Working hours

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hopefully someone can clear this up for me. I just want to make sure I understand it correctly. Once I pass I plan on working as much as I can do really need to understand it and not get fined. Hopefully someone can explain it to me in basic terms.

I understand that for every 4.5 hours of driving I need a 45 min break. Can this be split up however I like? In 4.5 hours driving can I have a 30 min break then a 15 min break before the 4.5 hours is up?

I can work a maximum of 9 hours in a day and this can be increased to 10 hours during 2 days of that week. I’m guessing the 9 hours is just the driving time and doesn’t include the break times? (So I have 1 45 min break before needing an 11 hour break after the second 4.5 hour drive)?

From what I’ve read I can work no more than 90 hours in 2 consecutive weeks.

This is what gets me:

  • Once I’ve driven 9 hours in a day I must rest for 11 hours but this can be reduced to 9 hours rest on 3 days of the week?
  • I must have a 45 hour rest weekly which basically means out of a weeks work I need to have 45 hours of not working?
  • If I were to work my 90 hours in 2 consecutive weeks the I must have a rest of 69 hours in total (read up the first week is 45 hours rest then the second is 24 hours). Is all that correct?

So if I’m right in thinking:

If I got a good job I could realistically work 47 hours in week 1 and 43 hours in week 2 then it would be reset on midnight Sunday at the end of week 2?

Just want to make sure that I understand it correctly and haven’t missed anything.

Another question is what happens if you reach your maximum driving hours but you are about 10 mins away from home (depot)… Is there any leeway for something like that or must you rest for 11 hours despite being 10 minutes away ?

2

Your rest break can be taken as a 15 minute break first then a 30 minute break after that. So lets say you drive for 2 hours, you stop at a services and stick it on break. That break must last for at least 15 minutes. You drive for another 2 hours, you then pull up in a layby. That break must be a minimum of 30 minutes. This totals 45 minutes which is the minimum time that must be taken whilst the truck is stopped. Of course you can drive for 4.5 hours nonstop but before it ticks over you need to be stopped and on break. Drive for 4 hours 15 minutes. Stop in services for the full 45. You can not take a 30 minute first then a 15 minute later on. It yes to be a 15 first then a 30 or a straight 45.

Drive time is recorded as the truck is rolling. You’re breaks are not counted under drive time.

As for the last part. Its very grey. Officially time over the limits are considering illegal and they are well within their rights to fine you for it. However you can do a printout (once you’ve stopped) with the reason why you’ve gone over and hope that the VOSA bod isn’t a stickler for the rules.

3

nurburg340:
Hopefully someone can clear this up for me. I just want to make sure I understand it correctly. Once I pass I plan on working as much as I can do really need to understand it and not get fined. Hopefully someone can explain it to me in basic terms.

I understand that for every 4.5 hours of driving I need a 45 min break. Can this be split up however I like? In 4.5 hours driving can I have a 30 min break then a 15 min break before the 4.5 hours is up?

You can have a split break but it has to be 15 minutes break then 30 minutes break in that order, you have to have done some driving before you can have a driving break.

nurburg340:
I can work a maximum of 9 hours in a day and this can be increased to 10 hours during 2 days of that week. I’m guessing the 9 hours is just the driving time and doesn’t include the break times?

You are restricted to 9 hours driving time a shift which can be increased to 10 hours twice a week, driving time for the EU regulations is basically when the wheels are turning.

nurburg340:
(So I have 1 45 min break before needing an 11 hour break after the second 4.5 hour drive)?

You don’t necessarily need an 11 hour rest after 9 hours driving, you need the daily rest period completed within 24 hours from the start of the shift.

nurburg340:
From what I’ve read I can work no more than 90 hours in 2 consecutive weeks.

You can drive for 56 hours per week and 90 hours in any 2 weeks, it’s nothing to do with how much work you can do.

nurburg340:
This is what gets me:

  • I must have a 45 hour rest weekly which basically means out of a weeks work I need to have 45 hours of not working?
  • If I were to work my 90 hours in 2 consecutive weeks the I must have a rest of 69 hours in total (read up the first week is 45 hours rest then the second is 24 hours). Is all that correct?

No, I’m sorry but that gobbledygook.

nurburg340:
So if I’m right in thinking:

If I got a good job I could realistically work 47 hours in week 1 and 43 hours in week 2 then it would be reset on midnight Sunday at the end of week 2?

Just want to make sure that I understand it correctly and haven’t missed anything.

Again you’re confusing driving time with working time.

You need to understand the difference between driving time, working time, break, and rest, you’re getting them all mixed up.

nurburg340:
Another question is what happens if you reach your maximum driving hours but you are about 10 mins away from home (depot)… Is there any leeway for something like that or must you rest for 11 hours despite being 10 minutes away ?

The best option would be to get someone to come out and drive the vehicle back to base, that would keep your records clean.

Driving time is when the wheels are turning.

Working time is all time that you are working and includes driving time and other work.

A break and a rest period are 2 different things, a break is time that you can recuperate while at work, a rest period is time that can be disposed of freely, in other words your own time.

4

OP - concentrate on one regulation at a time and ask about that one regulation so we can give you guidance on it

Once you have that one sorted then go onto the next one

5

Driving time is when the wheels are turning.

Working time is all time that you are working and includes driving time and other work.

A break and a rest period are 2 different things, a break is time that you can recuperate while at work, a rest period is time that can be disposed of freely, in other words your own time.

that just made alot of sense to me, and just explain alot in not alot of writing

6

week 0ne… weekly rest = 45 hours
week two… weekly rest = 24 hours reduced weekly rest (21 hours owed)
week three… weekly rest = 45 hours
week four… weekly rest = 45 +21 hours (payed back)
not sure if that’s exact ,but hope it gives you a rough idea about weekly rest.
only learning myself but see it something like this, or similar
as they say learn a bit at a time

7

How about this :wink:

week 1 = 45 rest
week 2 = 35 rest with 10 to payback
week 3 = 45 rest
week 4 = 34 rest but used as 24 rest with 10 payback leaving a new 21 as payback
week 5 = 45 rest
week 6 = 45 rest but used as 24 rest with 21 paid back so leaving a new 21 as payback
week 7 = 45 rest
interesting?

8

ROG:
How about this :wink:

week 1 = 45 rest
week 2 = 35 rest with 10 to payback
week 3 = 45 rest
week 4 = 34 rest but used as 24 rest with 10 payback leaving a new 21 as payback
week 5 = 45 rest
week 6 = 45 rest but used as 24 rest with 21 paid back so leaving a new 21 as payback
week 7 = 45 rest
interesting?

that one will keep me busy for a little while. :open_mouth:
been CPCing since 6am all week eyes like the proverbial sheeps
if I don’t get it tonight I will be on to it 1st thing as off tomorrow , last CPC day Friday ,whoo hoo.
this is all legal ?

9

I get it ,
week 8,45 +21 I pay him back (then again I might not)
week 8,45 used as 24, owe 21
hard work getting our newbie heads round this.

10

TROTSKY3:
I get it ,
week 8,45 +21 I pay him back (then again I might not)
week 8,45 used as 24, owe 21
hard work getting our newbie heads round this.

In both cases the 21 from week 6 is paid back and in the second case a new 21 payback starts
:smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

11

:smiley:

12

Try this!

gov.uk/government/uploads/s … europe.pdf