This has probably been asked a thousand times

hi all, i keep reading driving hours in hope of understanding it but quite stuck as to how it works, i understand that you can work no more then 56 hours in a week and no more then 90 hours in a 2 week period

i get that you can drive for 9 hours a day with ability to extend that to 10 hours twice a week

but what i dont get is how it works regarding drops and loading etc, what happens with the tacho when your sat been loaded and waiting to be unloaded?

also ive seen theres a difference between working hours and driving hours but i dont quite grasp that

im probably been very daft and it wont be that hard to understand

just thought id say please dont post a link of read this as ive read allsorts and its not sinking in haha

In a nutshell, driving time is only time when your wheels are actually turning.

so u can drive 56 hours max in a week, but what if u end up waiting in yards to be unloaded etc coz obviously your gonna get paid for that

bigdavehull:
so u can drive 56 hours max in a week, but what if u end up waiting in yards to be unloaded etc coz obviously your gonna get paid for that

Driving time
other work time
POA time
Break time
Those are the 4 options for you to select during your shift
What you get paid for is down to your employment contract not the driver regs

whats other work time then rog?

bigdavehull:
so u can drive 56 hours max in a week, but what if u end up waiting in yards to be unloaded etc coz obviously your gonna get paid for that

The driving is 56 max per week 90 per fortnight. That’s wheels turning.

Sitting waiting to load is either other work (if you’re helping) or POA if you’re not helping (if you know how long it will take in advance)

Your other work hours and driving hours combined count towards you Working Time Directive hours which must average 48 over your companies reference period. Your POA hours do not count towards your average WTD hours. (It’s no longer called WTD but that’s what most people understand it as)

Unloading/loading etc. Any work that isn’t driving.

bigdavehull:
whats other work time then rog?

Loading, unloading, doing paperwork, vehicle checks, or … not resting perhaps having a kip, reading the newspaper etc

m1cks:

bigdavehull:
so u can drive 56 hours max in a week, but what if u end up waiting in yards to be unloaded etc coz obviously your gonna get paid for that

The driving is 56 max per week 90 per fortnight. That’s wheels turning.

Sitting waiting to load is either other work (if you’re helping) or POA (if you know how long it will take in advance)

Your other work hours and driving hours combined count towards you Working Time Directive hours which must average 48 over your companies reference period. Your POA hours do not count towards your average WTD hours. (It’s no longer called WTD but that’s what most people understand it as)

so if you was sat waiting to load but waiting in ure truck and no helping what do you mark that down as ? poa? which stands for what?

sorry in advance for this but sure u must get it all the time lol

bigdavehull:

m1cks:

bigdavehull:
so u can drive 56 hours max in a week, but what if u end up waiting in yards to be unloaded etc coz obviously your gonna get paid for that

The driving is 56 max per week 90 per fortnight. That’s wheels turning.

Sitting waiting to load is either other work (if you’re helping) or POA (if you know how long it will take in advance)

Your other work hours and driving hours combined count towards you Working Time Directive hours which must average 48 over your companies reference period. Your POA hours do not count towards your average WTD hours. (It’s no longer called WTD but that’s what most people understand it as)

so if you was sat waiting to load but waiting in ure truck and no helping what do you mark that down as ? poa? which stands for what?

sorry in advance for this but sure u must get it all the time lol

It’s a ‘period of availability’
It basically stops the clock on your weekly working hours and any time you are on POA doesn’t count towards your average. A lot of drivers would just keep it on rest instead but some companies don’t pay for rest so the drivers use POA instead so they get paid.

Waiting to be unloaded for example
If you know how long it will be then you can use POA
If you know or do not know how long it will be you can use break
Most use break unless your employment contract says you do not get paid breaks

right ok great starting to grasp it, im guessing the tacho has 4 modes?

bigdavehull:
right ok great starting to grasp it, im guessing the tacho has 4 modes?

Yes but you can only select 3 as driving mode starts automatically when the vehicle is moving

ok great thanks rog

thanks for the help everyone, i think i have a better undertsanding, i havnt even started driving yet but just want to make sure im getting it right before hand

Just a quick one that bit me when I first started (and has on a few hire motors since)

Some digital tachos switch modes when you turn the ignition off or on, hence interrupting the mode. For instance, until we had them reprogrammed, our first lot of DAFs used to switch to other work, can knacker up a genuine break just by opening or closing a window.

It’s rare, but one to watch

NOVE:
Just a quick one that bit me when I first started (and has on a few hire motors since)

Some digital tachos switch modes when you turn the ignition off or on, hence interrupting the mode. For instance, until we had them reprogrammed, our first lot of DAFs used to switch to other work, can knacker up a genuine break just by opening or closing a window.

It’s rare, but one to watch

thanks nove il keep an eye out, suppose il have some help i rekon before im let loose and i should pick it up ok, but when i read the gov download it messes with my head haha

ADVICE - after passing initial DCPC if you need that then go for a DCPC periodic course on drivers hours and tachographs where the course has a quiz at the end to determine if you have understood them correctly

There is also a digi tacho simulator on this site for you to practice on

Some of the MAN I have used go to break as soon as you stop so watch for that

Most will come when you start driving & you will understand them better

animal:
Some of the MAN I have used go to break as soon as you stop so watch for that

Most will come when you start driving & you will understand them better

Is this vehicle related or just ■■■■■■ misery?

A MAN that goes on break as soon as you stop?

Sorry, just couldn’t resist :wink:

Just read the last bit, are you that awesome behind the wheel? PM me your number :slight_smile:

Is there something wrong with training when a new driver has to come on here to ask about how many hours he can work and doesn’t no the difference between driving hours and working hours. What happens with all the new drivers that don’t use this site they must be driving round without a clue.