How on earth do I learn how to use a tacho properly? So I lost my job today because of infringements for not taking

[Doyll672]

So I lost my job today because of infringements for not taking my breaks for long enough. Thing is I know I have had my breaks. 1x15min (18min) within 4 hours of shift and another 30mins (33min) when my driving time gets to about 3.5 hours I switch it to “bed” so I know the tacho is working right.

It’s my first class 2 job driving using a tacho. I’m absolutely gutted. All my manager said was I should know how to use a tacho when I did my test, which is absolutely wrong because it isn’t something you get taught.

How on earth do I learn how to use a tacho properly?

I can drive a truck no problem. Just computer says no.

[1260-liamo]

Youtube mate, try adding 1 minute on breaks throughout the day e.g 16 min break and 31 min break

[Doyll672]

Youtube mate, try adding 1 minute on breaks throughout the day e.g 16 min break and 31 min break

yeah I did that from the beginning 18 mins and 33 mins

[1260-liamo]

Youtube mate, try adding 1 minute on breaks throughout the day e.g 16 min break and 31 min break

yeah I did that from the beginning 18 mins and 33 mins

How many infringements was you getting, did they tell you?

[1260-liamo]

Youtube mate, try adding 1 minute on breaks throughout the day e.g 16 min break and 31 min break

yeah I did that from the beginning 18 mins and 33 mins

And I am surprised they didn't offer you extra training, how long was you there for?

[Doyll672]

Youtube mate, try adding 1 minute on breaks throughout the day e.g 16 min break and 31 min break

yeah I did that from the beginning 18 mins and 33 mins

How many infringements was you getting, did they tell you?

I was there exactly 1 month. The extra training was in the form of several people telling me various things.

[Doyll672]

Youtube mate, try adding 1 minute on breaks throughout the day e.g 16 min break and 31 min break

yeah I did that from the beginning 18 mins and 33 mins

And I am surprised they didn't offer you extra training, how long was you there for?

When I asked about manual entries I was told that my transport manager would sort all the out

[1260-liamo]

yeah I did that from the beginning 18 mins and 33 mins

How many infringements was you getting, did they tell you?

I was there exactly 1 month. The extra training was in the form of several people telling me various things.

Bad drills that mate to be honest, they should have a competent person guiding you, no good when you hear all different ways to do it.

[1260-liamo]

yeah I did that from the beginning 18 mins and 33 mins

And I am surprised they didn't offer you extra training, how long was you there for?

When I asked about manual entries I was told that my transport manager would sort all the out

Have you got another job lined up? If so let them know you would like some extra training around tachos

[Doyll672]

And I am surprised they didn't offer you extra training, how long was you there for?

When I asked about manual entries I was told that my transport manager would sort all the out

Have you got another job lined up? If so let them know you would like some extra training around tachos

no job lined up I’m afraid. My confidence has taken a hit tbh

[1260-liamo]

When I asked about manual entries I was told that my transport manager would sort all the out

Have you got another job lined up? If so let them know you would like some extra training around tachos

no job lined up I’m afraid. My confidence has taken a hit tbh

Wouldn't worry about it mate, everyone does exactly the same thing, just takes a little time. Chin up pal

[HARVECT]

Did he not explain how you went wrong?

[HARVECT]

That does seem particularly harsh, most places would help you.

[vigustDAS]

Best I can say about tacho is you need to factor in working time as well 15 min break covers 3-6 hours working time and need another 15 mins for 6-9 and 15 for 9-12hours also you cannot work for 6 hours without a break

[vigustDAS]

and your 6 hour slot resets when your break finishes working time might be where you have messed up it's real confusing keeping to both directives sometimes

[Abott1raph]

Probably your 6 hour working rule.

[1261.offdyne]

Probably your 6 hour working rule.

yeah, I was thinking that.

[Abott1raph]

Probably your 6 hour working rule.

yeah, I was thinking that.

very easily done to start with

[1261.offdyne]

Probably your 6 hour working rule.

yeah, I was thinking that.

very easily done to start with

it caught me out a few times in the past. To be sacked for that reason makes you think. My place wouldn’t unless there was other problems.

[Abott1raph]

yeah, I was thinking that.

very easily done to start with

it caught me out a few times in the past. To be sacked for that reason makes you think. My place wouldn’t unless there was other problems.

they would of normally got you in the office for a chat first. Which company was it

[Doyll672]

Probably your 6 hour working rule.

from starting my shift I would have a timer set for 4.5 hours to which I would take my 15min break which would cover my first driving break too.

[Doyll672]

Probably your 6 hour working rule.

Then as my driving time got to 3.5 hours I would take another 30min break to reset everything

[Kacis8mo]

Probably your 6 hour working rule.

Then as my driving time got to 3.5 hours I would take another 30min break to reset everything

would you drive for 4.5 hrs then take a 15min break

[1261.offdyne]

Stupid question but you’re not driving off before the 15 minutes is up or anything? I always go when timer reads 28 just to be sure.

[1261.offdyne]

Sorry you’ve lost your job, did your company not try to figure out what was going on and try to coach you before firing you?!!?

[1261.offdyne]

As below, I bet it’s your WTD that’s catching you out and not your driving hours.

[Doyll672]

As below, I bet it’s your WTD that’s catching you out and not your driving hours.

you’d be right there but I’ve done everything I’m supposed to to avoid this

[stuppDays]

Seems more to this perhaps..

[Doyll672]

Seems more to this perhaps..

nope nothing more, if there was I’d understand. Only been there 1 months

[stuppDays]

Seems more to this perhaps..

nope nothing more, if there was I’d understand. Only been there 1 months

can do what they like when doing your probation.. learn from it and move on

[Tagg9izer]

That’s quite poor of them tbh mate, if we get infringements the company asks us if we need any extra training to avoid it happening again.

[1262_poulls]

As a hgv trainer myself, the tacho is a large part of driving in the industry and the Dvsa don’t push for any mandatory training for this which is so wrong on many levels.

[1262_poulls]

With having breaks some people will look at the time and just add the 15,30 or 45 mins they are taking but you would already be into the first minute on the time, so always add a few minutes to each break to insure it’s been taken.

[1262_poulls]

Or on many tacho units,
Pressing down will show you your total and current break times.
This may of been the issue?

[Doyll672]

Or on many tacho units,
Pressing down will show you your total and current break times.
This may of been the issue?

I always checked using the down button to make sure the breaks totaled up right before setting off. So much so that I wouldn’t even turn the key on before the full break had elapsed

[M0dexton]

I'd name and shame

[whittGnome]

Wow, lovely company. No explanation as to what you'd actually done?

[whittGnome]

Have you got or can you go back in time on your head unit to the day it happened and get a printout for us and we can look into what actually happened. Then you'll at least know what you've done

[SammGOD]

What company was it?

[SammGOD]

Some companies offer training, if I was you just keep going for other jobs as there is a mix of great and not so great companies out there, you just to go find the right one. It happened to me trust me mate keep your head up keep looking. If really worries you can do online classes or buy trucking books what explain everything

[Doyll672]

What company was it?

a well known blue and yellow hire company is all I’ll say.
Working there was great, no issues with that or any of the people either. The whole tacho thing has just totally knocked my confidence in even finding another role. Maybe some dreams aren’t worth chasing

[SammGOD]

What company was it?

a well known blue and yellow hire company is all I’ll say.
Working there was great, no issues with that or any of the people either. The whole tacho thing has just totally knocked my confidence in even finding another role. Maybe some dreams aren’t worth chasing

honestly mate taco hours is hard to learn it don’t come along straight away I personally think the bloke that cut you loose was unfair but they might be on the red list for infringements etc what can make the traffic commission shut them down if there not careful so might be the case they are just covering them selfs,

[SammGOD]

What company was it?

a well known blue and yellow hire company is all I’ll say.
Working there was great, no issues with that or any of the people either. The whole tacho thing has just totally knocked my confidence in even finding another role. Maybe some dreams aren’t worth chasing

keep looking mate, first company I started with used and abused me I didn’t even know how to use a taco machine, hardly any training I received I left after 3 months as couldn’t handle it but I found a good firm now so there are out there mate

[alix_royal]

It’s crazy that you’re expected to know how to work a tacho without being shown, it really should be part of the course.

[Diplo1229]

Sounds poor but at the same time you don't wanna work for a company that does this. For future reference always take a few minutes longer on your breaks. Better to be longer than cut it short.

[rec+ineed]

15 minutes within first 6 hours of work plus 30 minutes between 6-9 hours of work. That covers your 45 minutes for 4.5 hours driving.

[Doyll672]

15 minutes within first 6 hours of work plus 30 minutes between 6-9 hours of work. That covers your 45 minutes for 4.5 hours driving.

this is exactly what I had been doing

[rec+ineed]

15 minutes within first 6 hours of work plus 30 minutes between 6-9 hours of work. That covers your 45 minutes for 4.5 hours driving.

this is exactly what I had been doing

I had that struggle too I’m afraid. I’ve learned that it’s better to take 15 as late as possible because if you take it early you’re risking infringement. I’m still a bit confused but I figured out the way that works

[rec+ineed]

15 minutes within first 6 hours of work plus 30 minutes between 6-9 hours of work. That covers your 45 minutes for 4.5 hours driving.

this is exactly what I had been doing

For example. I started at 4:30 and I thought that early break (at 6am) will cover me until 10:30 and then I just had to take 30 before 13:30 but clearly tacho had a different opinion Apparently I was working without a valid break from 6am to 1pm That’s because I’ve done 7 continuous hours without break.

[rec+ineed]

15 minutes within first 6 hours of work plus 30 minutes between 6-9 hours of work. That covers your 45 minutes for 4.5 hours driving.

this is exactly what I had been doing

Now if I start at 5 I’m taking my 15 just before 11am and 30 before 2pm and that covers my day including driving time.

[will9rgya]

If that company ain’t gonna invest in you to correct your mistakes or investigate why it’s happening then better to move on

[JhonNextho]

If your 30 was taken more than 6 hours after your 15 ended you will get an infringement

[quinn0rbie]

If your 30 was taken more than 6 hours after your 15 ended you will get an infringement

more than 9 hours after you started your shift not 6 hours after your 15 ended
You could start your shift at 6am and finish your 15 minute at 12:14 leaving you with 2 hour 45 left until you need a 30 (unless you drive more than 4.5 hours)

[quinn0rbie]

If your 30 was taken more than 6 hours after your 15 ended you will get an infringement

It’s confusing as anything especially when you first start.
The companies teaching you only teach you how to pass the test not how to actually do the job.

[JhonNextho]

If your 30 was taken more than 6 hours after your 15 ended you will get an infringement

It’s confusing as anything especially when you first start.
The companies teaching you only teach you how to pass the test not how to actually do the job.

no you don't. You can't work more than 6 hours without a break. In your example you wouldn't need another break until 1814. I've been driving HGVs for ten years, you're the one that's confused I'm afraid.

[PmeterZan]

This is a must and great advise

[1230-kowell]

Have they warned you about your infringements prior to being sacked? Every company I've worked for have tried to help with them.

[Doyll672]

Have they warned you about your infringements prior to being sacked? Every company I've worked for have tried to help with them.

I only had 1 previous warning which was because I didn’t understand the WTD properly. So we worked it out that within 5 hours (to be safe) I would stop and have a break for 15 mins (18 to be safe)

[costiHolly]

Driver cpc chap

[Ritosh1bb]

I can't believe they didn't help you my company did when I first came them but if you work for agency they tend to not care but I always do 30mins before my 6 hours (wtd) then I take another 30 mins when I'm getting close to my 4hrs 30mins easy way to remember I hope this helps

[1231.ddexo]

You might be going over 6 hours before you hit the 3.5 hours drive mark where you take another 30 min break. But because its been more than 6hours after you have had 1st 15 min break, it causes you to give infringement on WTD. you can't work 6 hours without a break.

[Borg8dame]

If you doing multidrop then I would say take 30 minutes every 4 hours of your work mate that will give you enough brake for all day.

[harKKamech]

Loads of vids on YouTube, when you do your breaks always make sure you let an extra minute pass as some tachos don't always register your break is done, and note down in a diary start finish times of your break, end of shift print out your day.

[Green9ndie]

It's clear they didn't want to keep you on (for whatever reason). Bast*rds.

[Green9ndie]

Glad I never learned. I was going to to through the rigmarole to get my license but, it's just cost after cost, then companies not want to hire u coz no experience... LOFL

[1232_thang]

Sorry to hear this mate. Any employer worth staying with will always invest in their employees. They will look at employees as an asset not a number. Keep grinding mate there will be a company out that will look after you.

[Lest0royel]

It’s so hard when you start. You don’t use a card in the learning truck and you a chucked in the deep end and expected to know the ins and outs. I have these to refer to.

[Lest0royel]

,,,,,,

[Lest0royel]

,,,,,

[Lest0royel]

,,,,,

[macMickos]

Sounds like they were just using that tacho infringement as an excuse to get get you out

[Hurlee-Jan]

Sounds more like your face didn’t fit with them best off out of there

[vanvan1216]

Go and do a cpc course on tacho. That will help you out

[BOWMAXAS]

Look for hgv sweeper job ,no need tacho and you can drive and make good money

[paukPars]

If they treat you like that did you want to work for them