Hi ,
i am taking a 7.5 tonner over to dublin on sunday night and need a bit of advice on the driving/rest period and the best way to utilise them to get the maximum time driving .
I am booked for loading in Newcastle at 9pm on sunday then drive to Cairn Ryan ,…about 3.5 hrs
Ferry takes approx 2.5 hrs to Larne in Northern Ireland
Larne to dublin takes approx 3.5 hrs
should i put the tacho on rest or POA on the ferry going over ,i think POA and does the time spent on POA count in the maximum 15hrs
I have done this trip a few times in vans but this is the first time in a truck and i know that Vosa have a check point just outside of Cairn Ryan where they drag trucks in coming of the ferry’s so i want to get this right
Any advice will be appreciated
If you have areduced daily rest available allowing you to do a 15 hour shift then whatever you do between the daily (or weekly) rests counts as part of that 15 hour shift
Cheers for replying ,so i can use break for the outward trip on the ferry ,my plan is to use the waiting time at the ferry port and the return trip as my 9 hr break
just spotted your edit ,basically what you are saying is that after 15hrs the tacho must come out ,i will have reduced rest periods and 2x 10 hr driving shifts available .It’s that 15hr shift that is the problem because it may work out that i have to remove the tacho before i get back to the ferry port at Larne
Cheers for replying ,so i can use break for the outward trip on the ferry ,my plan is to use the waiting time at the ferry port and the return trip as my 9 hr break
You cannot have a 9 hour REST if there is a movement in it
You can do a full 11 hour daily rest with 2 movements for the ferry but the movements (max total 1 hour) must be added to the 11 hours
Cheers for replying ,so i can use break for the outward trip on the ferry ,my plan is to use the waiting time at the ferry port and the return trip as my 9 hr break
You cannot have a 9 hour REST if there is a movement in it
You can do a full 11 hour daily rest with 2 movements for the ferry but the movements (max total 1 hour) must be added to the 11 hours
Cheers for replying ,so i can use break for the outward trip on the ferry ,my plan is to use the waiting time at the ferry port and the return trip as my 9 hr break
You cannot have a 9 hour REST if there is a movement in it
You can do a full 11 hour daily rest with 2 movements for the ferry but the movements (max total 1 hour) must be added to the 11 hours
But not to the driving time allegedly
Thanks for really confusing me dude ,i think i know what you mean though
martyh:
Hi ,
i am taking a 7.5 tonner over to dublin on sunday night and need a bit of advice on the driving/rest period and the best way to utilise them to get the maximum time driving .
I am booked for loading in Newcastle at 9pm on sunday then drive to Cairn Ryan ,…about 3.5 hrs
Ferry takes approx 2.5 hrs to Larne in Northern Ireland
Larne to dublin takes approx 3.5 hrs
should i put the tacho on rest or POA on the ferry going over ,i think POA and does the time spent on POA count in the maximum 15hrs
I have done this trip a few times in vans but this is the first time in a truck and i know that Vosa have a check point just outside of Cairn Ryan where they drag trucks in coming of the ferry’s so i want to get this right
Any advice will be appreciated
Ok, lets look at this bit by bit.
Load in Newcastle and then drive 3.5 hrs to Cairnryan. Fine.
Go onto ferry and use POA. Why? if you do that you then :-
Drive to Dublin, 3.5 hrs again, but you’ll have to stop for a break an hour down the road because POA doesn’t count as break. Take your break on the boat.
You then intend tip Dublin and drive straight back (to Larne ?) for your return ferry ?
Using waiting time plus ferry crossing for your rest.
You can’t.
3.5 + 3.5 + 3.5 = 10.5 hrs driving. Max driving for a shift is 10hrs.
You must also have a bunk available to you for the complete rest period. I can’t remember if you get a bunk on the Irish ferries, but if not, you’re stuffed there too.
I realise that those 3.5 hr bits are estimates, but they look close enough to me. You might be lucky and shave enough off them to do all three drives in 10 hrs, but you could just as easily be unlucky and take longer.
Your 15 hour spreadover is from start of shift to finish of shift. What you do in between makes no difference. You have to have a minimum of 9 hours rest. 24 - 9 = 15
martyh:
Hi ,
i am taking a 7.5 tonner over to dublin on sunday night and need a bit of advice on the driving/rest period and the best way to utilise them to get the maximum time driving .
I am booked for loading in Newcastle at 9pm on sunday then drive to Cairn Ryan ,…about 3.5 hrs
Ferry takes approx 2.5 hrs to Larne in Northern Ireland
Larne to dublin takes approx 3.5 hrs
should i put the tacho on rest or POA on the ferry going over ,i think POA and does the time spent on POA count in the maximum 15hrs
I have done this trip a few times in vans but this is the first time in a truck and i know that Vosa have a check point just outside of Cairn Ryan where they drag trucks in coming of the ferry’s so i want to get this right
Any advice will be appreciated
Ok, lets look at this bit by bit.
Load in Newcastle and then drive 3.5 hrs to Cairnryan. Fine.
Go onto ferry and use POA. Why? if you do that you then :-
Drive to Dublin, 3.5 hrs again, but you’ll have to stop for a break an hour down the road because POA doesn’t count as break. Take your break on the boat.
You then intend tip Dublin and drive straight back (to Larne ?) for your return ferry ?
Using waiting time plus ferry crossing for your rest.
You can’t.
3.5 + 3.5 + 3.5 = 10.5 hrs driving. Max driving for a shift is 10hrs.
You must also have a bunk available to you for the complete rest period. I can’t remember if you get a bunk on the Irish ferries, but if not, you’re stuffed there too.
I realise that those 3.5 hr bits are estimates, but they look close enough to me. You might be lucky and shave enough off them to do all three drives in 10 hrs, but you could just as easily be unlucky and take longer.
Your 15 hour spreadover is from start of shift to finish of shift. What you do in between makes no difference. You have to have a minimum of 9 hours rest. 24 - 9 = 15
There are no bunks on either the P&O or Stena sailings i personally would sail stena as this goes into Belfast thereby reducing your drive time to Dublin by approx 30 - 40mins. The Vosa in Castle Kennedy do turn a blind eye to the fact that there is no bunk available if you wish to do a boat movement for your rest. Just do like everyone else and jump in your cot when you get on the boat no one will bother you!!!
I think we all know that it not allowed to remain on the car decks, I’m sure the poster who mentioned it didn’t mean he should ask permission. What they dont know won’t hurt them. On those Cairnryan crossings at night count how many trucks get on and how many drivers you see upstairs.
You haven’t mentioned how much driving if any you are doing before Newcastle however your 15 hours will be well up before you get back to Larne. The only way would be to leave Newcastle on a fresh card at midnight to avoid wasting 2-3 hours sitting at Cairnryan.
Failing that you could always ask for some ‘tacho advice’ on the boat.
maurice:
You haven’t mentioned how much driving if any you are doing before Newcastle however your 15 hours will be well up before you get back to Larne. The only way would be to leave Newcastle on a fresh card at midnight to avoid wasting 2-3 hours sitting at Cairnryan.
Failing that you could always ask for some ‘tacho advice’ on the boat.
the only tacho advice you’ll get on those boats is "drive her on "
nedflanders:
if there is no bunk available on the boat and you have a sleeper cab stay in that and get ur 3.5 hrs rest if that makes any diff to you
I’ve been re reading the rules on VOSA 's site and it says a “bunk or couchette” so i presume that the couches dotted around the boat and in the drivers lounge are sufficient to meet regs .Last week i saw the crew checking the trucks and vans to make sure there was no one left in ,besides i want my scran ,i’ve gotten quite a taste for cardboard bacon
,i think i know what you mean though
the only tacho advice you’ll get on those boats is "drive her on "