From 2 March 2015 a new European regulation – EU 165/2014 (PDF 2 MB) – will replace EEC 3821/85, setting out requirements for the construction, installation, use, testing and control of tachograph recording equipment. As a result some vehicles will not have to be fitted with a tachograph and their drivers will not have to comply with EC drivers’ hour rules, but will have to comply with GB drivers’ hours rules instead. The new regulation increases the journey distance for exemptions from 50km to 100km from the operator’s base. This will apply to:

• Vehicles or vehicle and trailer combinations with a maximum weight of 7,500 kg which are used to carry materials, equipment or machinery for the driver’s use in the course of his work and when driving the vehicle is not the driver’s main activity or used to carry goods and which are propelled by natural or liquefied gas or electricity.
• Vehicles used to carry live animals from farms to local markets, or from markets to local farms or slaughterhouses.

From 2 March 2015, drivers of these vehicles will need to meet GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, however the vehicles will no longer have to be fitted with a tachograph and the drivers will not have to comply with EC drivers’ hour rules. If you already have a tachograph fitted in a vehicle impacted by the above changes it makes sense to continue to use it with Smartanalysis to ensure compliance with GB domestic drivers’ hours rules. Download and read the new rules from www.gov.uk