Few more questions on Tachographs!?

Question

Hi, thanks for the replies on the last question, just got a couple more if you could help me out please!

1. What records would an employee need if they worked a 5 day week, but only drove on one of the days?

2. Another manager seems to think that we are allowed to remove the tachograph to check for speeding/breaks etc, and then to re-insert it back into the tachograph machine! Am I right that this is illegal, and only a VOSA officer or the Police have the authority to ask a driver to remove the tachograph, and then to re-insert it after they have signed it?

Thanks again!

Jonathan

Answer 1

You just need the tacho used on the day you were driving.You don't need a record of something you didn't do.But you must keep that card with you the following week.

You must not remove or open a tachograph during shift unless you are stopped by the police or vosa.If they ask you for the graph you must get them to sign the rear of the chart or if they want to keep the chart you need a receipt and they must sign the chart that you replace it with.It is an offence to open the graph for any other reason even if it stops working.In that case you must fill in the rear of a chart manually

Answer 2

Under new legislation anyone driving a vehicle which has a tachograph fitted you must have a tachograph for every day of the week. Even if you only work 5 days a week you must show tachographs for the 2 days that you don't work. Strange but true. And you are right in thinking that only a VOSA officer or a police officer can ask you to remove your tachograph.

Answer 3

1. If you work using a company vehicle, which will obviously be used by others on the days you're not in work, then you take out the tacho disc when you've finished with the vehicle & keep it, submitting it to the company as & when required. Other drivers will use their own discs.

2. You can remove the disc to check it - the tachograph will mark the disc with a line to show that the tray has been opened.

Answer 4

1)  You would need a written / manual record of all other work undertaken, including any breaks.

2)  A driver is allowed to remove a tacho chart no more than twice in any one working period, to check speed, function, breaks, etc.  The chart can be out of the head for a maximum of five minutes on either occasion.