The Digital Tachograph – Some Questions Answered

When Will The Digital Tachograph Be Introduced?
August, 2004, is the current date from which new vehicles will have Digital Tachographs fitted.

Will Digital Tachographs Have To Be Fitted To Existing Vehicles?
No. The new legislation does not require the mandatory replacement of a conventional tachograph with a Digital Tachograph.

The Current Conventional Tachograph Breaks Down – Must It Be Replaced With A Digital Tachograph?
This is dependant on the age of the vehicle:

• if the vehicle was registered before 1st January 1996, the original conventional tachograph can be replaced with another conventional tachograph
• if the vehicle was registered on, or after, 1st January 1996, a Digital Tachograph must be used to replace the original conventional tachograph

A ‘Driver Card’ (Smart Card) Not A Tachograph Chart?
In the new Digital Tachograph, the current paper chart is replaced with an electronic ‘smart card’. This smart card or ‘Driver Card’ is a plastic card similar to a credit card in size and shape. It records activity and other details, similar to those now recorded on a conventional tachograph chart.

The Driver Card Gets Lost – What Needs To Be Done?
Loss of a Driver Card is serious. Driver Cards can only be obtained from a special “Issuing Authority”. If the Driver Card gets lost, another application needs to be made to the Issuing Authority, who would issue the replacement Driver Card.

The Driver Card Stops Working Or Gets Damaged – What Happens Then?
Continue to work normally, though record activity details manually. Then apply to the Issuing Authority for a new Driver Card.

How Can ‘Driver Cards’ Be Obtained?
Driver Cards will need to be obtained from DVLA, the “Issuing Authority”. There will be a charge for the Driver Cards. Anyone who is going to drive a vehicle will need a Driver Card. This would include, for example, a fitter who only takes a vehicle out occasionally.

What Records Need To Be Kept If Driving With A Conventional Tachograph Then A Digital Tachograph?
Tachograph charts must be kept for each day a vehicle is used that has a conventional tachograph. When a vehicle with a Digital Tachograph is used, it is currently envisaged a print out will need to be taken from the Digital Tachograph at the end of the day and stored safely.

The Driver Card – Are There Any Benefits For The Driver?
The new system is totally electronic. There will be no need to manually complete the centre field on a tachograph chart. If using a Digital Tachograph all the time, there will be no need to use tachograph charts whatsoever. The Digital Tachograph will also give warnings when breaks need to be taken and, by pressing buttons on the face of the instrument, give details about driving, duty and break times etc.

The Digital Tachograph – Are There Any Benefits For The Operator?
As the system is totally electronic, details about the driver and the vehicle can be available virtually instantaneously. This can help driver and vehicle schedule planning on a daily basis. Over a period of time, these details can be used for long term planning of driver workloads and vehicle utilisation.

How Can The Driver And The Operator Analyse Driver Cards And Digital Tachograph Details?
Driver Cards can be analysed using a special Driver Card reader. The Nemesis™ Driver Card reader will be obtained from TAC. The Digital Tachograph details can be analysed using a personal computer which is operating the specially designed Nemesis™ Digital Tachograph Fleet Management analysis software.

Want To Know More?
There are training courses, information sheets and the Nemesis™ range of Driver Card and Digital Tachograph analysis equipment and software. Please ask for more details (telephone helpline : 0151 709 4704; switchboard 0151 708 0123).