August 2020 Regulation (EU 2020/0154 came into effect. It detailed how drivers should record their daily activities, duties and rest with significant changes to the previous days and weeks. The result of the new regulation leaves us with one of the most substantial changes to drivers’ hours record keeping since the introduction of the digital tachograph, with drivers required to record much more than previously expected.

Despite being in effect for close to two years many organisations are still unaware of the new obligations on drivers’ hours leaving them vulnerable to compliance checks and audits by the DVSA.

What are the changes to drivers’ hours?

Previously, drivers were not required to record other work that was outside of the EU regulations, unless this work was during the same recording period of the tachograph day. The necessity for the driver was to record this other work going back to the last daily or weekly rest period.

With the new amended regulation the words “since the last daily or weekly rest period” have been omitted with the DVSA interpreting this to mean all out-of-scope activities have to be recorded, regardless of when or where they happened.

Furthermore, the tachograph and drivers’ hours guidance for operators of large passenger vehicles (buses and coaches) was changed to state that recorded rest needed to include annual rest and sick leave alongside daily and weekly rest periods.

Organisations must now record and keep tachograph records of:

• Driving
• Other work – including non-transport work
• Availability
• Breaks and rest periods
• Annual or sick leave.

With any records from a tachograph it is crucial that they’re accurate and analysed to review any discrepancies. With Descartes SmartAnalysis, the UK’s favourite tachograph analysis software you can focus on your drivers whilst SmartAnalysis crunches the numbers!

To read in more detail about the drivers rule changes of August 2020 click here.