by Nigel Kirkwood

Filling In The Centre Field On A Tachograph Chart

• Name, surname and first name written in full (no abbreviations or initials)
• Place of start of duty: written in full (no abbreviations)
Note: in larger conurbations, for example London, it is advisable to use a more precise location name ie Acton, Canning Town, London NW10
• Place of finish of duty: written in full (no abbreviations)
Note: in larger conurbations, for example London, it is advisable to use a more precise location name ie Acton, Canning Town, London NW10
• Date of start of duty
• Date of finish of duty
Note: the date of finish of duty should be entered even if it is the same date as the start of duty date
• Registration number: written in full (no abbreviations, no fleet numbers)
• Odometer reading at start of driving
• Odometer reading at finish of driving
• Odometer subtraction
Note: it is recommended the odometer subtraction is entered on the chart

Keeping Tachograph Charts - Up to 30th of April 2006

Drivers are required to keep the following tachograph charts available for inspection:

• all charts for the fixed week (*) currently being driven in
• the last chart from the previous fixed week.

(* the fixed week starts at 00:00 Monday morning, and finishes at 24:00 Sunday evening) For example, if a driver drives and / or undertakes other work on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the current fixed week, all three charts will be required. In addition to this, the driver will also need to have the last chart from the previous fixed week (this is usually Friday's or Saturday's chart). The number of charts a driver has to keep will depend on how many days in the fixed week have been driven and / or worked on.

Example 1

Driving Monday to Friday each week, how many charts should the driver have by Wednesday of the second week? All the current weeks charts (Monday's, Tuesday's and Wednesday's charts) and the last chart from the previous week (Friday's chart).

Example 2

Driving Monday to Saturday each week, how many charts should the driver have by Wednesday of the second week? All the current weeks charts (Monday's, Tuesday's and Wednesday's charts) and the last chart from the previous week (Saturday's chart).

Example 3

Driving Monday to Friday each week, how many charts should the driver have by Friday of the second week? All the current weeks charts (Monday's, Tuesday's, Wednesday's, Thursday's and Friday's charts) and the last chart from the previous week (Friday's chart).

Keeping Tachograph Charts - From the 1st of May 2006

From the 1st May, 2006, following the publication of the new Regulations:    ... drivers will have to be able to produce, whenever an inspecting officer so requests: the record sheets (tachograph charts) for the current week and those used by the driver in the previous 15 days; the driver card if he / she has one; and any manual record and printout made during the current week and the previous 15 days.  Also, from the 1st May, 2006:    “other work” must be recorded under the symbol ;  “availability” must be recorded under the symbol ;

Use Of 'Automatic' Tachographs

An automatic tachograph will record a driving trace on a tachograph chart when the vehicle is being driven. Driving is recorded, on an automatic tachograph, automatically, what ever the mode switch (for driver 1) on the tachograph itself is set to. For example, if the tachograph mode switch is set to other work, and the vehicle is being driven, the tachograph will automatically record a driving trace on the tachograph chart, even though the mode switch is set to other work. Automatic tachographs are driving automatic only. They are not other work or break / rest automatic.

Use Of Mode Switch(es)

The tachograph only records driving automatically. It does not record periods of other work, break or rest automatically. Whilst working (loading / unloading etc) the mode switch must be set to other work. When working, it is illegal to record break / rest on the chart.

Recommendations

As it is:

• Illegal to record break / rest on the chart whilst working
(loading / unloading / undertaking other duties etc)
• Usual to undertake some other work at some time during the working day
The following recommendations are made:
• The mode switch should be set to other work at the start of the working day
• The mode switch should be changed to break / rest only at those times when a break / rest is being taken
• The mode switch should be changed back to other work after finishing a break / rest
• If the chart is to be left in the tachograph head at the end of the working day, the mode switch should be set to break / rest when all driving and other work has been completed.

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