Tachograph
What is a Digital Tachograph?
This radio sized device became legally required in all new vehicles sold after May 1st 2006. It replaces the analogue tachograph and has its own event memory.
Stores 365 days of information
Has an unchanging internal time clock set to UTC (Universal Time Co-ordinated), which is the same as GMT (Grenwich Mean Time). This time does not change when the clocks change and is therefore 1 hour different to local time, in the UK, during the summer.
Has a Local Time display, which can be changed by the operator when the clocks go back and forward.
Recommended once a month downloads
Designed to be used in conjunction with a Digital Tachograph Card, instead of the analogue paper tachograph chart.
How do they work
The Digital Tachograph uses the same main four modes as the analogue tachograph did, these are:
Driving Mode
As with the later Analogue Tachographs, Driving Mode automatically selects when the vehicle is moving. The above symbol is displayed in the Digitach screen when the vehicle is moving. This symbol also appears on the display screen and on printouts to symbolise periods of driving.
Rest Mode
The bed symbol should be selected to illustrate Rest Breaks and Daily Rest, unlike common practise with Analogue Tachographs it is acceptable to leave the Digicard in over night (if the driver is on a night out in the cab) and select the bed symbol.
It is still acceptable to remove the Digicard to mark a daily rest period, once the card is removed a period of rest is assumed.
Other Work
The crossed-hammer symbol represents a period of work by the driver that is not driving, examples of this are:
Doing the Daily Vehicle Defect Check / Walk around
Un-loading the vehicle
Completing paperwork
all periods not covered by Rest, Periods of Availability and Driving
Many Digital Tachographs have other work set as the default mode, so, for example, following a period of Driving, the tachograph will automatically return to Other Work, regardless of the mode selected prior to the period of driving.
Period of Availability (POA)
This mode of operation is the newest of the four and was introduced in line with the Working Time Directive. POA does not count towards the Working Time Directive and should be selected during periods of waiting the length of which are known before-hand, examples are:
Arriving at a delivery point and being informed of a two hour wait.
Being early to a regular delivery slot and knowing that you will not be able to deliver until that time.
A Period of Availability is one in which a driver should have a certain amount of freedom to dispose of their own time (sleep, read a book, take a short walk) but can be available to take phone calls, for example.
To use the Siemens VDO:
Start of your shift.
Eject the paper drawer to make sure there is enough paper for printouts if you get stopped .Get another roll if there isn't much left.
Insert your card into Slot 1 with the chip to the front and facing up .
The head will now read your card and your surname should appear on the screen .
From base.
You will now be shown the last withdrawal time *** ***( your first use of the card you won't have this come up ) The head will now ask if you need a manual entry like so M entry addition ? (on screen)
Using the buttons to the right of the screen now , using the arrows scroll either up or down to select YES and then press OK .
You will now be shown the time you last ejected the card and it will say END of shift and show you the time the date and the location.
Using the arrow keys select NO then press OK.
The screen will now have the time you ejected the card flashing.
Using the arrow keys scroll the time to when you actually finished your shift and went home and press OK .
Now select what activity you were doing the symbol will be flashing at the bottom right of the screen . Using the arrow keys select what activity and then press OK .
You are now asked again if this was the end of your shift to confirm it .Using the arrow keys scroll to yes and press OK .
You are now asked what country you finished in , should already be on UK so press ok . (digital tacho only wants what country you are in not what town or city etc , those of you going abroad will need to know the country codes .Simple to do use the arrow keys to scroll through the country codes and then press OK )
Now the head will ask you what time you started like so ?
Begin and show you the date and time the card was inserted.
Using the arrow key scroll back the time to when your shift started and then press OK .
Now it wants to know what country you are in like so BEG country . UK should already be flashing so press OK .
The next screen wants you to scroll the start of your shift time forward til the time you put the card in and enter what activity you were doing.
Using the arrow keys scroll time forward , the time will stop scrolling when it gets to the point you inserted the card . Press OK.
The flashing symbol in the bottom right appears again , using the arrow keys select the activity and press OK.
The head now wants you to confirm the entry like so M confirm entry ?
Select yes and you're done , select No and you're doing it all again .
End of shift.
Press the eject button .Your surname will appear on the screen .The head will then ask you your finish location . UK should already be flashing on the screen .Press OK .
You will then be asked if you require a 24 hr driver printout via symbols .You need to ask for a key/guide to these symbols so you know what they mean.
If you want a printout using the arrow keys select yes and press OK.
The head will start the printout and upon completion eject your card .
If you select no the head will eject your card .
Printouts.
These are accesed through the menu .To get into the menu just press OK and then scroll until you find the printout you require . Driver 1 Driver 2 or Vehicle .When you have the printout you require flashing on the screen then press OK and the printout will start .
Changing the time.
If everyone leaves the damn thing alone then there should be no need to do this . But drivers being drivers they mess .
The digi tacho runs on UTC time that is universal time co-ordination.At this time of year when the clocks have gone back the head shows the correct time .
In British summer time the head will be an hour behind . The time will have a black dot next to it if the time has been altered .
To change this:
Press the OK button to access the menu .Using the arrow keys scroll through the menu until you find VEHICLE ENTRY and press ok .
Scroll through this menu using the arrow keys until you find LOCAL TIME ADJUST , press OK .
This will now allow you to change the time by using guess what ? Those arrow keys again .
The time changes in half hourly increments at each press of the arrow . Adjust the time to how it should be (UTC time) and press OK.
Using the key adjacent to the OK button keep pressing this til you get back to the normal operating screen , thats the cancel button .
Viewing drive time and break time.
At any time whilst driving you can view how long you have been driving and how long your breaks have been . Press any arrow key and this will be displayed , no need to press anything else after a few seconds the screen will revert back to the normal operating screen . When stationary this will stay on until the vehicle moves again.
Digital Tachograph Card
Any person who is required to drive a vehicle with a Digital Tachograph Unit fitted must have one of these. The card is valid for five years, and must be replaced at the end of this period. They are unique to each cardholder and displays the following information:
Photograph of card holder
Name
Date of Birth
Card Valid from and Expiry Date
Driving Licence Number
Card Number
Signature
Address
How often do I download my Digital Tachograph Card?
The Digicard has a limited memory of approximately 28 days (though this does vary depending on usage), once full it overwrites the oldest information on the card, OVERWRITTEN INFORMATION CAN NOT BE RETRIEVED.
Best Practice would be to download your card every week, this way you leave plenty of margin for error.
Dont I need to leave 28 days on my Digicard in case VOSA stop me?
Downloading the card does not remove the information it only takes a copy, once the card is full it is in a constant cycle of overwriting the oldest data on there. Therefore, your card always holds at least your last 28 days of work.
Can I drive without a Digital Tachograph Card inserted?
Your Digital Tachograph must be inserted at the begining of every shift, the only exception to this is if the card is Lost, Stolen or Defective. If you have never previously applied for a Digicard you can not, under any circumstances, drive a vehicle with a Digital tachograph fitted.
What Records Need To Be Kept If Driving With A Conventional Tachograph Then A Digital Tachograph?
Tachograph charts must be kept for each day a vehicle is used that has a conventional tachograph. When a vehicle with a digital tachograph is used, a print out will need to be taken from the digital tachograph at the end of the day and stored safely.
Are There Any Benefits For The Driver?
The new system is electronic. There will be no need to complete centre field entries on a tachograph chart. If using a digital tachograph all the time, there will be no need to use tachograph charts whatsoever. The digital tachograph will also provide (by pressing buttons on the face of the instrument) details about driving, duty and break times etc.
What if my Digital Tachograph Card is Lost, Stolen or Defective
In all of the above situations it is acceptable to use a vehicle for up to 15 days without a Digital Tachograph card inserted into the machine.
You must report a missing or non-working digicard to VOSA within 7 days of the event. Telephone 0870 8501074.
Operate the mode switch and follow all driving regulations as usual (The Digital Tachograph Unit will record everything you do on its internal memory). Complete a printout at the begining and the end of every shift and treat them in the same way as you would an Analogue Tachograph Disc.
Complete and return form D777B.
How do I get hold of a new or replacement Digital Tachograph Card?
Very simply you will need to complete form D777B. This is available through most VOSA testing stations, through the VOSA helpline 0870 8501074 or by e-mailing drivers.dvla@gtnet.gov.uk
If you want to see how far back the records on the driver card go you can check with the card in the tachograph.
For a Siemens tachograph, with the card in the tachograph and the tachograph on the standard display:
Press "OK" - The screen will show "Printout Drive 1"
Press the down arrow key about four times until the screen shows "Display Driver 1"
Press "OK"
The screen will show "24 hour Display" (or something like that) Press "OK"
The date will flash, use the down arrow key to change the date, keep pressing the down arrow key until the date stops changing, the oldest date you can get on the display is the oldest record on your driver card.