Anyone else have a tachograph in their van ?

[JD6400]

We need to get a tachograph for our main towing vehicle , as it regularly runs at over 3.5 t gross and this is where the limit ( I think !? ) for not having a tachograph is .

If anyone else on here has done the same , I would appreciate any advise on how best to go about it and where to go for the best price ?

Hopefully , thanks in advance .

 

[dan86]

If you haven't already, take a read of this- https://www.gov.uk/tachographs/overview
also, where in the country are you?

 

[JD6400]

Thanks Dan , I will take a look now
I have had a bit of a scout around , but being about as internet savvy as drunk goat , I have only come up with stuff about horse boxes !
We are based in Bucks but can travel nation wide on occasion .

 

[dan86]

It's a tricky area is tachographs. my best advice if you want solid guidance is your local vosa station and/or police traffic division. These are the people that are gonna stop you anytime so get the advice from them on anything and everything you want to know. Also get them to give you what they can in black and white. that way you have it all to hand, you can give it to each of your drivers and you can be sure the info you get is 100%.
sadly I can't personally recommend anywhere in you're area to get tachos fitted, but again, your local vosa station will keep you right.
hope some or all of this helps and makes sense ☺

 

[7029 dave]

I understand the reason towing, bringing you over the 4.5 ton, can you not use an taco log book? this I think depends on mileage radius.

 

[JD6400]

Alas I have already been there .
And as usual for a government run information web page , it was a much help as ---- on a bull !
Having said that I did find mention of maybe being exempt on the driver hours page , as we run under 7.5 gross train weight and carry equipment that will be used by the driver for his work !?

I will just have to bite the bullet I suppose and phone the leaching barstalards up on their no doubt premium rate number and get put on hold just long enough for them to fleece enough money out of me to fund the next bloody war the ----er's that be , manage to get us into!
Thanks for the help so far , at least I know that I am barking up the right tree , so to speak .

 

[JD6400]

I understand the reason towing, bringing you over the 4.5 ton, can you not use an taco log book? this I think depends on mileage radius.

Not heard of that before ?
One of my concerns about having a tachograph is being caught out when not towing for forgetting to use the tachograph .
If that is possible , assuming it will be a permanent fixture that is !?

 

[JD6400]

It's a tricky area is tachographs. my best advice if you want solid guidance is your local vosa station and/or police traffic division. These are the people that are gonna stop you anytime so get the advice from them on anything and everything you want to know. Also get them to give you what they can in black and white. that way you have it all to hand, you can give it to each of your drivers and you can be sure the info you get is 100%.
sadly I can't personally recommend anywhere in you're area to get tachos fitted, but again, your local vosa station will keep you right.
hope some or all of this helps and makes sense ☺

Thankyou again !

I will give the local traffic division a call and see what they say .

 

[dan86]

i have my c1 entitlement, have a drivers card for use in a digital tacho and have done all my cpc training so know a fair bit about the subject.

 

[UNG]

Alas I have already been there .
And as usual for a government run information web page , it was a much help as ---- on a bull !
Having said that I did find mention of maybe being exempt on the driver hours page , as we run under 7.5 gross train weight and carry equipment that will be used by the driver for his work !?

If the goods carried are materials to be installed and therefore resale they don't count as goods to be used by the driver for his work

The whole tacho thing is a minefield went to a VOSA thing about 10 years ago with a mate who was a transport manager at the time some of the things you can and can't do were brought up in the presentations and if you didn't know it would be very easy to get done

 

[davesparks]

A mate of mine is a traffic cop, he did a course recently where he learned all about tachometers and drivers hours. I think he is now none the wiser really, so I wouldn't necessarily put your faith in what the traffic bacon have to say,