The recent case of Brian Yeardley Continental’s successful defence of a “whistleblowing” case brought by a disgruntled ex-employee highlights the importance of having your tachograph and drivers’ hours data at your fingertips. 

The ex-employee claimed the company encouraged tachograph fraud by asking him to work illegally by not inserting his driver card. The international haulage company was able to prove that the allegations made were completely false and the case was dismissed after the company produced driver management reports, driver card downloads and working time reports that proved no such events had taken place. 

Many companies in a similar situation may have been tempted to settle out of court. The cost to defend a case like this are likely to be higher than an out of court settlement.  But for Brian Yeardley Continental this was about establishing the truth. Regularly downloading your driver card and vehicle unit data to a tachograph analysis and compliance management solution is essential. It will give you all the evidence you need to prove you are meeting your obligations to drivers' hours and working time legislation at the click of a button should you ever need it.

Yeardley MD Kevin Hoppern sums it up very well  “It was never about the money, it was always about the truth and clearing the good name of Brian Yeardley Continental and proving through our systems that we police EU driving regulations and working time and work to the letter of the law”