What Do Tachograph Symbols Mean? There are many different symbols that are used on digital tachographs to depict different driver statuses and help drivers prevent accidental infringements. The key symbols that everyone who uses a digital tachograph should ensure they know are Drive, Available, Rest/Break and Other Work.

• Drivers Tacho Posters

Drivers Tacho Posters

Digital Tachograph Tutorial, tachograph simulators, symbols How to use digital tachograph. A tacho card tutorial with tachograph simulators.

Using tacho card, tachograph symbols, digital tachograph error codes Digital Tachograph Tutorial The Digital Tachograph is a sophisticated cab device that records driving time, breaks and stops, activities, vehicle or Driver changes, etc., to a chipped card. This tutorial uses the Siemens Digital Tachograph versions 1.3 & 1.4 Sends printable pages straight to your printer, (you do NOT need Adobe Reader to print pages). Trucks & trucking.

Lorry routes. HGV Reg's, Drivers hours.

Tutorial covers tachograph display, controls and use of Driver's tacho card. Pages dealing with layout, usage, symbols, print outs, etc.

With printer friendly versions. Pages covering manual entries in the new, (version 1.4), digital tachograph. With printer friendly versions. Interactive simulators: Siemens Digital Tachograph, versions 1.3 and 1.4. Covers the basics of operation. Requires Flash. Information about manuals, CD Roms, and electronic simulators.

For access to this tutorial Tutorial and reference materials are based upon best available information at this time. Information on fixed penalties is available at Digital Tachograph Tutorial now available at: (£5) (This gives 12 months access). Please note: Links below will become live after log in.

Introduction The Digital Tachograph records driving time, breaks and stops, activities, vehicle or Driver changes, etc. Introduction to the Digital Tacho About the digital tachograph. What it records. Additional tasks. Digital Tachograph Menu Functions. Changing the print roll More training aids Digital Tachograph v 1.3 Simulator A simple, interactive Digital Tachograph tutorial.

Digital Tachograph v 1.3 Simulator Non Pop Up version Digital Tachograph v 1.4 - Information Version 1.4 is to be fitted in all new vehicles from 11 Oct 2012. It is an upgrade to the current version: Now runs on local time not UTC. There is a simplified method of manually entering activities and times. I minute rule has been updated. Card Usage (v 1.4), (cab guide, printable) Deals with the new method of affecting manual entries. Digital Tachograph v 1.4 Simulator Digital Tachograph Reference Sheets Labeled diagram.

Buttons, etc. Labeled diagram of tachograph print out. Setting local time. Tacho Tutorial UTC 10:41 Illustrated sequence of events & actions. Essential cab guide. Digital Tachograph Symbols Digital Tachograph Error Codes Digital Tachograph Error Codes are in fact. 'messages' preceded by pictograms.

Security Breach Codes however, are in number format. Includes Events, Faults, Warnings, Notes. If the Digital Tachograph does not work, or your card is rejected: You must keep a record of work using the back of the printout paper. Obtaining a Digital Tachograph Card To get their digital tachograph card drivers should telephone the DVLA in Swansea. 0870 850 1074 Printable pages Tacho Layout Card Usage Tacho Symbols Tachograph Menu Card Usage (v 1.4) Print Out Changing Print Roll Driver's Hours Digital Tachograph Error Codes Events Operational notes Faults Notes as information Warnings Tutorial and reference materials are based upon best available information at this time.

Please advise of any errors. Information on fixed penalties is available at More training aids Driver CPC Index Introduction Layout Card Usage Tacho Symbols Print Out Errors Simulator Driver's Hours Contact Google Site Map Copyright © 2012 M.

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Introduction Periods of availability (PoAs) continue to cause consternation and confusion in the transport industry. When the Working Time Directive was introduced through Directive 2002/15/EC in April 2005, the various modes were defined in the regulations and it was thought that the confusion drivers have long faced as to what mode to use would be resolved.

However, over 12 years later, the confusion, doubt and in some cases, the controversy remains. Article 3(b) of this directive states that periods of availability shall mean:. “periods other than those relating to break times and rest times during which the mobile worker is not required to remain at his workstation, but must be available to answer any calls to start or resume driving, or to carry out other work.

In particular, such periods of availability shall include periods during which the mobile worker is accompanying a vehicle being transported by ferryboat or by train, as well as periods of waiting at frontiers and those due to traffic prohibitions. These periods and their foreseeable duration shall be known in advance by the mobile worker, that is to say either before departure or just before the actual start of the period in question, or under the general conditions negotiated between the social partners and/or under the terms of the legislation of the Member States; and. for mobile workers driving in a team, the time spent sitting next to the driver or on the couchette while the vehicle is in motion”. Mode selection A driver cannot choose whether to use a work mode in order to record his or her activity — it is compulsory to do so. Article 34(5) of EU Regulation 165/2014 states that “Drivers shall operate the switch mechanisms enabling the following periods of time to be recorded separately and distinctly:” and thereafter lists the four modes under the relevant symbols known for driving time, other work, periods of availability and rest or break periods. Therefore, the mode selection by a driver is not optional and that in itself should be monitored by a reputable Operator. Furthermore, it is essential that drivers are aware (despite the manufacturers’ claims) that a tachograph can never be automatic; they can only ever be semi-automatic.

There are automatic elements, ie a tachograph can and should determine whether a vehicle is in motion, therefore, is it driving or stationary? However, when a vehicle is stationary, although there are again automatic aspects, ie when a digital vehicle comes to a stop after driving, the mode must, by law, automatically revert to other work. However, even the most modern tachograph cannot distinguish whether the driver is loading or unloading, waiting for a load, doing vehicle checks, reading a newspaper or having a cup of tea. For that reason, the tachograph or any tachograph can only ever be semi-automatic, it’s not psychic! Therefore, as these activities may require different mode selections by the driver, the driver must remember to change the work mode to the appropriate, relevant setting. Example 3 The driver arrives at work, but his vehicle is not ready.

He is told that he cannot undertake his regular duties for two hours while he waits for the vehicle to become ready. However, after half an hour, the driver is asked to do yard duties for one hour, before waiting again for the final half-hour period. The driver knows of the delay so the first half an hour is PoA but, when he begins the work in the yard, this is “other work”, which is recorded by the driver as such before returning to PoA for the final half an hour.

Example 1 When travelling as a crew member when the vehicle is multi-manned (ie more than one driver in the vehicle), but is undertaking no work, such as navigating or assessing, or training a driver in the company procedures, this may be recorded as PoA. It is important to note that it has been published in Government guidelines (see, also known as GV262) where it states that when travelling in a multi-manned vehicle, the first 45 minutes of a period of availability is considered as a qualifying driving break for the purpose of the 4½ hours driving regulation. Therefore, it is possible for the driver to undertake his driving, swap seats and take his 45-minute break, under the PoA mode, within a moving vehicle, providing the driver meets the multi-manning specifications within the legislation. Where a driver is navigating or acting as a driver trainer for an operator, then the driver is undertaking “other work” and the time should be recorded as such, ie the crossed hammers mode should be used. However, as the newer tachographs will default, the second driver’s mode to PoA when in motion, the driver trainer, for example, will be required to record this activity manually on either the grid on the reverse of the chart, or on the reverse of a print-out when in a vehicle with a digital tachograph. Can a driver record a break during a period of availability?

It is important to remember that, although a period of availability is generally for waiting time, where the period of waiting is known, there is nothing to stop a driver taking a break during some, or all, of that period of availability. In order to do this, the driver must be able to meet the criteria that the time is being used “exclusively for recuperation”. Furthermore, the driver must change the work mode to break (the bed symbol) for the periods taken as a break. As a caution, it is important to note that in the United Kingdom, PoA is not considered as a break. This is a different interpretation to much of Europe and as such digital tachographs view PoA as a break in their internal software.

Therefore, if a driver was to take 45 minutes PoA in a digital vehicle, this would “wipe the slate clean” for the 4½ hours driving period being displayed to the driver. However, under the UK interpretation, this would not be the case and in those circumstances, if using PoA, the driver must be very careful to calculate their own 4½ hours driving periods and not to rely upon the display for compliance. It is complex and the further investigated the more complex it can become. However, in conclusion, as a simple guideline, a driver needs to consider the following when waiting and not directly undertaking other work —. Is the duration of the wait known?. If the answer is no and the driver cannot use the time exclusively for recuperation, then the “other work” mode should be used. If the answer is yes, then this can be recorded as PoA.

However, if the time may be recorded as PoA and the driver is able to use some or all of that time exclusively for recuperation, the driver may then record those times of recuperation as a break period. At all times remember, in the United Kingdom, a PoA is not considered as a break. And one last thing, although not mentioned above, PoA does not count as Working Time for the purpose of the Working Time Directive.

Last reviewed 10 October 2017.