Hello all 
I’ve got a question regarding breaks. I usually have 45min or 15 and 30 before my 6h or 4h30, but I’ve been told that you can have 30mins to reset your 6h and then once 4h30 comes up another 30 to reset that. is that true? 
should know these things really shouldn’t I? 
Thank you 
15 mins to reset your 6 hours
another 30 mins resets your driving time
The RTD 15 break for the 6 hour rule was specifically designed to match the 15 min time for the first of a split driving time break
so your telling me whenever I have my 15min it resets my 6h? where are you getting all this info from? is it really true
Trucker8oy:
so your telling me whenever I have my 15min it resets my 6h? where are you getting all this info from? is it really true
ROG:
Trucker8oy:
so your telling me whenever I have my 15min it resets my 6h? where are you getting all this info from? is it really true
thanks for that rog!
I didn’t think it “reset” your 6 hrs, because you’d still need to take another minimum of 15mins before 9 hrs (assuming you haven’t hit your 4.5 driving limit by then) as you need to have had at least 30mins break in 9hrs for WTD?
I thought you needed 30 minutes’ break every six hours for the WTD. Every day’s a school day.
Nezza:
I didn’t think it “reset” your 6 hrs, because you’d still need to take another minimum of 15mins before 9 hrs (assuming you haven’t hit your 4.5 driving limit by then) as you need to have had at least 30mins break in 9hrs for WTD?
Correct, total shift time 6-9 hours = 30 minutes minimum break or breaks required.
Six hour rule states thou shalt not work for more than six hours without a break, so if you take 15 (minimum period which constitutes an ‘official’ break) it should follow you may work for another six hours before needing another break.
Why the hell can’t VOSA just put this in black and white, comes up time and time again and is so widely misunderstood. There’s an example in the RHA driver’s handbook (page 12 I think) and in here Road Transport Working Time Guidance (page 27, Mobile worker A) which should satisfy anyone but be it dcpc instructors, transport managers or colleagues it’s so often “No it’s 30, end of.”
Had this conversation with a co-driver only tonight and got Stony Silenceâ„¢
I see a few still do not have this quite correct so I suggest those that have posted on here about shift times and 9 hours read the link viewtopic.php?f=7&t=99021
so if I start at 0400 and have my 30min break at 0830, that means that I don’t have to have another 30mins before 1500 or when 4h30 comes up. so when I have my second 30mins to reset my driving time will that reset my 6h as well?
if im honest I am so confused that I don’t even understand myself what im trying to ask here. 
I hope that you do
thank you
Trucker8oy:
so if I start at 0400 and have my 30min break at 0830, that means that I don’t have to have another 30mins before 1500 or when 4h30 comes up. so when I have my second 30mins to reset my driving time will that reset my 6h as well?if im honest I am so confused that I don’t even understand myself what im trying to ask here.
thank you
RTD working time breaks are for work or working time done within a shift - RTD does not refer to shift/duty time
At no point in the whole shift must the working time (driving+other work) exceed 6 hours without at least a 15 min break
There is no rule which says a total of 30 mins break must be taken before 9 hours of work
A certain total amount of RTD breaks must be taken in a shift and that amount will depend on how much working time was done in that shift
Breaks for driving time and RTD can count for each other but for split driving time breaks the breaks must be 15 then 30
Every time you have a break of at least 15 mins the 6 hour working time break requirement resets in the same way that taking 45 mins either in one go or in two parts of 15 + 30 resets the 4.5 hour driving time
You only need to take a 30ins if your shift is less than six hrs and 15 mins if it’s more than six hours ? But you must take another 30mins before your shift finishes if more than 6 hrs or if your 4.5hrs is up…
Even employers are confused about this. At an interview I went to 6 months ago, I had to do a multichoice test which included the 6 hour working break etc.
One question was:
You must have a 30 minute break within 6 hours of work, in accordance with the WTD. What total break must you take within 9 hours in accordance with the WTD… ?
The answer so they told me is, 30 mins within 6 hours, and a further 15 mins within 9 hours, and provided that you reached your 45 mins driving break before your WTD break, then you are covered.
Even the two DCPC instructors have told us this.
4aaaa4dd:
You only need to take a 30ins if your shift is less than six hrs and 15 mins if it’s more than six hours ? But you must take another 30mins before your shift finishes if more than 6 hrs or if your 4.5hrs is up…
Working time during a shift
Working time and shift time are two different things
degsy4wheels:
Even employers are confused about this. At an interview I went to 6 months ago, I had to do a multichoice test which included the 6 hour working break etc.
One question was:You must have a 30 minute break within 6 hours of work, in accordance with the WTD. What total break must you take within 9 hours in accordance with the WTD… ?
The answer so they told me is, 30 mins within 6 hours, and a further 15 mins within 9 hours, and provided that you reached your 45 mins driving break before your WTD break, then you are covered.
Even the two DCPC instructors have told us this.
Shows how many do not understand what is written - or they are listening to a few who have their own interpretation on this
Trucker8oy:
so if I start at 0400 and have my 30min break at 0830, that means that I don’t have to have another 30mins before 1500 or when 4h30 comes up. so when I have my second 30mins to reset my driving time will that reset my 6h as well?if im honest I am so confused that I don’t even understand myself what im trying to ask here.
thank you
Right, here is my take on this
First of all, you need to be clear as to whether you are working under the RTD or the WTD.
Forgetting RTD for the time being. So in your situation you started work (assume not driving) at 04.00 which means that by 10.00 hrs you must have stopped for 15 mins. However, because you stopped at 08.30 hrs for a period of half an hour, you have effectively reset the WTD and this therefore means that you can work to 15.00 before having to take another 15 mins.
Assuming however that you had started work at 04.00 and had immediately started to drive, then of course by 08.30H assuming you had driven for the 4.5 hrs then you would come under RTD and would of had a break.
For long haul drivers, the regulations are easier because WTD seldom comes into the equation.
(Please be gentle with me Rog if this is wrong )
Lusk:
Trucker8oy:
so if I start at 0400 and have my 30min break at 0830, that means that I don’t have to have another 30mins before 1500 or when 4h30 comes up. so when I have my second 30mins to reset my driving time will that reset my 6h as well?if im honest I am so confused that I don’t even understand myself what im trying to ask here.
thank you
Right, here is my take on this
First of all, you need to be clear as to whether you are working under the RTD or the WTD.
Forgetting RTD for the time being. So in your situation you started work (assume not driving) at 04.00 which means that by 10.00 hrs you must have stopped for 15 mins. However, because you stopped at 08.30 hrs for a period of half an hour, you have effectively reset the WTD and this therefore means that you can work to 15.00 before having to take another 15 mins.
Assuming however that you had started work at 04.00 and had immediately started to drive, then of course by 08.30H assuming you had driven for the 4.5 hrs then you would come under RTD and would of had a break.
For long haul drivers, the regulations are easier because WTD seldom comes into the equation.(Please be gentle with me Rog if this is wrong
WTD is for non mobile workers and there are no compulsory breaks required
RTD or RT(WT)R or RT(WT)D is for mobile workers and has compulsory breaks
I think you might have meant to look at the differences between EU tacho regs and the RTD instead of RTD and WTD - yes?
Those under EU tacho regs will be under RTD
Those on UK domestic regs will be under WTD
Lusk:
Right, here is my take on thisFirst of all, you need to be clear as to whether you are working under the RTD or the WTD.
Forgetting RTD for the time being. So in your situation you started work (assume not driving) at 04.00 which means that by 10.00 hrs you must have stopped for 15 mins. However, because you stopped at 08.30 hrs for a period of half an hour, you have effectively reset the WTD and this therefore means that you can work to 15.00 before having to take another 15 mins.
Assuming however that you had started work at 04.00 and had immediately started to drive, then of course by 08.30H assuming you had driven for the 4.5 hrs then you would come under RTD and would of had a break.
For long haul drivers, the regulations are easier because WTD seldom comes into the equation.(Please be gentle with me Rog if this is wrong
Sorry ROG -you beat me to it- I’ll post this anyway!!!
ALL driver’s under EU tacho drivers hours rules come under RTD - no opt out’s available.
It is quite straight-forward, if you work for 6 hours a 15 mins break (minimum) is reqd. - when 6 hours is reached at the latest. During the next 3 hours of work (upto 9 hours) a further 15 mins. break (minimum) is reqd. - This CANNOT be taken at the very end of the shift. If work exceeds 9 hours then a further 15 mins. break (minimum) is reqd. as above - before shift ends.
If you want to take a 30 mins. break instead of the 15mins mentioned at any point - this is of course allowed.
The working time includes driving activities & ‘other work’. Rest/POA DO NOT count towards RTD limits.
The breaks can be ‘dual-purpose’ i.e. count towards driving breaks too - providing they are in the right order 15 mins. followed by 30 mins.
A 45 mins. Drivers’ Hours break CAN be used for RTD purposes (dual-purpose).
Hope this helps. I learnt this on DCPC training - backed up by Guidance sheet - available from VOSA website & Driver Hire do a very good, user-friendly handout also, this is available on their website.
ROG:
I think you might have meant to look at the differences between EU tacho regs and the RTD instead of RTD and WTD - yes?Those under EU tacho regs will be under RTD
Those on UK domestic regs will be under WTD
The point I was trying to get to was that there is a distinction between, say, a driver who is engaged in long haul driving and one who pootles around a 20 mile radius of their depot. In the case of the long(er) haul driver, they are not going to be concerned with the six hour rule as they will be stopped out by their 4.5hr driving time.
So now Rog, you’ve thrown something else up into the air and if I am correct in my assumption, you are saying that WTD does not apply to EU regs. Or am I reading you wrong?