Understanding tachos/driving hours
Discussion
I’m a newbie truck driver, but this is my understanding of driving hours and breaks…
You must not do more than 4.5 hours driving at once. Before your 4.5 hours have run out, you can either take a 45 minute unbroken break, or you can take a 15 minute followed by a 30 minute break (in that order). When you’ve done a 45 minute (or 15+30) break, your tacho clock resets to zero (even if you hadn’t done the full 4.5 hours of driving). You can then do up to another 4.5 hours, again with either a 45 or 15+30 breaks. If you’re confident of getting back to base before your 4.5 hours driving runs out, then you don’t legally need a tacho break.
Note that taking a 14 minute break counts for nothing. Your breaks need to be at least 15, or at least 30, or at least 45 - otherwise the tacho will give you less break credit than you were expecting. You can’t make up for a 14 minute break by doing 31 minutes. So it’s best to make sure by taking breaks of 16, 31 or 46 minutes. Moving the truck during a break will ruin your break by automatically putting you back into driving mode, so only break when you’re sure you won’t be disturbed. Breaks must be unbroken.
Your total driving time must not exceed 9 hours in the day, except you can go up to 10 hours for two days in the week.
The above summarises tacho breaks, but you must also take Working Time Directive breaks. These are based on how long you’ve worked, not just how long you’ve driven. Up to 6 hours you must take a 15 minute break. Between 6 and 9 hours you must take 30 minutes, which can be 15+15. After 9 hours it’s 45 minutes, which can be broken into multiples of 15.
If you organise things carefully you can make your tacho breaks satisfy the WTD breaks. I usually take a 15 break mid-morning, before I’ve worked 6 hours. Then I can take a 30 break later on before my 4.5 hours driving is up, and this satisfies the tacho and more than satisfies WTD.
Edited to add: When you stop for any significant time, the tacho automatically goes to “other work”. And when you drive off it automatically goes to “driving”. So most of the time you can forget about the tacho and not touch it; the exception is when you’re starting a break - don’t forget to put it to “break” otherwise it won’t count towards resetting the 4.5 hours.
I haven’t covered rest periods (as distinct from breaks). I might post again later.
You must not do more than 4.5 hours driving at once. Before your 4.5 hours have run out, you can either take a 45 minute unbroken break, or you can take a 15 minute followed by a 30 minute break (in that order). When you’ve done a 45 minute (or 15+30) break, your tacho clock resets to zero (even if you hadn’t done the full 4.5 hours of driving). You can then do up to another 4.5 hours, again with either a 45 or 15+30 breaks. If you’re confident of getting back to base before your 4.5 hours driving runs out, then you don’t legally need a tacho break.
Note that taking a 14 minute break counts for nothing. Your breaks need to be at least 15, or at least 30, or at least 45 - otherwise the tacho will give you less break credit than you were expecting. You can’t make up for a 14 minute break by doing 31 minutes. So it’s best to make sure by taking breaks of 16, 31 or 46 minutes. Moving the truck during a break will ruin your break by automatically putting you back into driving mode, so only break when you’re sure you won’t be disturbed. Breaks must be unbroken.
Your total driving time must not exceed 9 hours in the day, except you can go up to 10 hours for two days in the week.
The above summarises tacho breaks, but you must also take Working Time Directive breaks. These are based on how long you’ve worked, not just how long you’ve driven. Up to 6 hours you must take a 15 minute break. Between 6 and 9 hours you must take 30 minutes, which can be 15+15. After 9 hours it’s 45 minutes, which can be broken into multiples of 15.
If you organise things carefully you can make your tacho breaks satisfy the WTD breaks. I usually take a 15 break mid-morning, before I’ve worked 6 hours. Then I can take a 30 break later on before my 4.5 hours driving is up, and this satisfies the tacho and more than satisfies WTD.
Edited to add: When you stop for any significant time, the tacho automatically goes to “other work”. And when you drive off it automatically goes to “driving”. So most of the time you can forget about the tacho and not touch it; the exception is when you’re starting a break - don’t forget to put it to “break” otherwise it won’t count towards resetting the 4.5 hours.
I haven’t covered rest periods (as distinct from breaks). I might post again later.
Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Sunday 17th July 13:59
LosingGrip said:
Thanks for the detailed reply! Think that has gone in.
Can drive for 9 hours a day. No more than 4.5 hours at a time. Can extend the driving day to 10 hours twice a week.
The 10 hours became 11 during lockdown, not sure if it's reverted yet. Tachos also record working hours, whether they kick in or not depends on what type of driving you do.Can drive for 9 hours a day. No more than 4.5 hours at a time. Can extend the driving day to 10 hours twice a week.
Glenn63 said:
When you first read over them it seems a mine field but once out and doing it, it all becomes second nature and fairly easy.
It looks like a minefield! I've got a course coming up with work and a whole week on commercial vehicles. I'd like a bit of an understanding beforehand. If we are being strictly to the letter all driving and work is governed by periods of rest.
All your work is dictated by your rest,not the other way round.
If you do a 10 hour drive or a 15 hour day ,that time has to be “repayed” by additional rest.
Get your rest periods right and you will be legal and don’t cut corners.
All your work is dictated by your rest,not the other way round.
If you do a 10 hour drive or a 15 hour day ,that time has to be “repayed” by additional rest.
Get your rest periods right and you will be legal and don’t cut corners.
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
I’m a newbie truck driver, but this is my understanding of driving hours and breaks…
Newby or not you've got it right.Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Sunday 17th July 13:59
I do exactly the same, if on a long outward journey i'll take a 15 minute break after about 2.5 hours driving (so by hour 3), most of our longer single runs are 3 to 3.45 hours outward drive, by taking the 15 minute break i can discharge comfortably at the customer site, typically 1.5 total hours on site, and then amble back and take the rest of my break at a convenient point before the 4.5 hour driving time is up.
If, as tomorrow i'm on two shorter runs, then i'll take a 15 minute break at the first site before starting discharge, this allows me ample time to run back, reload for the second delivery (usually a slightly shorter run) and then either take my main break of 30+ minutes before departing for the second run or en route to it.
As said, satisfying both the drivers rules and the WTD, that 15 minute break after about 3 or so hours total work is a good habit to get into because its too easy to forget about the WTD when conentrating on keeping your driving and break hours right, and before you know it youve gone over the 6 hour WTD rule.
Maximum driving: 9hrs per day. Can be extended to 10hrs twice in one week
Maximum working day: 13hrs. Can be extended to 15hrs three times in one week.
Minimum daily rest period of 11hrs. Can be reduced to 9hrs three times per week (either a longer day or a shorter rest can make a day a '15hr day').
Maximum period of driving without a full break: 4.5hrs.
Minimum break period: 45min. Can be taken in two parts of at least 15min followed by at least 30min.
The maximum continuous working period allowed by the WTD is 6hrs, so a break of at least 15min needs to be started within the first 6hrs worked.
Remember that driving for ten hours, working for fifteen hours or reducing your daily rest to less than eleven hours is your decision as a driver, and not for a disreputable operator to plan more work into. These three variations are intended to help the driver - the rules are not ALL about restriction.
The most important of these is the reduced rest. This is designed to allow a driver who has slept in a layby to have a solid eight hours sleep and then start work as soon as he is ready in the morning, without having to waste two hours listening to Vanessa Feltz talking s
te whilst twiddling his thumbs waiting for eleven hours to turn.
It definitely is not for a in a transport office to squeeze more work in when you are returning to base at night, leaving you with only five hours sleep. This is widespread, as a result of disreputable practice and ignorance (usually a combination with ignorance at the window and greed in the boardroom) but it will see their operator's licence curtailed or revoked if it came out in a public enquiry...
Maximum working day: 13hrs. Can be extended to 15hrs three times in one week.
Minimum daily rest period of 11hrs. Can be reduced to 9hrs three times per week (either a longer day or a shorter rest can make a day a '15hr day').
Maximum period of driving without a full break: 4.5hrs.
Minimum break period: 45min. Can be taken in two parts of at least 15min followed by at least 30min.
The maximum continuous working period allowed by the WTD is 6hrs, so a break of at least 15min needs to be started within the first 6hrs worked.
Remember that driving for ten hours, working for fifteen hours or reducing your daily rest to less than eleven hours is your decision as a driver, and not for a disreputable operator to plan more work into. These three variations are intended to help the driver - the rules are not ALL about restriction.
The most important of these is the reduced rest. This is designed to allow a driver who has slept in a layby to have a solid eight hours sleep and then start work as soon as he is ready in the morning, without having to waste two hours listening to Vanessa Feltz talking s
te whilst twiddling his thumbs waiting for eleven hours to turn.It definitely is not for a
in a transport office to squeeze more work in when you are returning to base at night, leaving you with only five hours sleep. This is widespread, as a result of disreputable practice and ignorance (usually a combination with ignorance at the window and greed in the boardroom) but it will see their operator's licence curtailed or revoked if it came out in a public enquiry...944 Man said:
Maximum driving: 9hrs per day. Can be extended to 10hrs twice in one week
Maximum working day: 13hrs. Can be extended to 15hrs three times in one week.
Minimum daily rest period of 11hrs. Can be reduced to 9hrs three times per week (either a longer day or a shorter rest can make a day a '15hr day').
Maximum period of driving without a full break: 4.5hrs.
Minimum break period: 45min. Can be taken in two parts of at least 15min followed by at least 30min.
The maximum continuous working period allowed by the WTD is 6hrs, so a break of at least 15min needs to be started within the first 6hrs worked.
Remember that driving for ten hours, working for fifteen hours or reducing your daily rest to less than eleven hours is your decision as a driver, and not for a disreputable operator to plan more work into. These three variations are intended to help the driver - the rules are not ALL about restriction.
The most important of these is the reduced rest. This is designed to allow a driver who has slept in a layby to have a solid eight hours sleep and then start work as soon as he is ready in the morning, without having to waste two hours listening to Vanessa Feltz talking ste whilst twiddling his thumbs waiting for eleven hours to turn.
It definitely is not for a in a transport office to squeeze more work in when you are returning to base at night, leaving you with only five hours sleep. This is widespread, as a result of disreputable practice and ignorance (usually a combination with ignorance at the window and greed in the boardroom) but it will see their operator's licence curtailed or revoked if it came out in a public enquiry...
As an owner/operator, this is exactly the right way to look at it. I've sacked a 'planner' over this.Maximum working day: 13hrs. Can be extended to 15hrs three times in one week.
Minimum daily rest period of 11hrs. Can be reduced to 9hrs three times per week (either a longer day or a shorter rest can make a day a '15hr day').
Maximum period of driving without a full break: 4.5hrs.
Minimum break period: 45min. Can be taken in two parts of at least 15min followed by at least 30min.
The maximum continuous working period allowed by the WTD is 6hrs, so a break of at least 15min needs to be started within the first 6hrs worked.
Remember that driving for ten hours, working for fifteen hours or reducing your daily rest to less than eleven hours is your decision as a driver, and not for a disreputable operator to plan more work into. These three variations are intended to help the driver - the rules are not ALL about restriction.
The most important of these is the reduced rest. This is designed to allow a driver who has slept in a layby to have a solid eight hours sleep and then start work as soon as he is ready in the morning, without having to waste two hours listening to Vanessa Feltz talking s
te whilst twiddling his thumbs waiting for eleven hours to turn.It definitely is not for a
in a transport office to squeeze more work in when you are returning to base at night, leaving you with only five hours sleep. This is widespread, as a result of disreputable practice and ignorance (usually a combination with ignorance at the window and greed in the boardroom) but it will see their operator's licence curtailed or revoked if it came out in a public enquiry...deeen said:
"Maximum driving: 9hrs per day. Can be extended to 10hrs twice in one week"
I thought this changed in lockdown, has it changed back again?
My employer sent out a memo immediately, no changes far as we were concerned (not as we get anywhere near the limits unless something's gone badly wrong), i think most responsible operators took the same view.I thought this changed in lockdown, has it changed back again?
15 hour days and 9 hour's driving not enough for some?, back in the days of log books before we were were conned into the EEC our maximum working day was 12.5 hours, then we got the tachograph and could work 15 hours which was somehow safer/better?
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