Confused about drivers' hours compliance?
Posted by AndrewT on 20th May 2022
What are drivers' hours rules and regulations? What is the difference between EU drivers' hours (which apply in the UK) and GB domestic drivers' hours?
You can get the full picture in our easy to und
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How do you know if a new job will cause a drivers’ hours infringement?
Posted by AndrewT on 25th Apr 2022
A customer asked me recently if there was a tool from Descartes that allows them to pre-empt any potential drivers’ hours issues when they look to take on a new job. It appears they may have turned wo
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Falling asleep at the wheel
Posted by AndrewT on 26th Nov 2021
Shocking footage of a driver falling asleep at the wheel of a HGV travelling on the M5 in November was recently posted on YouTube. Driver fatigue is a common factor in incidents involving HGV's and w
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Relaxation of enforcement of drivers’ hours extended again
Posted by AndrewT on 12th Oct 2021
The temporary relaxation of the enforcement of HGV drivers’ hours has been extended further as driver shortages continue to impact all sectors.
The Department for Transport has extended the relaxat
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Short of drivers? Your business can still deliver
Posted by AndrewT on 17th Sep 2021
Are driver shortages impacting your business? With driver shortages, empty supermarket shelves, delivery delays and waste / recycling collections being extended it seems every sector is being affecte
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Discover what's new in SmartAnalysis and get 14 months for the price of 12
Posted by AndrewT on 27th Jul 2021
SmartAnalysis is probably the longest established tachograph analysis and reporting Software as a Service solution on the market. It serves thousands of operators of all sizes.
“Descartes’ SmartAnalys
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Is this the worst case of breaching drivers’ hours rules?
Posted by AndrewT on 16th Oct 2020
A Glasgow operator has been disqualified and had his licence revoked after a traffic commissioner heard about “the worst case of breaching the drivers’ hours rules” he’d ever seen.
Scotland’s deputy
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Tachograph Roadside checks on the rise - Act now
Posted by AndrewT on 15th Jun 2020
There have been reports recently that the DVSA is ramping up their roadside checks. With this increased enforcement activity operators should ensure that their management of drivers’ hours and tachogr
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Maintain a compliant and safe road transport operation with COVID-19 restrictions
Posted by AndrewT on 17th Apr 2020
As a road transport operator, the current situation with COVID-19 and restrictions with social distancing present significant challenges. Some operators will be experiencing a slowdown in business whi
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Traffic Commissioners highlight the importance of managing your drivers
Posted by AndrewT on 14th Feb 2020
In their most recent Annual Report, the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain highlighted the importance of managing professional drivers. This includes regularly examining a driver’s licence, ensur
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Have your say on drivers' hours rules
Posted by AndrewT on 3rd Jan 2020
The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) work to keep our roads safe for all users with a particular focus on HGV, bus and coach drivers. Tachograph and drivers' hours infringements are usuall
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Licence revoked for failure to record drivers’ hours
Posted by AndrewT on 2nd Jan 2020
An operator with 10 heavy goods vehicles had its licence revoked due to “an almost wholesale abrogation” of its responsibilities to ensure drivers hours and tachograph rules were observed.
The operat
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1 in 5 drivers exceed drivers' hours limits
Posted by AndrewT on 6th Dec 2019
A recent article in Commercial Fleet reported that according to research carried out by a Fleet Management Software supplier that 22% of commercial drivers in the UK are failing to take appropriate re
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Is it time to regulate 3.5t vans with tachographs?
Posted by AndrewT on 6th Dec 2019
With over 4.3 million licensed 3.5t vans compared to around 600,000 licensed HGV’s on our roads is it time for van drivers to be regulated in the same way as Large Goods Vehicles and Passenger Carryin
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What are the top 5 prosecuted offences for HGV operators?
Posted by AndrewT on 29th May 2019
Statistics published by the DVSA (Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency) for FY 2017-18 shows that drivers’ hours and tachograph records offences are still the most common offences for prosecution of
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Are bus drivers working unsafe hours and putting the public at risk?
Posted by AndrewT on 21st Feb 2019
Matt Western, Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington writing in The House - Parliaments Magazine, presents his case to bring drivers’ hours for local routes in line with a long-distance bus and HGV driv
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Drivers’ hours law and tachographs post Brexit
Posted by AndrewT on 19th Oct 2018
With the UK leaving the EU at the end of March 2019 now only 5 months away, many operators are asking what this means for drivers’ hours law and tachograph legislation as it applies throughout the EU.
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Earned Recognition “the gold standard”
Posted by AndrewT on 15th Aug 2018
Earned Recognition was launched by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) as business as usual at the CV Show in April. Since then over 50 organisations have achieved the Earned Recognition st
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Are tachographs coming to vans to manage drivers’ hours?
Posted by AndrewT on 10th May 2018
In an attempt to regulate drivers’ hours of smaller commercial vehicles, proposals from members of the European Parliament’s transport committee would like to see all vans have a tachograph fitted by
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1 in 20 drivers stopped have breached drivers’ hours law
Posted by AndrewT on 20th Apr 2018
The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) reported that more than 1 in 20 of goods vehicle and bus drivers stopped in the past 12 months had breached drivers’ hours regulations.
In 2016/17, th
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On-the-spot fines for historic drivers' hours offences start on 5th March 2018.
Posted by AndrewT on 27th Feb 2018
As of Monday 5 March 2018 the DVSA will start issuing on-the-spot fines for historic drivers’ hours offences committed in the previous 28 days.
In a single roadside check, DVSA traffic examiners will
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Is it time to close volumetric drivers’ hours loophole?
Posted by AndrewT on 19th Dec 2017
The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has called for action to regulate volumetric concrete mixers - some of the largest vehicles on the roads.
Volumetric concrete mixers operate with no effective w
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Importing Tachograph Fraud
Posted by Robin Layfield on 25th Sep 2017
The BBC reported on an increase in tachograph tampering in the UK roads with over 440 HGVs crossing into the UK last year with manipulated tachographs.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)
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Driving tired is 'worse than being on drugs'
Posted by Robin Layfield on 31st Aug 2017
According to recent research, driving in state of fatigue has contributed to more road accidents in Great Britain than those impaired by taking drugs.
The study found 20% of road accidents on major r
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Jailed for using gadget to hide drivers’ hours
Posted by AndrewT on 1st Jun 2017
Judge James Sampson reinforced the fact that 'tired drivers kill' as he jailed a HGV driver for using a gadget that allowed him to exceed legal drivers’ hours.
The driver pleaded guilty to having a d
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Suspended for drivers’ hours breaches
Posted by AndrewT on 18th Apr 2017
The owner of a skip hire firm was suspended from driving HGVs for breaching drivers' hours regulations after driving for more than four-and-a-half hours without a break. A driver must take a break or
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DfT simplifies drivers' hours and working time advice
Posted by AndrewT on 30th Mar 2017
The DfT has attempted to improve its guidance on EU drivers’ hours and working time by simplifying the advice. The new and updated guidance is available on the DfT website in a 23 page document. It wa
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Drivers’ hours and tachograph offences are still No 1 for HGV Operators
Posted by AndrewT on 18th Jan 2017
Statistics published by the DVSA (Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency) for FY 2015-16 shows that drivers’ hours and tachograph records offences are still the most common offences for HGV Operators a
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No excuse for concealing excessive driving hours
Posted by AndrewT on 1st Dec 2016
The Traffic Commissioners Office has called on operators and transport managers to be extra vigilant over drivers using more than one card to hide excessive drivers’ hours.
The London and South East
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25% of motorists admit to driving while tired
Posted by AndrewT on 25th Nov 2016
According to resent research conducted to coincide with Road Safety Week almost one in four drivers admit to driving while tired with men more prone to do so than women.
The research looked at distra
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