Tachograph – is it driver control or safety?

Tachograph – what is it for, control or protection? No need to think long. For the driver, it is definitely safety. The tachograph is a friend and ally for the driver, but for the logistics manager, it is an enemy.

It is the tachograph, commonly called “Tacho,” that prevents logisticians or dispatchers from overloading the driver beyond the norm. It protects the driver’s sleep, allows meal breaks, and ensures they do not overwork.

However, it is not all good news. The tachograph will be your friend and ally only as long as you follow its rules – the rules of work and rest for truck drivers. If you break them, you will face a penalty in the form of a fine.

Basic tachograph rules for drivers:

Let’s start from the beginning…

Opening a shift

• Turn on the tachograph.
• Insert the driver’s card into slot 1, chip side up.
• The tachograph will load your card and greet you.
• If this is the first shift after a vacation, manual data entry will be required:
  • The tachograph will ask if you want to enter data manually – confirm by pressing “OK.”
  • It will show the date and time of the last card removal, and below that – the current date and time. You need to adjust the current time to the correct one, i.e., the time you started work, arrived at the company, etc., and confirm the entry. For example, if you arrived at the company at 12:00.
  • Then it will ask what you were doing during the time from the previously entered value to the moment you reached the truck – usually, “Envelope” mode (standby) is set. This is the time you spent getting to your truck. You weren’t resting, but you also weren’t working yet. For example, if you arrived at your truck at 19:00 – enter 19:00.
  • Next, the tachograph will ask what you were doing from the moment you arrived at the truck until now (e.g., 20:11). If you were resting, select “Bed” (rest mode).
  • Confirm manual entry.
  • Select the country where the shift starts.
  • Set “Hammers” (work mode).
  • The shift is open – you can hit the road.

You can skip setting “Hammers” and drive straight away, but according to regulations, it’s better to set them, inspect the vehicle, and then start driving.

Maximum Shift Duration:

Regular shift – 13 hours (includes driving, work, and waiting).

Extended shift – up to 15 hours (allowed twice per week).

Driving Time:

Maximum daily driving time is 9 hours. It can be extended by 1 hour, but no more than twice per week.

Maximum weekly driving time is 56 hours, but over two consecutive weeks, total driving time must not exceed 90 hours.

Displayed on the tachograph screen with the symbol of a “Steering Wheel” or “Vehicle.” It appears automatically when driving begins.

Breaks During Driving:

Throughout the day, breaks must be taken while driving. Minimum 45 minutes for 9 hours of driving.

After 4 hours and 30 minutes of continuous driving, a driver must take a break of at least 45 minutes. This break can be split into two parts:

The first break – at least 15 minutes, and the second – at least 30 minutes. Otherwise, the tachograph will not count it as a valid 45-minute break.

A break during driving is marked with the “Bed” symbol 🛏. It must be set manually by the driver.

Daily Rest:

Regular daily rest is at least 11 hours. It can be split into two parts:

• At least 3 hours continuously
• At least 9 hours continuously

In total, if split, the rest period must be at least 12 hours.

Reduced daily rest is at least 9 hours continuously, and it can be used no more than three times in two weeks (between two weekly rests).

Marked in the tachograph with the 🛏 “Bed” symbol.

Weekly Rest

The standard weekly rest is at least 45 consecutive hours.

The reduced weekly rest is at least 24 hours, but the missing hours must be compensated within three weeks.

It is not allowed to take two reduced weekly rests in a row.

Marked in the tachograph with the 🛏 “Bed” symbol, manually set by the driver.

Double Crew

When working in a double crew, two drivers can be in the cab, alternating shifts.

In this mode, the shift duration cannot exceed 30 hours, but each driver must receive a full daily rest of at least 9 hours.

In a double crew, the 45-minute break after 4.5 hours of driving is not required. While driving, the second driver has the “Envelope” mode set in the tachograph, which counts as a break. After 4.5 hours, simply switch places with your co-driver, without taking a 45-minute pause. Swap driver cards, and the card of the driver now in the passenger seat should be set to “Envelope” mode.

Ferry or Railway Crossing

A driver can interrupt their daily rest (minimum 11 hours) for two periods of up to 1 hour for loading/unloading.

During this time, the driver must stay in a cabin or sleeping area.

If there is no sleeping area, the rest does not count.

How to record a crossing in the tachograph?

In digital tachographs, there is a special function called “FERRY MODE” 🚢:

• It is activated before boarding.
• It allows registering the interruption of rest.

🚨 Important:
The driver must keep the ferry or train ticket as proof!

Example of time accounting on a ferry:

• You board the ferry at 20:00 and go to sleep.
• At 01:00, you are woken up to move the truck. Rest is interrupted (slept for 5 hours) – break for 30 minutes.
• At 06:00, you are woken up again to disembark from the ferry. (Slept for 4.5 hours) – break for 30 minutes.

The total rest time was 9.5 hours with interruptions. A full rest requires 1.5 more hours. Therefore, the rest will not be counted as complete. To fix this, you need to take an additional break of at least 1.5 hours.

If your rest was complete, you can continue driving after disembarking from the ferry.

If the ferry has no cabins or sleeping places, this rest does not count. After disembarking, you must take an 11-hour rest break.

When are ⚒️ “Hammers” set?

• Preparing the vehicle before departure
• Helping with loading or unloading the truck
• Securing the cargo, opening or closing the curtain
• Refueling fuel and AdBlue
• Repairing or performing technical maintenance

This mode is manually set on the tachograph by the driver.

When is the “Envelope” 📩 mode set?

• Waiting for loading/unloading
• Document processing
• Tasks not related to rest but not requiring driving

Shift Closure

Closing the shift is done quickly in two steps:

1. Stop at a parking lot and turn off the ignition – the tachograph will automatically switch to the “bed” mode 🛏. If the engine is not turned off, manually set the pause mode 🛏.
2. Select the country where the shift is ending, meaning the country you are currently in, and confirm the selection.

❗ Attention! The shift is closed not by selecting the country but by setting the pause mode. Ensure that the tachograph shows the “bed” mode 🛏.

If you close the shift in Spain, you must select not only the country but also the province. There are usually maps in the truck to check which province you are in, or you can use Google Maps.

Need a parking spot? Check here!

Information:

According to new regulations, when crossing a border, you must stop at the nearest parking lot and register the border crossing in the tachograph.

How to do it?

1. Enter the “Tacho” menu.
2. Select “Driver 1”.
3. Then “Start Country”.
4. Choose the country you have entered (or the country code).

By August 19, 2025, all SMART 1 tachographs must be replaced with SMART 2.
SMART 1 tachographs have been installed since June 15, 2019.

All new trucks registered from August 21, 2023, will be equipped with second-generation SMART 2 tachographs.

The SMART 2 tachograph will automatically register border crossings.

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