Hi all,
I’m pretty new to truck driving (been driving a bus for the last year) & have an assessment drive with a local firm tomorrow.
In the meantime I’ve been given a written assessment test (Fosters) & am a bit stuck on one of the questions, any help would be appreciated guys!!
A driver’s shift is as shown below:
Other Work- 15mins
Drive - 3hrs
POA -3hrs
Other Work- 45mins
Drive - 30mins
Other Work- 1hr
How long can the driver now drive before taking a break?
Firestarter:
A driver’s shift is as shown below:
Other Work- 15mins
Drive - 3hrs
POA -3hrs
Other Work- 45mins
Drive - 30mins
Other Work- 1hrHow long can the driver now drive before taking a break?
30 mins as he has to have a 15 min break for the RTD (WTD) - the max is 6 hours of driving and other work added together. POA (and any breaks) do not count.
The driver has had 2 hours of other work and 3 hours 30 mins of driving which makes a total of 5 hours 30 mins.
If they ask “What would be the best thing to do after the last 30 mins of driving?” then say - take a 45 min break as this will be at the 4 hour driving point (only 4.5 hours accumulated driving allowed before a 45 must be taken) and will more than suffice for the RTD (WTD)
It will then leave you clear for another 4.5 hours of driving.
If they ask “If you carry on driving for 30 mins after taking just the 15 min break, when will you next have to take a break and for how long?” then the answer is “A 30 min break after a further 30 mins of driving as I have now reached the accumulated 4.5 hour max driving limit”
Well I couldn’t have asked for a better answer, many thanks Rog- you’re a diamond!!
Just a little more advice if you don’t mind please…
Am I right here:
The definition of a “week” is from the end of a weekly rest period to the start of the next weekly rest period?
Another one (not many more honest!):
WTD: If you drive for 1hr & take 30mins break and then undertake the following.
other work- 2hrs
drive - 2hrs
POA - 2hrs
other work- 1hr
drive - 1hr
How much break, if any, are you required to take under the WTD?
next to last!
WTD: In a day your shift consists of a total of
driving - 7hrs
loading - 1hr
know waiting time- 2hrs
unloading -1 & half hrs
breaks - 2hrs
What is your working time under the RTD?
Is it 9 & half■■? POA (known waiting time) & breaks don’t count.
Firestarter:
Just a little more advice if you don’t mind please…Am I right here:
The definition of a “week” is from the end of a weekly rest period to the start of the next weekly rest period?
This is one answer I will leave to the site regulation GURUs as it can be better explained by one of them.
Firestarter:
Another one (not many more honest!):WTD: If you drive for 1hr & take 30mins break and then undertake the following.
other work- 2hrs
drive - 2hrs
POA - 2hrs
other work- 1hr
drive - 1hrHow much break, if any, are you required to take under the WTD?
You have only done 4 hours RTD (WTD) POA does not count so you can do another 2 hours of driving/other work, after which you must take a 15 min break.
No more than 6 hours without a RTD (WTD) 15 min break
Firestarter:
next to last!WTD: In a day your shift consists of a total of
driving - 7hrs
loading - 1hr
know waiting time- 2hrs
unloading -1 & half hrs
breaks - 2hrsWhat is your working time under the RTD?
Is it 9 & half■■? POA (known waiting time) & breaks don’t count.
Correct
Last one!!!
Now this is a bit arkward as I’m supposed to fill a tacho in, but if you explain I’ll do my best!!
On the tacho chart attached please complete ONLY those details you would be required to enter manually in order to comply with the law including:
i. Centrefield entries on the front & back of the chart for the dates, start & finish locations and vehicles including the change of vehicle and time of change. Bit confused about the change of vehicle
ii. The grid on the back of the chart to show your activity when AWAY from the vehicle. is this when the vehicle is in for repair (would I take the tacho disc out at this point?
iii. A record of the time your previous daily rest ended & the current daily rest started manually on the chart.
a. You start work at 0530hrs on 7th March 2009 at Leeds. I done!
b. You get into vehicle ER 55 TEP & insert your chart, the odo is reading 234765. done!
c. At 1230hrs ‘en route’ your vehicle needs emergency service so you are booked in & at the time the odo reading is 235035.
d. The vehicle is in for repair between 1230-1330hrs so you take a break.
e. At 1330hrs you get back into ER 55 TEP, the odo is now reading 235040.
At this point I become confused as I didn’t drive the last 5km/miles
f. At 1930hrs you run out of driving time at Warrington, so a driver comes to collect your vehicle, the odo is reading 235326.
At this point I would remove my tacho & continue on the rear
g. You drive back the car in which the relief driver came, returning to Lymm at 2000hrs.
I’m just a little confused as they’ve made it bloody hard!!!
ROG:
Firestarter:
WTD: If you drive for 1hr & take 30mins break and then undertake the following.
other work- 2hrs
drive - 2hrs
POA - 2hrs
other work- 1hr
drive - 1hrHow much break, if any, are you required to take under the WTD?
You have only done 4 hours RTD (WTD) POA does not count so you can do another 2 hours of driving/other work, after which you must take a 15 min break.
No more than 6 hours without a RTD (WTD) 15 min breakFirestarter:
Correct
Is it not 6hrs RTD (WTD)- 3hrs other work & 3hrs driving??
yes thats 6 hours WTD mate which is fifteen mins break required
I am not saying that this is correct but it is what I would do.
I’m sure a regs GURU will be able to give the DEFINITIVE answer
i. Centrefield entries on the front & back of the chart for the dates, start & finish locations and vehicles including the change of vehicle and time of change.
Firestarter:
Bit confused about the change of vehicle
If you do not change vehicles which are covered by the EU regs then you need only enter the info on the front for the one vehicle that does - does a car come under EU regs 
ii. The grid on the back of the chart to show your activity when AWAY from the vehicle.
Firestarter:
is this when the vehicle is in for repair (would I take the tacho disc out at this point?
That is what I would do - remove chart and put the break info on the back. I would also put an explanation as to WHY I had done so, such as - Vehicle in for repair and test driven by mechanic.
e. At 1330hrs you get back into ER 55 TEP, the odo is now reading 235040.
Firestarter:
this point I become confused as I didn’t drive the last 5km/miles
You only put the start of that day (234765) and finish of that day (235326) mileage on the front - nothing on the rear - the missing mileage is explained by the note on the back re - the test drive by the mechanic.
f. At 1930hrs you run out of driving time at Warrington, so a driver comes to collect your vehicle, the odo is reading 235326.
Firestarter:
At this point I would remove my tacho & continue on the rear
Correct as it is regarded as ‘other work’ and not ‘driving’ - may seem daft but the ‘driving’ of the car is not classed as such as the vehicle does not come under EU regs.
To repeat what I said at the beginning -
I am not saying that this is correct but it is what I would do.
I’m sure a regs GURU will be able to give the DEFINITIVE answer
many thanks guys
Just going back to this one:
WTD: If you drive for 1hr & take 30mins break and then undertake the following.
other work- 2hrs
drive - 2hrs
POA - 2hrs
other work- 1hr
drive - 1hr
How much break, if any, are you required to take under the WTD?
Have I not done a total of 6hrs RTD (WTD), comprising of 3hrs driving & 3hrs Other Work??
So the answer is 15mins?
Firestarter:
many thanks guysJust going back to this one:
WTD: If you drive for 1hr & take 30mins break and then undertake the following.
other work- 2hrs
drive - 2hrs
POA - 2hrs
other work- 1hr
drive - 1hrHow much break, if any, are you required to take under the WTD?
Have I not done a total of 6hrs RTD (WTD), comprising of 3hrs driving & 3hrs Other Work??
So the answer is 15mins?
Correct again 
you’re getting the hang of this 
just remember to keep ‘driving time regs’ in the back of your mind so that you do not miss a required driving time break. - although breaks count for both, the driving one can catch you out as the criteria for those is different - the 4.5 accumulated hours etc requiring a break of 45 or 15 and then a 30.
Getting caught out - one for you Firestarter
Drive 2 hours
break 15 mins
Now does this whilst concentrating on the RTD (WTD) break times…
other work- 2hrs
drive - 2hrs
POA - 2hrs
other work- 1hr
drive - 1hr
1 - would your last answer of 15 mins break still be correct
If not,
2 - when should a break be taken
3 - why
4 - and how much break
5 - why
Am I right here:
The definition of a “week” is from the end of a weekly rest period to the start of the next weekly rest period?
[/quote]
Hi firestarter
The definition of a week is always 0000 hours Monday to 2400 hours Sunday
Good luck with the interview
am not saying that this is correct but it is what I would do.
I’m sure a regs GURU will be able to give the DEFINITIVE answeri. Centrefield entries on the front & back of the chart for the dates, start & finish locations and vehicles including the change of vehicle and time of change.
don’ forget your name, surname first then first name if you can not fit you name on the chart in full put an initial and then right on the back what it means cos some people have doubled barreled names.
Rog wrote
does a car come under EU regs
yes it does if its a company car or van that he uses in the course of hes work and therefore would have to put on the back of the tacho as other work
Rog wrote
does a car come under EU regs
delboytwo:
yes it does if its a company car or van that he uses in the course of hes work and therefore would have to put on the back of the tacho as other work
Good point del,
I should have said - does a car come under EU DRIVING regs 
Why oh why do folk spend £££££££££’s getting a licence and then not attend a tacho/hours course for well under £100 to learn that part of the job. Given the penalties, surely a sound investment?? Or am I just being old-fashioned?
Peter Smythe:
Why oh why do folk spend £££££££££’s getting a licence and then not attend a tacho/hours course for well under £100 to learn that part of the job. Given the penalties, surely a sound investment?? Or am I just being old-fashioned?
Probably for the same reason that drivers do not pay about the same amount for advanced driving - it is a cost which they do not have to fork out for even though it will be useful… 
because us new drives are waiting for the cpc to start in september so that our driving hours / digi taco courses count towards our cpc hours
Perfectly understandable. Just don’t get done for your mistakes in the meantime!