Tacho Driving Time

[James2593]

I'm not a commercial driver, but i'm familiar with tacho rules.

I was wondering what happens if a driver drives for a small amount of time but then has a break which does not exceed 9 hours? E.g a ferry crossing

Example:

Fresh day after 9/13hour rest - Drives for 1 hour and gets on the ferry at Dover (to Calais) and has 1hr 30 mins break on the ferry, does;
- The driver resume driving at 1 hour driving time and has another 3hr 30 min before a break?
- The ferry considered to be other work?
- The break is over 45 mins, so the first 'half' of driving is done and only another 4hr 30 (or 5hr 30) can take place that day?
- None of the above.

Common sense would say that the driver resumes driving at 1 hours drive time, but wouldn't this throw out the synchronised 24 hour day?


I think i've made the question clear enough, just ask if it's not!

[R0G]

A break of 45 mins resets the 4.5 hour driving time but does not reduced the daily driving time

10 hour driving day example

drive 3 hours
break 45 mins
drive 3.5 hours
break 45 mins
drive 3.5 hours

reduced one of those driving periods by 1 hour to give a 9 hour day example

[GC8]

A ferry would be POA, surely, not break. The French and Spanish seem to accept this as a break, but we dont.

[James2593]

R0G said:

A break of 45 mins resets the 4.5 hour driving time but does not reduced the daily driving time

10 hour driving day example

drive 3 hours
break 45 mins
drive 3.5 hours
break 45 mins
drive 3.5 hours

reduced one of those driving periods by 1 hour to give a 9 hour day example

I see, so the 45 min break doesn't *have* to be in the middle, it just separates driving and can be used more than once.

Thanks.

[iguana]

GC8 said:

A ferry would be POA, surely, not break. The French and Spanish seem to accept it, but we dont.

Good question but you are not available for work & its a fixed time you know will be a break, so break no?

I've been pulled france, belg, & uk not long off the boat & always done channel as break & they didn't comment otherwise anyway.

Pos if you've had a 45 before boarding then could poa I guess, but if not would be mad to waste time.

I know there are the ferry mode hidden in digi, but im on analogue & no such thing.

[iguana]

James2593 said:

I see, so the 45 min break doesn't *have* to be in the middle, it just separates driving and more than once.

Thanks.

Doesn't have to be 45 in a block either, can be 15 then a 30 ( but not the other way round)

[R0G]

Ferry can be POA or break - drivers choice

POA can always be break but break cannot always be POA

Break simply means recouperating

Most drivers would use break so it resets the 4.5 driving time

Rest cannot be used unless the driver has access to a bunk/bed etc

[grumpy52]

You can use some ferry crossings as part of daily rest ,not the short channel crossing (Dover -Calias )
Must have access to a bunk or (I love this one) couchette (whatever one of those is )
Hidden in the digi tacho is a ferry setting (interruptions of break not to exceed maximum of 1 hour )
I think .
Break must be minimum of 11hrs.

[GC8]

We will be arguing about split rest periods and Jonny Foreigner accepting 1+hr POAs as breaks and prosecuting us for exceeding 3hrs of driving without a rest, even though that contradicts EU law, next...