PSV tacho rules?

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Discussion

red_slr

Original Poster:

18,184 posts

196 months

Tuesday 18th September 2018
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Just been reading this

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6181235/S...

The cop in charge says there needs to be a review of GB hours rules.

Hang on.... what about EU hours rules? Surely the TC needs to take the operator to the cleaners? Unless I don't know about some exemption for PSV (and I admit I know nothing of PSV) then surely they are limited to the same hours as everyone else with an OL?

Also, how the actual f**k has the doctor who signed this guy off for his licence not been sent to prison. The whole thing stinks!!!!

agent006

12,058 posts

271 months

Tuesday 18th September 2018
quotequote all
From what I remember, there is a driving hours exception for drivers of service buses on routes that don't cover more than a certain distance.

Regardless of that, there is, however, a need for a certain amount of self awareness in relation to fatigue and plain old ability that sadly not everyone has with the same clarity.

red_slr

Original Poster:

18,184 posts

196 months

Tuesday 18th September 2018
quotequote all
Yeah I recall something like 50k total route but doing 75 hour weeks he had to be driving more than that. I hope the TC rips them a new one.

agent006

12,058 posts

271 months

Tuesday 18th September 2018
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Given that they're looking at an unlimited fine from the HSE, I think the TC is the least of their worries.

citizensm1th

8,371 posts

144 months

Tuesday 18th September 2018
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I am amazed that in this case corporate manslaughter charges are not being considered

grumpy52

5,717 posts

173 months

Tuesday 18th September 2018
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agent006 said:
Given that they're looking at an unlimited fine from the HSE, I think the TC is the least of their worries.
If the TC bars them from holding an O licence then thats end of business .
If that is Stagecoach then they could do with a good smacking .
At the drivers age he would be required to have a yearly medical , I would be willing to bet that the medicals were not carried out by his GP but one of the cheapo medical companies.

red_slr

Original Poster:

18,184 posts

196 months

Wednesday 19th September 2018
quotequote all
citizensm1th said:
I am amazed that in this case corporate manslaughter charges are not being considered
Fully agree. If I have ever seen a case where the book needs to be hurled at great speed at everyone involved this is it.

The directors, the TM, the GP. All 3 should be in the dock.

weeredmetro

134 posts

176 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
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There are different "domestic" drivers hours regulations for PSVs, which are in my opinion far worse than the EU ones.

It is possible to work a maximum of 19 days in a row as the minimum rest is one day in any fortnight (a fortnight runs Monday to sunday).

You can legitimately work Tuesday to Sunday in week 1, 7 days in week 2, then Monday to Saturday in week 3. Each fortnight has a day's rest.

75 hour weeks would suggest 12.5 hour days (presumably with suitable breaks in the shift) so this is, unbelievably, legal! as the maximum daily spreadover is 16 hours

Also, service buses don't need tachographs, provided they carry a running board. Basically, the running board is the timetable for that specific bus and will be legal so if it is followed, you don't need a tacho record to show your hours worked were legal.



red_slr

Original Poster:

18,184 posts

196 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
quotequote all
good info thanks

surveyor

18,141 posts

191 months

Sunday 30th September 2018
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I've not seen the outcome of the Bus Companies guilty plea anywhere. It looks like the press have just forgotten about it.

renorti

727 posts

203 months

Friday 5th October 2018
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domestic hours for service buses, no tachograph needed so you could drive all day it's not recorded, though legally it's 9 hours a day driving.

The Turbonator

2,792 posts

158 months

Saturday 10th November 2018
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I would definitely say that the domestic rules for busses are definitely a lot worse then HGV EU rules. I drove busses for 10 years and now drive HGVs and I find the EU rules I now have to adhere to, a god send.

When I was driving buses the maximum driving time was 5 and a half hours in one period, time between shifts could be reduced to 8 hours and driving 13 days in a row was a routine shift pattern. Our shifts weren't even the worse by far, we had a few union rules that made them a bit easier on us. Other drivers from different companies told me that they routinely do 16 hour days and some told me they had to do 8 hour stints. I have no idea how the latter worked legally but it had something to do with their standing time at termini before they had to set off again.

You're also under extreme pressure to keep going, even if you are tired. Your timings are continuously monitored live, you can't really stop a bus full of people for a power nap, as by the time you do the bus behind will catch up. Even enough time at a terminus was few and far between for a power nap, you usually had no more then 5 minutes before you had to set off again. At busy periods that would never happen, you'd get to the terminus later than the departure time, so you'd have to set straight off again.

agent006

12,058 posts

271 months

Tuesday 27th November 2018
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red_slr

Original Poster:

18,184 posts

196 months

Tuesday 27th November 2018
quotequote all
Should make a big dent in their £150m+ profits.... oh wait...