EU Working Time Directive (and Tachographs)

[Andy the Landy]

As those of you know that work in the transport industry we can soon clock up 48hrs work generally over 3 to 4 days. Is it possible that downtime can be used towards the weekly rest period. For instance, if I take a bunch of blue rinses to the seaside for a jolly day out and park on a coach park for 5 hours and then drive back my boss seems to think he will be able to sign me off work once I arrive at my destination and then sign me back on again when it's time to drive back (if I was parkedup for the minimum 8hrs daily rest period this would be feasible as long as I take my rest period away from the vehicle) but as its less than the minimum daily rest period my tachograph is still clicking away on the days spreadover so surely this is not a viable option :? help I'm confused :roll:

[muky-kid.]

As those of you know that work in the transport industry we can soon clock up 48hrs work generally over 3 to 4 days. Is it possible that downtime can be used towards the weekly rest period. For instance, if I take a bunch of blue rinses to the seaside for a jolly day out and park on a coach park for 5 hours and then drive back my boss seems to think he will be able to sign me off work once I arrive at my destination and then sign me back on again when it's time to drive back (if I was parkedup for the minimum 8hrs daily rest period this would be feasible as long as I take my rest period away from the vehicle) but as its less than the minimum daily rest period my tachograph is still clicking away on the days spreadover so surely this is not a viable option :? help I'm confused :roll:

Hangon Andy, im haveing a search for you on the net. I used to have a website just about tachos but i recently got rid.

Or you can try http://www.uktruckers.com Been on there before and there forum is good for such questions. :D

OOOOPS wrong link. Try this http://www.truckers.co.uk

No thats not right either?. Ill find it in a minute. :?

[beast5680]

I believe its your duty time that counts if as you suggest your parked up theoretically you are still on duty with the vehicle so it will not count towards your weekly rest period unless as you say you take your minimum daily rest period .
when i was driving trucks i had to wait sometimes to unload as much as 3 hours but this still counted as duty time.
also if you left your coach at the destination and went home by car the travelling time to and from the coach also counts as duty time, there were some court cases where drivers were fined as they drove 5 hours to pick up the vehicle then drove a full days driving as well on top and it was found they should have counted the 5 hours travelling to the vehicle as duty time so were running illegally

HTH

[Andy the Landy]

Its just with the 48hr maximum working week just round the corner there seems to be some grey areas. Personally I dont think we will be able to sign off and on again in 1 working day if the down time equates to less than the minimum daily rest period. If its not viable it can only be good news for us drivers :D

Cheers Mike - will take a look

[muky-kid.]

:D Found it Andy. Have a look at this site, gives you loads of info and driver rules.http://www.tachograph.co.uk/ :D

[Andy the Landy]

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_freight/documents/page/dft_freight_022954.hcsp had a look on DFA website and it looks possible under the RTD section that our downtime could be counted as a PoA (periods of availability). Should have done a web search first instead of looking on Mud Club :roll:

[muky-kid.]

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_freight/documents/page/dft_freight_022954.hcsp had a look on DFA website and it looks possible under the RTD section that our downtime could be counted as a PoA (periods of availability). Should have done a web search first instead of looking on Mud Club :roll:

 :lol: Not to worry, at least your sorted now. :lol:

[Garin]

The WTD will include POA but you will have to be notified how long you will be waiting in advance there are several ways you can be notified all open to abuse, these new rules will create headaches for employers, drivers will have to use the correct tacho mode and wait for the gaffers to work it out  ](*,) there will probably be several test cases in the courts with drivers stuck in the middle again

[Sider]

According to a copper friend of mine, in some cases not even them will know if we are doing something illegal until it goes to court.

My understanding is that the time you use as "other duties" can be claimed back?

Whatever way, my boss is already shivering, since he'll have to get back on the road again :lol:  :lol:

[Garin]

other duties will be classed has working time, if you are being loaded by other people and are available or waiting to be loaded or unloaded and have been notified of how long this can be discounted it is unclear what will happen if you are in a Q and have to move my gaffer thinks that once you have moved they will class it working time,it may be possible to get round this by using rest mode nobody is sure how it will be interpreted :?:  :?:  :?:  :?: