Hello all jus curious about summat an wondered if you could help…
I got back the depot today an was told I’ve got an infringement for driving 5.5hrs non stop…
I remember the day as I was waiting for a gate open and put my tacho on poa for 40 minutes…I noticed this recorded on the tacho as 15 minutes break and later on i had another 35 minutes which reset my driving hrs…I didn’t get any flashing warning about my drivin hrs only this infringement
So wondered why it never came up as warning 15 minutes to driving break and because I never got a warning why it came through as infringement …thanks
Because in the EU the first 45 of POA is counted as break, as it does when double manning here. In the UK POA isn’t counted as a break on single manned duty hence your infringement.
Be mindful of it next time, if you have 45 min POA it will just reset the driving clock to zero on your tacho or digital dash diplay, but you can’t count it as break here.
Your display warned you that you were coming up on 15 min to driving break because according to EU rules you had only taken a 40, so that one counted as a 15 and you were due a 30. However in the UK that first 40 counted as nothing and you were actually due a 45.
Cheers m8 least I know for next time…appreciate the reply so I can tell supervisor at work as he seemed clueless too 
NELSON76:
Cheers m8 least I know for next time…appreciate the reply so I can tell supervisor at work as he seemed clueless too
Edited my reply for clarity.
This has been asked time and time again
POA because of the software in the tachograph.
It’s all to do with multi manning and the software yes it’s a pain I know.
In a single man duty i.e. Your only using slot 1 in your shift you need to use break for all breaks taken , the POA mode will only move your 6hr WTD x amount of minutes.
So POA , start work at 06:00 a wtd break is needed by 12:00 but if 40 minutes of POA is used the wtd break is postponed till 12:40.
POA is not a break .
As you stated you only had 35 mins break, which means you failed to have enough break, POA cannot be counted as break (unless your card is in slot 2) but will still reset your driving counter on the tacho head unit
If you get paid for recorded breaks then do not use POA
TheNewBoy:
As you stated you only had 35 mins break, which means you failed to have enough break, POA cannot be counted as break (unless your card is in slot 2) but will still reset your driving counter on the tacho head unit
That’s useful to know mate. I presume from that, if I do say, 3 hours driving then stick it on poa for more than 45 minutes, it resets my driving time but I still need a proper break before I get to the other 1.5 hours on from the 3? Cheers.
andy_s:
I presume from that, if I do say, 3 hours driving then stick it on poa for more than 45 minutes, it resets my driving time but I still need a proper break before I get to the other 1.5 hours on from the 3? Cheers.
You got it 
THanks Rog… not that I will use poa much although some agencies I’m registered with seem to plug it a lot (No surprise there lol)
andy_s:
THanks Rog… not that I will use poa much although some agencies I’m registered with seem to plug it a lot (No surprise there lol)
Many seem to think that POA is the only way of reducing working time for the WTD, which is not enforced by the authorities but is by many companies, but seem to forget that break also has the same effect without screwing up the tacho driving time breaks
NELSON76:
Cheers m8 least I know for next time…appreciate the reply so I can tell supervisor at work as he seemed clueless too
Not really a supervisor if he doesn’t know the rules of a tachograph.