how are you calculating your worked hours? i have seen the disc type tacho reader at south mimms for around 12 quid but are they worth buying? my current analysis machine is not 100% accurate. i can read the tacho disc but i cant accurately work out how long i have been doing each activity. especially if i am doing short runs instead of drops all over the place
Get one of daveys driver hours guards then.
I just use Dave’s timer, it’s really easy as it tells you how long your shift was and your driving time so all you have to remember is how long your breaks are.
Then if you add your driving time and breaks together and subtract that from your shift time that gives you your other work time.
Works well for me and has come back from the tacho people 100% correct 
no offence to Davey but i dont want to shell out for a product that will be replaced in a couple of months. i am after something to read the charts accurately rather than my driving time during shift.
i keep my own records since the WTD kicked in and i need to know how much overtime i can put in every fortnight
I TELL U WHAT I DO IS A REALY CHEAP GET A STOP WATCH THERE ABOUT A POUND WORK,S A TREAT 4 ME
there are chart readers available costing hundreds…to avoid expense steer clear of maximum days and reduced breaks
scanny77:
how are you calculating your worked hours? i have seen the disc type tacho reader at south mimms for around 12 quid but are they worth buying?
Sounds like the one I have sitting in a draw somewhere. if it is a disk of plasic with a rotating arm then not very accurate.
A more accurate free standing one with a magnifying lens can be bought for less than £50 & these are more accurate than the computer systems, in the hands of some one who has been taught to use one properly & becoming accurate is not as easy as you think.
But, & I don’t own one, I have to say Davey’s things are the sheeps dangly bits.
I use a very older version of what Davey now makes & I have to say even mine is better than a stop watch, which is what I use to use.
A stop watch is fine if you are not constantly stopping, but these timers not only work out your 4.5 they work out your 9 & 10. Plus your 45 etc etc & all at at the same time, they really are very good & so what if it becomes outdated, it will still do everything it did when you bought it.
scanny77:
no offence to Davey but i dont want to shell out for a product that will be replaced in a couple of months.
Even though you are GUARANTEED a full REFUND of £30 by part exchanging for the New one out in August dispite only paying £22.95 with the Trucknet discount 
Just count your poa and breaks and subtract it from your days work and driving.
Thats all i do.
My hour guard has had some personal abuse over the years but like you say im not shelling out for another one until the new one is available, then Davey can have the bits ive got left in PX for a new one 
:).
P.S. Davey did you ever find that car charger for my phone■■?..
like Daxi said, its a pain when you are stop/starting all day. i would never remember to press the buttons anyway. i always forgot when i used a stopwatch so i cant see me remembering now 
i basically need something to read the chart at the end of the shift. i did shunting round the docks the other day so it can be 10 minutes here, wait for an hour, 10 minutes back, wait half an hour blah blah blah. most of you will have done some trailer shifting in your time
10 hour shift, distance = 29 kms
You can get them big round plastic things you put your tacho in the middle and spin it round, stop the pointer on drive and other work etc etc, i used to have one their quite good i dont know how accurate to the minute but i felt it was ok.
They are available in most truckstops.
I have an hour guard but kept forgetting to set it so now I have set up a small A4 page with Driving, Other duties, rest, Poa in different columns and just write the start and end time of each actvity on it, I total as I go along so I’m always know where I am with Duty times. Filling the sheet in takes seconds.
Works for Me
i dont have that worry cos i`m on international work…drive for 4.5 hours…1 hour off…drive for 4.5 hours…have 9 hours or 11 hours off. when unloading go to bed…when loading go to bed…drive back home again…so easy…and i normally get 5 to 7 hours off on the ferry too…
I’ve had one of those disc reader things for years. Its fallen to bits recently, but was accurate enough for working out how many hours driving etc you have done in a day. If you get one, only take it as being accurate to 5 minutes, the wrong way. That way your records might be 5 minutes out, but you won’t be over your time.
I would replace mine, but really dislike the idea of paying £12 for a bit of printed plastic, again.