Anyone know for sure what the crack is here 
We’ve got a few double manned runs and have been told, now that we’ve got the new fangled Digis installed in 'em, that Driver 2 can’t take a break whilst Driver 1 is driving. (The ‘square’ mode is automatically selected for Driver 2 whilst the vehicle is in motion and you can’t change the beggar).
I’m sure I’ve seen this mentioned round and about here previously but can’t see it.
So we both have to park up for a break as you would if you were single manning.
If you can have a break (as you can now) in the passenger seat then how can you differentiate between time spent on ‘square’ and time spent on ‘bed’ for instance if Mr. Policeman stops you and wants to know what you’ve been upto 
Anyone know
The digital tachos are only following ‘the letter of the law’ as laid down in 3821/85. Basically it says that if you are ‘riding shotgun’ you should record the time as ‘availability’ (square box).
There is nothing to stop you taking your break in a moving vehicle. The way to record it is take a printout (24hr card or 24hr VU) and write on it that from time ■■:■■ to YY:YY you were actually taking a break. Keep the printout with you for the production period; current week and previous 15 days, then hand it in to office, your employer need to keep it for 12 months.
The other way is driver 1 does 4:20 driving and then swaps with driver 2, who then does 4:20 driving. Availability doesn’t count towards the 6 hour RTD limit (only driving and work do) so you don’t have a problem there. When the second driver has completed their 4:20 both of you take a 45 minute break and start the process again.
Does driver 2 need to have his card in at the start of the journey? or only when he starts driving I.E. can he wait 4H 20M before putting his card in?.
Jammy,
both drivers need to put their cards in at start of journey; driver = slot 1, co-driver = slot 2.
From April 11th it will be possible for the second driver to join the vehicle upto a maximum of one hour after the first driver started, so under these circumstances the second man card could go in the VU later. Second driver may have to make a manual entry, dependant upon circumstances.
I dont understand the problem, driver 1 is driving, driver 2 on poa. so driver 1 drives for 4.20hours and then swaps. driver 3 drives for 4.20 then both stop for a 45. neither driver has exceeded the driving limit and neither driver needs a 6hr break as they have not done 6 hours work.
this is then reversed for return trip. so only 1 45minute stop is needed for the whole duty time.
Scottbrown;
the problem is not usually with HGV’s, the problem is quite often PSV operators or more usually the tour organisers. Tour organisers don’t like the passengers being on the bus (ooops, sorry, coach). Whilst the passengers are on the coach they aren’t spending in the resort hotel bar, so if the coach gets to the resort an hour and a half quicker, in the tour operators eyes that’s 52 people x 90 minutes extra drinking time. Best somebody gets that cash cow started up…
but you have only gotta have 45 in 9, and surely most passengers would want more than this on a long haul coach trip
