Tachographs for minibuses

From April 11, 2007 new government legislation will require businesses, schools, charities and other organisations operating minibuses with 10-17 seats on a commercial basis to fit tachograph equipment to their minibuses to monitor the amount of time drivers’ spend behind the wheel.

This new legislation will parallel existing rules which currently impose the use of tachograph recording equipment for use within minibuses driven in mainland Europe.

Volunteers and Employees under section 19 & 22 permits

The original purpose behind the introduction of digital tachographs was to improve the monitoring of time spent behind the wheel and rest breaks, to improve road safety, and to ensure fair competition and harmonisation across Europe.

However, the CTA (Community Transport Association) successfully petitioned the Department of Transport to allow an exemption for all volunteer and employee drivers of minibuses operated under section 19 and 22 permits.

The main argument behind this petition was one of cost to section 19 and 22 minibus operators for the fitting of tachograph equipment. Therefore, because of this exemption volunteer and employee driving time spent behind the wheel and rest breaks cannot be as equally monitored or improved road safety as equally assured.

Does your minibus need a new digital tachograph?

To find out please see Annex C on page 39 of second edition (revised December 2006) of the Drivers' Hours and Tachograph Rules for Road Passenger Vehicles in the UK and Europe (PSV 375)  342kb (opens new window). Also see New Drivers’ hours regulations (EC 561/2006)

Vehicles which were not originally required to be fitted with tachographs, but now required as of 11 April 2007, will have until 31 December 2007 to ensure vehicles are fitted. A vehicle first registered before 1 May 2006 may be fitted with either an analogue or a digital tachograph. A vehicle first registered on or after 1 May 2006 must only be fitted with a digital tachograph.

In the meantime, between 11 April 2007 and the date a tachograph is fitted, drivers must, in the case of passenger vehicles, keep an extract of the duty roster and service timetable, or if not available keep manual records with a driver log book.

What is a digital tachograph?

Tachographs have been in use on coaches and lorries within the UK and mainland Europe for many years and until recently analogue tachograph equipment resembled the appearance of a large speedometer with a few extra buttons placed within the dashboard of the vehicle. The purpose of the tachograph unit was to record an individual drivers’ driving activity, including the amount of time spent behind the wheel, distance travelled and the speed of the vehicle whilst it was in use.

All this information was recorded on to a disc or chart which was placed in to the unit at the start of the day by the driver and could record any driving activity within any 24 hour period per disc.

Today the old analogue system has now been replaced by a new digital tachograph unit similar in size to a car radio (see above). The discs or charts have now been replaced by a driver’s card similar in size to a credit card which can store driving activities for up to 28 days at a time.

How it will affect you as a minibus driver or operator

Depending on the Government’s interpretation of new European Parliament legislation on the recording of drivers’ hours, non-commercial minibus operators may also have to fit tachographs to vehicles.

However, what remains unclear at this stage is whether the Government will apply the same rules to minibuses with 10-17 seats operated exclusively on a non-commercial basis. If the Government finally decides to include these organisations that were previously exempt from recording drivers’ hours, in all cases, it will be the responsibility of the operator and the driver to familiarise and comply with these new rules.

These changes and final Government interpretations are expected to be announced on April 11, 2007 - operators will then have until December 31, 2007 to fit new digital tachograph equipment to their minibuses.

How does it work?

The new digital tachograph unit operates by use of a driver’s card (see below) which is inserted into the driver card slot located in the front of each unit. Each driver has his or her own individual card and should be used and kept with the driver at all times when undertaking any driving activity with a vehicle equipped with a tachograph unit. Driver’s cards are available from the DVLA at a cost of £38 each and will last for a period of 5 years.

The tachograph unit will then record time spent behind the wheel, distance traveled and the speed of the vehicle whilst it was in use on the driver’s individual card as long as the card remains inserted. The unit and information can also be accessed by the police and VOSA to monitor and ensure compliance with driver’s hours regulations.

At the end of the driving day all driving data can be collectively downloaded and stored along with all other driver information for all minibuses driven and owned by an operator via a “base unit” owned by the organisation.

How to use the new digital tachograph?

Digital tachograph equipment and drivers cards are still both relatively new and have only been in operation within new coaches and lorries over the past year. Therefore, when the Government are expected to announce the interpretation of this new legislation in April 2007, It is strongly advised that all drivers and minibus owners who fall within the scope to familiarise themselves and comply with these new rules.