I am researching the topic of digi tachos for an academic project and would value the thoughts of drivers and transport managers who are using these.
I would like to hear any personal or professional thoughts you have on the use of, the downloading or data storage, cost, implications on your business. Also any comparisons you may have with analogue tachos. If there are particular issues you have faced with the introduction of the tachos, data security and analysis.
Any information would be great and the information I receive will go towards an academic project I am doing and will not be used for commercial reasons.
If you want sensible replies you will have to be a lot more specific. The way you put it, you are asking us to do the work for you.
A propery thought out questionaire might be a good start followed up with questions relating to any points that come from that.
Far better you research who was ‘paid’ to allow the introduction of a recording device that couldn’t even record time acurately.And I trust your final conclusions will reveal that we should all return to the use of the log book which never broke down and cost a few shillings to obtain.Ah! I forgot,tomorrows driver is unlikely to be able to read or write,would probably find the log book too complex to use.
THEY’RE CRAP! End of 
I think thay are brilliant , easy to use and easy to check driving time etc.
Put mine in wednesday and take out sunday , couldnt be better.
I’m mixed on them.
I like the ease of tracking my times for the week / fortnight, and some jobs I go on want a breakdown of POA, other work, rest etc, so I just do a printout at end and copy the figures.
BUT, I don’t like losing so much time moving in a queue (I know some of the newer machines have fixed this), I don’t like Stoneridge tacho’s at all, they’re just not user friendly.
I don’t like the fact that mine ‘expired’ 6mths early, could’ve cost me work, definately cost me time to get it replaced for it to come back with the same expiry as my old one.
I don’t like the fact if I forget my wallet, I’m breaking SOO many laws it’s untrue, dCPC, digi tacho (even if driving an analogue truck), etc etc.
Best thing since sliced bread, the only 2 faults is the fact you can lose around 10 minutes driving time over the course of a day compared to an analogue because of the way it counts minutes and it resets your driving time if you use poa. Apart from that love it love it love it love it 
merc0447:
Best thing since sliced bread, the only 2 faults is the fact you can lose around 10 minutes driving time over the course of a day compared to an analogue because of the way it counts minutes and it resets your driving time if you use poa. Apart from that love it love it love it love it
mY new Mega Space Merc plastic pig doesnt round up minutes it counts exact time .
Hope that is of some help.
merc0447:
Best thing since sliced bread, the only 2 faults is the fact you can lose around 10 minutes driving time over the course of a day compared to an analogue because of the way it counts minutes and it resets your driving time if you use poa. Apart from that love it love it love it love it
My new fm counts real time,no rounding up.
As a driver I like the digital tachograph, though if I’m honest I’d rather go back to everyone using analogue tachographs simply because the analogue tachograph charts were easier to fiddle or lose and that’s important in an over-regulated industry 
Whilst I like the digital tachograph there are issues with the way it was brought into use, why was if introduced before the regulations had finished changing ?.
The digital tachograph became law for new vehicles in 2006 whilst the final change to the (EC) 561/2006 regulations took place in January 2008, the consequence of this is that we now use tachographs who’s software is outdated and does not do the job it was supposed to do (think three 15 minute breaks).
Why was POA allowed to be counted as break by the digital tachograph 
that’s never been the case in the EU regulations or the working time regulations, was it because someone screwed up in the planning stages, or are the software writers to blame ?, either way why was it not put right before the digital tachograph became law in new vehicles.
As the powers that be were so determined to introduce a device whilst the regulations were still at a time of change why did the digital tachograph specifications not include a cost effective way of updating the software to meet regulation changes ?
The way the digital tachograph was introduced at a time when everyone knew that the regulations were changing smacks of EU negligence, or were they simply more interested in lining the pockets of big companies rather than waiting and bringing into use a devise that was completely functional for the road transport industry it’s drivers and regulators.
Corruption or negligence you decide, but there certainly seems to have been something wrong when the digital tachograph was introduced approximately 1½ years before the final changes to the EU regulations.
Good luck with your project 
I thought you were selling tachograph card readers from your other post in reply to Rob
Wheel Nut:
I thought you were selling tachograph card readers from your other post in reply to Rob
Two separate talents of mine whel nut. However, these two are not connected commercially. But may compliment each other in the future. 
As a driver I HATE the digital tachograph. It takes my time, I get paid for driving, not standing still. Rest can I do on weekends when I’m home in my own bed.
The flashing you get when you are out of hours/15min left looking for a ■■■■■■■■■■■■ is just irritating and another stress moment even if you try to not look at it that way it’s on your brain, I’m braking some rules, it’s going to cost me big…
I hate it because I can’t fiddle it. I suppose I could learn, but that would involve a computer (I imagine) which would inevitably involve a digital trace.
Please correct me if I’m wrong…
Happydaze:
I hate it because I can’t fiddle it. I suppose I could learn, but that would involve a computer (I imagine) which would inevitably involve a digital trace.Please correct me if I’m wrong…
I believe it would involve a magnet more than a computer 
I think the digital era is a good one. For simplicity sake the option of checking all manor of totals - re driving hours in that stint, over the fortnight, and ■■■■■■■■■■ rest are bonus. That said the older diggies are a good way of both loosing time, and being inflexible when stop starting in traffic. But as others have pointed out, the NEW ones have remedied some of these flaws. Personally I think there is less room to run bent, and in this particular cut throat industry, that is a def bonus.
tachograph:
Happydaze:
I hate it because I can’t fiddle it. I suppose I could learn, but that would involve a computer (I imagine) which would inevitably involve a digital trace.Please correct me if I’m wrong…
I believe it would involve a magnet more than a computer
And will cost big ££££$$€€€€, some Danish guys got caught resulting in about 30 000dkk (not worth it). And if you have an automatic may end up with a destroyed gearbox
Cant stand tacho’s, i’ll stop when im tired if you dont mind.
tachograph:
Happydaze:
I hate it because I can’t fiddle it. I suppose I could learn, but that would involve a computer (I imagine) which would inevitably involve a digital trace.Please correct me if I’m wrong…
I believe it would involve a magnet more than a computer
Nah, magnets users are like fuse-pullers, bleedin’ amateurs. It’s got to be more suave than that.
Saaamon:
Cant stand tacho’s, i’ll stop when im tired if you dont mind.
Well said that man!