I’ve never done a manual entry in my life & ive never had any problems. It’s never been brought up by any TM, vosa rep, transport clerk or anyone else.
At the last place I worked on agency you had to download your card before & after every drive. Sometimes you could wait an hour in the office for the unit to get back, the fact that I never did a manual entry to cover that time was never even brought up, ever.
Yeah point taken billy I will never do one again 
Terry T:
puntabrava:
As to the future, forget the manual entries thing, just gets confusing.Unfortunately this is often the cause of the problem in the first place. In the newer version of the Siemens VDO, which I think started appearing in 62 plates or around that time, if you skip the manual entry it adds the time from card ejection to card insertion onto the card and will assume you never clocked off. This is how people insert their card and it tells them they’ve already drove for 4 hours. Whatever driving time you were on the shift before it will say the same after you reinsert the card.
Easily addressed (if you really cannot cope with doing manual entries) by switching mode to “bed” immediately before ejecting your card.
First thing is you always need enough tacho roll to do print outs at road side if requested. Its an offence and fine if you are unable to comply, which had you been stopped you wouldn’t.
Had you put tacho mode onto ? Mark before you put card in it would have avoided the issue raised.
You TM if he knew his job should have given you a tacho roll at the time and sent you back to truck to do 2 print outs. 1 for you to keep signed and dated with explanation in the event you get roadside tug.
2nd TM / office should keep in the event you get stopped and VOSA request details which MR TM is required to produce.
It’s mostly likely a manual entry mistake by you but it’s not the end of the world so next truck you get into when you put your card in and do your manual entries after a minute or two before moving off request a print out for the date of error and keep with you.
I had something similar happen to me recently. Put my card in as normal and looked on dash board vdu and it said I had been driving for 2 hrs 45 mins.! I took my breaks as normal as I knew I had not been driving for that time. And sure as eggs is eggs I was asked 2 weeks later to explain the infringment. My TM excepted my explanation. But gave me this advice. Before u take your card out at the end of the shift switch the mode to REST as as far as the digi tacho is concerned if you leave it on OTHER WORK it thinks you have not ended the shift at all. This is a very common mistake apparently. And probably more common for agency drivers as they are usually driving different types of vehicle with different digi tacho’s. Also it could of been a fault with the digi tacho the OP was given at the time. As for VOSA. Try not to worry. I think if you were constantly making that mistake they would catch up with you but not a one off. Bring back good old analogue!
Tacho operation is part of our job. Surely it would better to learn how to operate it properly rather finding some workaround.
And besides, what’s so hard about selecting bed and pressing ok.
JON
:
I had something similar happen to me recently. Put my card in as normal and looked on dash board vdu and it said I had been driving for 2 hrs 45 mins.! I took my breaks as normal as I knew I had not been driving for that time. And sure as eggs is eggs I was asked 2 weeks later to explain the infringment. My TM excepted my explanation. But gave me this advice. Before u take your card out at the end of the shift switch the mode to REST as as far as the digi tacho is concerned if you leave it on OTHER WORK it thinks you have not ended the shift at all. This is a very common mistake apparently. And probably more common for agency drivers as they are usually driving different types of vehicle with different digi tacho’s. Also it could of been a fault with the digi tacho the OP was given at the time. As for VOSA. Try not to worry. I think if you were constantly making that mistake they would catch up with you but not a one off. Bring back good old analogue!
What’s that now??
Sounds like he knows ■■■■ all…
Old digital tacho’s will always store any time that the card is out and no manual entry made as ? - this is assumed to be rest.
Newer ones will ask you to do a manual entry or say something like “rest until now”.
I’ve cocked up a manual entry in the past, ■■■■ happens. But, I always eject my card on other work, you know why? Because I’m still bloody working
BillyHunt:
I’ve never done a manual entry in my life & ive never had any problems. It’s never been brought up by any TM, vosa rep, transport clerk or anyone else.
At the last place I worked on agency you had to download your card before & after every drive. Sometimes you could wait an hour in the office for the unit to get back, the fact that I never did a manual entry to cover that time was never even brought up, ever.
Your company wouldn’t bring it up because by standing around in the yard for an hour off the clock per day that’s 5 extra hours per week they can add on to your 48 hour average. If you’re salary paid then they’re doubly laughing. If you’re hourly paid then at least that gives you a bit more earning potential.
And Vosa wouldn’t know you were doing this so they wouldn’t bring it up either.
It’s another one of those things that is law but rarely enforced.
I suggest those who find manual entries difficult watch this video. It’s actually very simple.
As an hourly paid drone I’m happy to stand around doing nothing for an hour or so, clocking on & drinking tea is fine with me.
I never said I found them difficult just that I don’t bother doing them. I know how to but what’s the point? I remember with anologue tachos some drivers used to draw on the back of their charts if they been waiting & at the end of shift to cover their time from getting out the cab until clock off, never saw the point in that either.
BillyHunt:
As an hourly paid drone I’m happy to stand around doing nothing for an hour or so, clocking on & drinking tea is fine with me.
I never said I found them difficult just that I don’t bother doing them. I know how to but what’s the point? I remember with anologue tachos some drivers used to draw on the back of their charts if they been waiting & at the end of shift to cover their time from getting out the cab until clock off, never saw the point in that either.
Yeah, I mean you’re just a driver, why bother doing the job properly?
BillyHunt:
As an hourly paid drone I’m happy to stand around doing nothing for an hour or so, clocking on & drinking tea is fine with me.
I never said I found them difficult just that I don’t bother doing them. I know how to but what’s the point? I remember with anologue tachos some drivers used to draw on the back of their charts if they been waiting & at the end of shift to cover their time from getting out the cab until clock off, never saw the point in that either.
Doesnt the firm you work for download your card ,or did they ever look at your disc 
you cant carry on like that pal,especially nowadays 
Of course they get the card downloaded, that is a legal requirement. The last time I worked for an agency I had to download my card at the start & end of every shift. My point is that nobody has ever picked up on the fact that I’ve never done a single manual entry so why bother with them given the amount of trouble they seem to cause.
The job is being done correctly, the alleged admin requirement might not keep everyone on here happy but hey, no change there.
BillyHunt:
Of course they get the card downloaded, that is a legal requirement. The last time I worked for an agency I had to download my card at the start & end of every shift. My point is that nobody has ever picked up on the fact that I’ve never done a single manual entry so why bother with them given the amount of trouble they seem to cause.
The job is being done correctly, the alleged admin requirement might not keep everyone on here happy but hey, no change there.
What you gunna say if you get stopped by voso or whatever they call themselves nowadays ,are you just shrugg your shoulders and act daft sombodys gunna pick up on it soon pal 
Seth, that is unlikely, if he’s got away with it until now, unless he’s only been doing the job for 5 minutes.
BillyHunt:
The job is being done correctly.
Let’s not kid ourselves eh?!
What could dvsa say if they stopped me? “Why haven’t you done a manual entry” for what exactly. Last time I got pulled into a static location, sandy lane Newcastle last August, it was never mentioned after they downloaded my card. Proof to me that they aren’t required. Btw I wasn’t aware that you couldn’t get stopped by them if you were a new driver.
How many threads have you seen on here where a driver has tried to do an entry, usually trying to put his finish time back from the previous day, cocked it up & then had no clue how to go on.
As for the job getting done, I get in the cab, pick up a trailer,make it to its delivery point where it’s unloaded, drive back to yard, drop trailer, fuel & ad blue the vehicle, go home. All done with safety in mind, speed limits adhered to, curteous driving show to other road users, no bumps or accidents, all paperwork correctly filled in & signed.
Have I missed anything?
Only been driving hgv since 1980 so yes, just over the five minutes.
BillyHunt:
What could dvsa say if they stopped me? “Why haven’t you done a manual entry” for what exactly. Last time I got pulled into a static location, sandy lane Newcastle last August, it was never mentioned after they downloaded my card. Proof to me that they aren’t required. Btw I wasn’t aware that you couldn’t get stopped by them if you were a new driver.
How many threads have you seen on here where a driver has tried to do an entry, usually trying to put his finish time back from the previous day, cocked it up & then had no clue how to go on.
As for the job getting done, I get in the cab, pick up a trailer,make it to its delivery point where it’s unloaded, drive back to yard, drop trailer, fuel & ad blue the vehicle, go home. All done with safety in mind, speed limits adhered to, curteous driving show to other road users, no bumps or accidents, all paperwork correctly filled in & signed.
Have I missed anything?
Only been driving hgv since 1980 so yes, just over the five minutes.
By the same logic - If the police stopped you and didn’t mention the fact that you had been speeding earlier that day (because they didn’t know you had done it), would you then take it as being “proof” that you don’t need to comply with speed limits?
Actually i think that’s the approach the majority of drivers take anyway - anything goes as long as no-one actually catches you in the act. Doesn’t make it right, and it certainly isn’t what I would expect of a professional driver.
OP: Have you asked the TM if you’re getting paid for the night shift you’ve done? 
BillyHunt:
What could dvsa say if they stopped me? “Why haven’t you done a manual entry” for what exactly.
For the 1 hour you’ve been standing in the yard. Some drivers in your position would use that to do a 16 hour day. And I dare say a lot of companies would let them.
I phoned the planners at Stobart once and explained to them that I wouldn’t be able to make a drop they asked me to do. When they asked what time I started I told them. They then asked “yeah, but what time did you put your card in”. Inferring that if I didn’t insert my card straight away I could just keep on working as I had card time left. I did wait ages to stick my card in as it happens as my unit wouldn’t start and then they changed my run.
In the end I dumped the trailer at Crick instead of dropping the load at Lutterworth and ran back to Stoke with an empty from Crick. Clocked off with minutes to spare out of a 15 but over an hour left of card time.
Every single minute of our time has to be accounted for. Any less and you’re not complying with what’s expected of us.
Roymondo:
BillyHunt:
What could dvsa say if they stopped me? “Why haven’t you done a manual entry” for what exactly. Last time I got pulled into a static location, sandy lane Newcastle last August, it was never mentioned after they downloaded my card. Proof to me that they aren’t required. Btw I wasn’t aware that you couldn’t get stopped by them if you were a new driver.
How many threads have you seen on here where a driver has tried to do an entry, usually trying to put his finish time back from the previous day, cocked it up & then had no clue how to go on.
As for the job getting done, I get in the cab, pick up a trailer,make it to its delivery point where it’s unloaded, drive back to yard, drop trailer, fuel & ad blue the vehicle, go home. All done with safety in mind, speed limits adhered to, curteous driving show to other road users, no bumps or accidents, all paperwork correctly filled in & signed.
Have I missed anything?
Only been driving hgv since 1980 so yes, just over the five minutes.By the same logic - If the police stopped you and didn’t mention the fact that you had been speeding earlier that day (because they didn’t know you had done it), would you then take it as being “proof” that you don’t need to comply with speed limits?
Actually i think that’s the approach the majority of drivers take anyway - anything goes as long as no-one actually catches you in the act. Doesn’t make it right, and it certainly isn’t what I would expect of a professional driver.
The fact is that they obviously aren’t bothered by it, why else would it not be a standard question when stopped by dvsa as in “and what time did you start your shift driver?”
I think your analogy is a bit simplistic, nobody, and I mean nobody, would do as you suggest & say to the police, “oh and by the way, I was doing 40 in a 30 earlier”, for a start they would ignore it as they had no proof themselves, they might drink & drug test you though.
i would guess, and it is just a guess, that a huge amount of drivers don’t do manual entries, partly because they don’t know how, partly because they don’t know when & partly because they don’t know they have to. Plenty will have tried, failed & not bothered again.
Terry T:
BillyHunt:
What could dvsa say if they stopped me? “Why haven’t you done a manual entry” for what exactly.For the 1 hour you’ve been standing in the yard. Some drivers in your position would use that to do a 16 hour day. And I dare say a lot of companies would let them.
I phoned the planners at Stobart once and explained to them that I wouldn’t be able to make a drop they asked me to do. When they asked what time I started I told them. They then asked “yeah, but what time did you put your card in”. Inferring that if I didn’t insert my card straight away I could just keep on working as I had card time left. I did wait ages to stick my card in as it happens as my unit wouldn’t start and then they changed my run.
In the end I dumped the trailer at Crick instead of dropping the load at Lutterworth and ran back to Stoke with an empty from Crick. Clocked off with minutes to spare out of a 15 but over an hour left of card time.
Every single minute of our time has to be accounted for. Any less and you’re not complying with what’s expected of us.
Yes I understand why I would have to do one, it was a hypothetical question for the dvsa.
I dare say you could use it to do a 16, my aim is to do less not more. I must have been lucky all my career because no transport office has ever asked me when I put my card in. Maybe it’s something to do with the fact that I’m not known as someone that takes the urine with hours, hanging the job out, claiming all the hours possible. I do it in the time it takes, with full breaks done legally, not while tipping, I have been asked to do that before, refused.
It’s really very simple, I don’t do them because I don’t see the need to do them, they bring nothing to the job, a bit like poa, something else I don’t use.
If people on here don’t like it then that’s their problem, they can look forward to the day when I come on with a thread asking for help as I’ve been done for tacho infringements.