This piece of the WTD regarding tacho modes
. Currently, most drivers use the “on duty and available for work”
switch on the tachograph to record both “other work” and “periods of availability”.
However, using this switch in this way will give a misleading impression of the
amount of working time (as defined under these regulations) that has been performed. If
you wish to monitor working time using tachograph records, it is recommended that you
instruct your employees to use the:
Cross-hammers mode for other work and for any waiting time or periods of
availability4 that are not known about in advance.
On-duty and available for work — waiting time or periods of availability known
about in advance (as defined under these regulations).
If you have an auto tachograph with no ‘driving’ mode, do you leave it on crossed-hammers when driving or On-duty. I have never used the crossed-hammers mode.
Phil
It matters not, because driving gets recorded as ‘Driving’ irrespective of the mode switch.
When it becomes relevant is when you stop. If it is set to the cross hammers, then it will record other Other Work. If it is set to the square, it effectively records that time as a POA.
To give an illustration. You pull into a Service Station for fuel, and as you drive round the back you suddenly discover that only one fuel lane is working, and you are fifth in the queue. You know from experience that it will take somewhere in the area of 5-7 minutes before you need to carry out any activity. i.e. pull forward. IF you consider that time Other Work, then it would be logical to have been driving with your tacho set to crossed hammers. However, on the other hand, IF you considered that time to be a POA, (the likely duration is known) then it would be logical to have been driving with the tacho set to the box.
Does that help?
Thanks Krankee, perfect explanation, I understand exactly now. I use a TachTrak for drivers hours, but I believe Im correct in thinking there is a new version of the Davey Hours Guard which takes into consideration the WTD, if so I will have to retire the old TachTrak and invest in the Davey device, all that writting down and adding up will do my head in otherwise!
Phil
Be aware that the Digital Tachographs will switch from ‘driving’ to ‘other work’ (crossed hammers) when the vehicle stops. If you select an alternative mode; rest or POA within 2 minutes of the vehicle becoming stationary, then the VU will record all the time as the mode you selected. Me thinks this is going to get confusing!!