start shift after a night out at…01:00
run back to yard and remove card at…05:00
sit in canteen until my 8 hours are up…09:00 and then go home (company policy that you dont go home until after 8 hours 
)
In my mind ive been on break since 05:00 coz i know there wont be any more work for me and im thinking that the 4 hours break can be added to my weekly rest period
205:
start shift after a night out at…01:00
run back to yard and remove card at…05:00
sit in canteen until my 8 hours are up…09:00 and then go home (company policy that you dont go home until after 8 hoursIn my mind ive been on break since 05:00 coz i know there wont be any more work for me and im thinking that the 4 hours break can be added to my weekly rest period
How do mean add 4 hours to weekly rest period 
What you have stated IMO is illegal as effectively you pulling the card and still sitting there until your shift is over even though you aint doing anything. If it were me Id either speak to my TM, ask to do other work or as you do go for cuppa but leave my card in on the rest mode for 4 hours. That 4 hours can be used to reduce your daily break from an 11 to a 9 if you require a 11 that day?
205:
start shift after a night out at…01:00
run back to yard and remove card at…05:00
sit in canteen until my 8 hours are up…09:00 and then go home (company policy that you dont go home until after 8 hoursIn my mind ive been on break since 05:00 coz i know there wont be any more work for me and im thinking that the 4 hours break can be added to my weekly rest period
If you are removing the card so someone else can use the vehicle you returned to the yard in you should be making a manual entry to account for your time between 05:00 and 09:00. This could be either break or POA but it isn’t rest so cannot be counted as part of your weekly rest period. For rest you have to be free to dispose of your time and you clearly are not due to the company requiring you to remain on the premises, the free to dispose of your time thing isn’t a requirement of break or POA, If you do record it as break or POA then you should really record a short period of other work just before 09:00 as you end your shift. If the vehicle isn’t being used by anyone else between 05:00 and 09:00 then leave your card in it, recording break or POA until just before you go home. Either way your weekly, or daily, rest begins at 09:00 and not 05:00, becasue break and rest are two different things.
205:
start shift after a night out at…01:00
run back to yard and remove card at…05:00
sit in canteen until my 8 hours are up…09:00 and then go home (company policy that you dont go home until after 8 hoursIn my mind ive been on break since 05:00 coz i know there wont be any more work for me and im thinking that the 4 hours break can be added to my weekly rest period
No you are on duty until 9am when you go home. removing the card is fine as another driver could be going onto the vehicle? but you should keep a manual record stating that you have been on duty until 9am
And, why would you want to count those 4 hours as weekend rest anyway?
Your company insist that you stay at work, wasting time that could be used by you productively on things you may want to do (going to the pub, watching tv, being with your family, etc).
I wouldn’t be back into the yard a minute before I was told to be, ensuring I had an absolute minimum of 45 hours off.
My attitude being, if they are prepared to waste my time like that, no way am I reducing my time with my family.
I like the job I do, for many reasons, but, I do the job to have money to spend on and with my family.
If I can’t do those two things, having the job is pointless.
Simon:
ensuring I had an absolute minimum of 45 hours off.
My attitude being, if they are prepared to waste my time like that, no way am I reducing my time with my family.I like the job I do, for many reasons, but, I do the job to have money to spend on and with my family.
If I can’t do those two things, having the job is pointless.
Exactly 
I have done the 3 months living in a lorry cab with more money in my bank then I knew what to do with it. But now, a homelife is much more important to me.
Wheel Nut:
Simon:
ensuring I had an absolute minimum of 45 hours off.
My attitude being, if they are prepared to waste my time like that, no way am I reducing my time with my family.I like the job I do, for many reasons, but, I do the job to have money to spend on and with my family.
If I can’t do those two things, having the job is pointless.Exactly
Agreed by me too chaps. 
I always found that having the money in the bank meant that I didn’t have time to spend it, cos I was away trying to earn more. When times were a bit leaner, I found that I needed that money to tide us over.
I’ll admit that it was sometimes difficult to strike just the right balance, due to the unpredictabilty of the volume of work.
After all these years, I’m afraid I still don’t have a good answer. 
Wheel Nut:
Simon:
ensuring I had an absolute minimum of 45 hours off.
My attitude being, if they are prepared to waste my time like that, no way am I reducing my time with my family.I like the job I do, for many reasons, but, I do the job to have money to spend on and with my family.
If I can’t do those two things, having the job is pointless.Exactly
if you still got excess money, i can gladly take it off yroue hands if you want
thanks for your help guys
im acegcny driver and those fuor hours was the difference between getting booked for 6 days with nice work or not
trying to bend the rules i guess
i"d say that is wrong because if you are at work,and not free to do want you want,ie you state you must stay for 8 hours,you are still,i believe “on duty”.
for me ,the proper way to do it,would be to leave your card in,change mode to poa,this can then be counted to none working time,ie itdoesnt count towards your 48/60 week.