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Drivers hours calculator.


Rob_Beech

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Hi guys.

 

So, next year I'm going to be doing more and more driving of vehicles which fall under the EU guidelines for drivers hours and whilst I've dealt with this before, I'm still not 100% sure on the "work" aspect of it all. The driving rules are plain and fairly simple. You have 9 hours a day, 10 for no more than 2 a week, then you have your breaks inbetween those, and your daily rest. 56 hours a week, 90 per fortnight, etc etc. But I've never needed to really calculate anything with a shift of work in the middle and the guidelines seem a bit funny over it all.

 

So, what I'm asking first of all is, is there some form of software that you can log your hours onto (hours driving, hours working etc, that tells you your remaining hours in a period, and when you can do them. Or warns you if you put something in and your plans would take you over the limit. This doesn't have to be freeware, I'm happy to pay for the correct stuff. I'll be dealing with Analogue tacho's nearly 100% of the time.

 

It just seems that you can no longer set off in the afternoon, do a gig and drive home again, even if its only 20 miles away due to the number of hours doing "other work". This is mainly because even though you set up in say 90 minutes, you might have 6 hours with nothing to do before you mix the show, but 6 hours doesn't constitute a rest period.

 

I've read the guidelines over and over and still can't quite understand it in this context, it seems to work fine if you want to deliver goods to tesco's.

 

 

Rob

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if its 7.5t or less than you may not have to use any tacho or just a drivers sheet

 

• for carrying materials, equipment or machinery

for the driver’s use in the course of his work.

These vehicles shall be used only within a 50 km

radius of the base of the undertaking and on the

condition that driving the vehicle does not constitute

the driver’s main activity.

This would apply to tradesmen such as electricians or

builders carrying tools or materials for their own use.

 

there may be some other get out's but I would speak to VOSA

they seem nice people

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It is indeed a tricky subject.

 

My business partner is the only one of us allowed to drive out 7.5 tonne (we're all young 'uns you see so have to have a licence) and he is also the operations director which means he is often involved in actual construction of marquees in our more complicated jobs.

 

Within 50km it's absolutely fine but we often have jobs outside that radius and although his DRIVING hours all get added together with the appropriate break, we are never sure how to treat the hours he is not driving but is at work.

 

Any suggestions / experiences / thoughts would be good.

 

Chris

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Basically, since the last change in wording of the regulations, work is counted the same as driving. Whilst this is not clear from reading, what seals it for me is the fact that you have to keep a record of all work that you undertake in any week where you drive an applicable vehicle. It would seem rather illogical that the record shows that you'd worked 20 hours a day for 5 days before getting in a truck...

 

So, as I understand it, you have to pretend you're a full time truck driver. So you can't work more than 13/15 hours a day. Have to have 11/9 hours off a day and 2 days off a week as well! Doesn't really fit in with a rock and roll lifestyle does it. The only way round is to hire someone else to drive your trucks for you.

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Guest lightnix
So, as I understand it, you have to pretend you're a full time truck driver...

I'm sorry you've lost me - why do you "have to" pretend? What's to be gained by doing so??

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I refer thee all to http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/freight/road/wor...shoursgoods.pdf

 

but if your taking your test in the near future it will all be part of the CPC (assuming you 'have' to take the module that its within)

 

 

 

I've just spent the last hour educating Rob on the hours so if you've remembered it all, repeat it here for grading ;)

 

 

Si

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...
So, what I'm asking first of all is, is there some form of software that you can log your hours onto (hours driving, hours working etc, that tells you your remaining hours in a period, and when you can do them. Or warns you if you put something in and your plans would take you over the limit. This doesn't have to be freeware, I'm happy to pay for the correct stuff. I'll be dealing with Analogue tacho's nearly 100% of the time.

 

 

 

Theres a Timer on the Market called the Drivers Hour Guard, it's worth its weight in gold as you use it in conjunction with your tacho and it will keep you legal warning you as and when you require a break whether its a driving break or WTD Break, I dont want to be accused of advertising so just google it

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