Bus Driver Tacho Card?
Discussion
I've been taking the bus to work lately, and being a huge nerd I sit up at the front sometimes and watch the driver.
I notice about half these times, the dash display is bright orange with a "Driving without a valid driver card" message and the card tray on the tacho is open.
Is there a requirement for Bus drivers to use a tacho card like HGV drivers?
I notice about half these times, the dash display is bright orange with a "Driving without a valid driver card" message and the card tray on the tacho is open.
Is there a requirement for Bus drivers to use a tacho card like HGV drivers?
Basically the rules are as follows:
Domestic driving (nearly all local bus services in the UK)
No tacho needed.
Max. Driving Hrs: 10
Min. Break: 30mins
Max. Shift Length: 16hrs
Max. Work Allowed: 13 days followed by 24hr break.
To qualify as a 'domestic' local route, the route must be 31 miles or less in length. However operators can split a long route down into 31 mile chunks - one I know of from Newquay to Exeter is broken into 4 sections to avoid having to use the more restrictive EC driving rules.
It can be more complex, but those are the basics.
Domestic driving (nearly all local bus services in the UK)
No tacho needed.
Max. Driving Hrs: 10
Min. Break: 30mins
Max. Shift Length: 16hrs
Max. Work Allowed: 13 days followed by 24hr break.
To qualify as a 'domestic' local route, the route must be 31 miles or less in length. However operators can split a long route down into 31 mile chunks - one I know of from Newquay to Exeter is broken into 4 sections to avoid having to use the more restrictive EC driving rules.
It can be more complex, but those are the basics.
For tacho exemption, on local service, a bus driver MUST carry a "running board", which is effectively the timetable for the journey he is doing. Something like below:
0800 depart Knightswood terminus as service 44
0810 Anniesland Cross
0830 Union Street at Central Station
0845 Bridge Street
0900 Battlefield Rest
1000 Terminate Clarkston, Sheddens
1001 drive light to Mearns Cross
1010 depart Mearns cross as service 38A
etc until a whole day is covered.
I think the logic is that a bus is given the times and drives to a schedule (and in theory therefore cannot break speed limits or drivers hours without losing the scheduled times), while a lorry does the driving, and notes the hours as it goes along, therefore the tacho proves speeding or drivers hours breaches.
Service buses are exempt from being fitted with a tacho, but cannot then be used on hires. Consequently many service buses are fitted with tachos so they can do hires, but then the driver doesn't need to use them (as descriobed in the OP).
0800 depart Knightswood terminus as service 44
0810 Anniesland Cross
0830 Union Street at Central Station
0845 Bridge Street
0900 Battlefield Rest
1000 Terminate Clarkston, Sheddens
1001 drive light to Mearns Cross
1010 depart Mearns cross as service 38A
etc until a whole day is covered.
I think the logic is that a bus is given the times and drives to a schedule (and in theory therefore cannot break speed limits or drivers hours without losing the scheduled times), while a lorry does the driving, and notes the hours as it goes along, therefore the tacho proves speeding or drivers hours breaches.
Service buses are exempt from being fitted with a tacho, but cannot then be used on hires. Consequently many service buses are fitted with tachos so they can do hires, but then the driver doesn't need to use them (as descriobed in the OP).
Quoting a bus driving acquaintance of mine:
"When you see "Guaranteed Connection" in a bus timetable; it is usually indicating that a route has been split for registration purposes to negate the need for a tacho card. There is no actual "connection", and as a passenger you don't need to change buses. BTW, the PSV licence test does require the driver to show knowledge of the installation and use of a tachograph and card and a recording is actually made of the drive carried out for the test."
"When you see "Guaranteed Connection" in a bus timetable; it is usually indicating that a route has been split for registration purposes to negate the need for a tacho card. There is no actual "connection", and as a passenger you don't need to change buses. BTW, the PSV licence test does require the driver to show knowledge of the installation and use of a tachograph and card and a recording is actually made of the drive carried out for the test."
CarCluster said:
Quoting a bus driving acquaintance of mine:
"When you see "Guaranteed Connection" in a bus timetable; it is usually indicating that a route has been split for registration purposes to negate the need for a tacho card. There is no actual "connection", and as a passenger you don't need to change buses. BTW, the PSV licence test does require the driver to show knowledge of the installation and use of a tachograph and card and a recording is actually made of the drive carried out for the test."
Not quite - all new drivers taking Category 'D' (PSV) entitlement after September 2008 have to undergo CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) as part of the test (test is 3 stages - theory, CPC and practical). Tacho's are dealt with at CPC, the practical driving test does not deal with it - neither our training coach or the coach used by the local HGV/PSV driving school are fitted with digital tachographs. There is a quick 'show me tell me' at the start of the practical test, this however covers stuff such as spray suppression equipment, emergency engine stop etc."When you see "Guaranteed Connection" in a bus timetable; it is usually indicating that a route has been split for registration purposes to negate the need for a tacho card. There is no actual "connection", and as a passenger you don't need to change buses. BTW, the PSV licence test does require the driver to show knowledge of the installation and use of a tachograph and card and a recording is actually made of the drive carried out for the test."
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