Tacho

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi guys,

Every driver can drive 9 hours a day ( 2 times a week can do 10 h), so my question is : I am driving 4hours & 15 mns , then I get my loading place which will take around 50 minutes of time. So, is it possible for me to cheat with the tacho and count that loading time as my 45 mns rest? I know that the loading time must be in ‘‘other work’’, but how can anybody check that it is other work or rest?
I am asking this question just to clarify the thing in y head :slight_smile:
Thanks :slight_smile:

2

If your not actually loading yourself or doing any work whatsoever I.e opening curtains etc, then yes you can. In fact it’s not even cheating.

If your doing any work at all then no it can’t legally be used as a break.

3

If you’re not helping with the loading/unloading and can use the time for recuperation you can legally put the tachograph on break, 45 minutes of break will reset your available driving time to 4.5 hours (if you have 4.5 hours driving time left).

4

kjw21:
If your not actually loading yourself or doing any work whatsoever I.e opening curtains etc, then yes you can. In fact it’s not even cheating.

If your doing any work at all then no it can’t legally be used as a break.

Yes, but if I am myself loading , what would stop me from putting this ‘‘other work’’ as a break? I know that it is cheating, but how can this be caught■■?

5

If you think that VOSA/DVSA are that stupid mate, then you just crack on! :smiley:
They weren’t born yesterday pal and know from the type of work you are doing the pattern your tacho should show, so if you want to stand there trying to explain how (for example) 4 pallets of goods disappeared off your truck at a certain drop, then you go for it!

6

99% of the time you won’t be caught.

It is traceable (albeit a lot of effort and investigation so unlikely unless linked in to mass offences) but it’s also noticeable on a tacho print even if unprovable from just that print.

I.e no “other work” showing other than the bare minimum. Like I said - proves nothing but may make people look just a little bit harder for something that they can prove.

In that 50 min break I’d at least need to be showing a few mins “other work” even if it’s just opening the back doors and handing paperwork in.