Tachos

[esselte]

My BiL owns a small wedding car/minibus hire company.He has about 5 cars and 3 buses, 2 16 seat and an 8 seater.He says that since April thay have had to have tachos.Their driving hours are limited to 9 per day and that these have to be done within a 15 hour period so if he has a 7am job that may only last a couple of hours he can't then drive after 10pm even if he's been asleep allday after his first job and still has 7 hours "in the bank" as it were. (obviously this is just for illustration).Does anyone know why the 15 hours rule is used?

[norasport]

15 hours is the maximum any driver can be on duty in a day as he must fit a minimum of 9 hours daily rest into 24. 24-9=15. He must have tachos fitted by the 31st december 2007 into all minibuses with 9 or more seats including the drivers. In the meantime he (the driver) should record his hours in a book.

You may find a number of websites useful start with www.transportoffice.gov.uk You are looking for the EC regulation 561/2006 which came into force on 11th april 2007. Try googlying it and then printing it off.

There are quite a few more rules he won't like particularly that every alternate weekend he must have a clear 45 hours off. He must also take breaks after 4 hours 30 mins driving etc etc.

If you want more help I can point you in the right direction as I train lorry and coach drivers and my business supplies stationery products to ensure compliance.

[odyssey2200]

what happens about all the big lomos you see in London all the time?
Some of the Hummers and Excursions seat 16.
Are they Tacho exempt?

[norasport]

There is another complication with limos in that many operators do not have a PCV Operating Licence, applications must be made to your area Traffic Commissioner. Also many of the vehicles do not comply with our C & U regulations. Equally the law has been slow to accommodate stretched limos.

[esselte]

norasport said:

There are quite a few more rules he won't like particularly that every alternate weekend he must have a clear 45 hours off. .

Is this 45 hours from any sort of paid driving or just the tacho'd stuff?

[Dwight VanDriver]

In the complicated world of hours/rest./duty etc you might find this of some use

http://tinyurl.com/3779td

dvd

[norasport]

The weekend break must be from ANY employment.

[esselte]

norasport said:

The weekend break must be from ANY employment.

Looks like I may be doing some more wedding car driving for him then.....