time is time recorded by the tachograph as “Driving” and nothing else.
As said above 4.5 hours driving and you need to have a 45 minute break unless you’ve had a 15 minute break since the start of the driving time in which case you need another 30 minutes when you reach or before you reach 4.5 hours driving.
euroscot:
i have searched this but can’t find anything relevant.
Here you go, the exact and most relevant thing you were searching for.
Article 7
After a driving period of four and a half hours a driver shall
take an uninterrupted break of not less than 45 minutes,
unless he takes a rest period.
This break may be replaced by a break of at least 15 minutes
followed by a break of at least 30 minutes each distributed
over the period in such a way as to comply with the provisions
of the first paragraph.
That tells you what triggers a break for the EU tacho regs and it’s not other work.
ROG:
euroscot:
I would be doing a morning run
That makes a big difference - your break requirements start from the end of the REST you took before starting work that day/shift
Did you have any BREAK between 11.30 and 1pm or during that morning run?
I would start at 8, back to the yard between 11:30 and 12 to have dinner, the lorry wouldn’t move from then until 1 when I leave for the aberdeen run.
ROG:
Did you have any BREAK between 11.30 and 1pm or during that morning run?
euroscot:
I would start at 8, back to the yard between 11:30 and 12 to have dinner, the lorry wouldn’t move from then until 1 when I leave for the aberdeen run.
If your dinner break was 45 mins or more than you have nowt to worry about as everything is covered