Could anyone tell me how long your supposed to keep your tachograph charts for these days please?
This is an excerpt from the VOSA site:
You must carry enough “unused” charts to last the whole journey plus some spares in case any become dirty or damaged. When driving a vehicle fitted with an analogue tachograph you must be able to produce the charts used, and any manual records or print-outs made, in the current week and those used or made in the previous 15 days. You should also be able to produce your driver card if you hold one. [NOTE: the previous 15 days refers to those charts used in the 15 consecutive calendar days prior to 00.00 hours on the Monday of the current week].
There is a slight cross-over now though, because you’re supposed to hand them in no later than 21 days, and theoretically, you could have them for 22 following the rules above, but I think it’s one of those things that still needs to be ironed out!
thanks for that mate, i was suprised to find this out at work today. i,m sure i remember it being something like the whole of the current week, plus the last one from the week before, something like that anyway.
sidan:
thanks for that mate, i was suprised to find this out at work today. i,m sure i remember it being something like the whole of the current week, plus the last one from the week before, something like that anyway.
Yes, it was. The rules changed in May, hence the current disparity between how long you have to keep them, and when you have to return them. As I mentioned in another thread, Asda force agency drivers to sign a sheet of paper promising to return tachos within 21 days, even though you have to keep them for up to 22.
VOSA have declared that they will be a bit lenient on the “return within 21 days” rule, within reason (i.e. if you haven’t returned a tacho for a couple of months, then you could expect to be told off…)
I’m sure many other drivers could relate to to feeling of relief when you could put the tachs in the drawer when due to one thing or another there were a few discrepancies and errors in the previous week.
Yep That’s so true. 
I think the law was changed to bring tacho cards in line with the Digital Card.
However My experience is that VOSA understand the problems of the job and keeping the right side of all the rules and regs, so often let the odd mistake go, especially is you’ve commented it on the card.
I feel it’s better to be totally honest and tell them you’ve FUBAR’ed and when I been stopped with a card not as clean as it could be 
they’ve always been resonable. However if you try and hide it or are just taking the [zb] out of the regulations they’ll come down on you like a ton of bricks.
It’s worked for me, but if it doesn’t work for you it’s not my fault. 