Digital Tachographs June 2006 CTAIS / CTA NI Advice Session

Legislation Regulation (EC) no. 5621/2006 on "the Harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport and amending Council Regulations (EEC) no. 3821/85 and (EC) no. 2135/98 and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) no. 3820/85" was published on 11th April 2006 in the Official Journal of the European Union. According to Article 27 of Regulation (EC) no. 561/2006 the introduction of digital tachographs will be mandatory in vehicles put into service for the first time in the European Union as from 1st May 2006, namely 20 days after its publication.

Front view of the Stoneridge digital tachograph

What is a Digital Tachograph A digital tachograph is an electronic system for recording driving and rest times for drivers and co-drivers of large goods and passenger vehicles. The digital tachograph records the vehicle speed, distance travelled and other system- related parameters. Data is stored in a memory (mass memory) inside the unit and on driver-specific smart cards (driver cards).

What is a Digital Tachograph (2) The digital tachograph systems will replace existing traditional analogue tachographs using paper charts.

Vehicles fitted with traditional analogue tachographs There is no general obligation to convert existing vehicles. If replacing the tachograph on a vehicle first registered after 1/1/96 a digital tachograph must be fitted. Individual parts of the traditional analogue tachograph can be replaced without the requirement of converting to a digital tachograph.

Digital Tachograph Access Cards 4 different tachograph smart (with memory) cards Drivers card – to record drivers personal driving/rest times. Company card – used by fleets as authorisation to access the data stored in the mass memory. Workshop card – used by authorised workshops to calibrate, check and set the “digital tachograph”. Control card – enables the control authorities to monitor and observe the relevant guidelines for road and operating checks.

Drivers Card

Drivers Card (2) Information to Identify driver uniquely. Activity data stored for last 28 working days. Identification of vehicles used. Activities (driving, working, active and rest times). Crew status (1 or 2 driver operation). Date/time of driver card insertion & withdrawal. Area in which working day began and ended. Total distance. Identity of control official, date/time of last check. Tachograph events and errors.

Driver Card (3) The driver card will be issued on application by the relevant authorities in each EU member state. DVLNI for NI drivers. DoT Road Haulage Division for ROI drivers. DVLA for GB drivers. Quicker to have a credit card style driver’s licence before issue of drivers card (identity checks).

Drivers Card (4) Must have received a drivers card before driving a vehicle with a digital tachograph. The driver’s card is valid for 5 years, then must be replaced. UK cost£38.00 ROI cost€50.00 The authorities in the member state must ensure that a driver is the holder of only one valid driver card. Check via TachoNet in Brussels.

Drivers Card (5) Display warns driver. 15 minutes before a break is due. After button press. Moving. Total driving time since last 45 min break. Amount of valid break time. Stationary. Total driving time since last 45 min break. Amount of valid break time. Driving time over last 2 weeks. Time of current activity. Recorded activities can be displayed and printed out.

Driver’s Card – Lost, Stolen or Malfunctions Driver must apply for replacement card within 7 days of card being unavailable for use. Issuing authority must issue replacement within 5 working days. Meanwhile driver must. Print data on his driving & rest time at end of journey. Add personal details. Sign the printout. Forbidden to drive a vehicle with a digital tachograph for more than 15 day without a valid card (some restricted circumstances).

Vehicle Unit Last 28 working days activities are stored on the drivers card (with average use). Last 365 days activities are stored in the mass memory (with average use). Earlier data is lost if not backed up. Vehicle unit stores vehicle speed history. Last 24 hours driving (second by second speed trace). For 28 days, time intervals vehicle moved in preset speed ranges. Driving “Out of Scope” recorded by changing digitac setting.

Driver print-outs A print out must be made with mixed operations, i.e. alternately using vehicles with traditional analogue (paper chart tachographs) and digital tachographs when the drivers changes vehicle. A print out must be made and signed at the end of the journey when driving without a driver card, e.g. because of loss, theft or fault.

Drivers Card Print-out

Company Card

Company Card (2) Company related data in the mass memory of the DTCO may only be downloaded in the fleet using an authorised key, the so called company card. This will be necessary to be used by hire companies and after resale so prevent later users from accessing previous users information. Data needs to be stored on a secure computer. Company Card valid for 5 years. UK cost£38.00 ROI cost€50.00

Downloading Tachograph Data

Control Card

Control Card (2) The control card enables the control official to access all data that is stored in the mass memory of the “digital tachograph”. Essential parameter for the last 230 controls activities are stored. Date, time, length, identification of the checked vehicle, card number of the checked driver card. It is not planned to store mass memory or driver card data on the control card. All “digital tachographs” can be checked with the control card

Workshop Card

Workshop Card (2) Used by approved authorised workshops to carry out checking and calibration of “digital tachograph”. The workshop card is only available to these approved authorised calibration workshops. Approved in NI by VOSA. Approved in ROI by NSAI. Releases testing and programming interface for digital tachographs, stores calibration data and is used for the test drive.

Workshop Card (3) Data stored on the workshop card. Identifying data. Workshop information, card number, issuing authority, validity. Data on the test drive. Vehicle used, driver activities, events & errors. Calibration data from 88 tachograph tests, date of calibration, vehicle data, DTCO identification, adjustment factors. The data memory is operated on a rolling system. Latest data automatically overwrites oldest stored data.

Workshop Card (4) Essential data fro the last 88 test are stored on workshop card. Initial calibration must include the vehicle registration number (VRN) so the calibration has to be done at the pre delivery inspection (PDI) not on build. Workshop card valid for 1 year. UK cost £0.00 ROI cost€50.00

Useful links European legislation. Monitoring of the implementation of digital tachographs. Vehicle Operator Services Agency (NI). Department of Transport (ROI).