Beginning a career as an HGV driver means you will need to know the rules and regulations around driving hours. Tacographs can be rather confusing and it can be difficult to keep a check on how many hours you can drive, have driven and if you have taken the required amount of breaks/rest periods. Here, we will break this down and simplify as much as we can.
Although the UK is no longer a part of the EU, the Working Time Regulations 1998 still apply to domestic HGV drivers. These apply to those driving goods vehicles or vehicle and trailers of more than 3.5 tonnes.
Driving hours are as follows:
- 9 hours daily driving limit which can be increased to 10 hours twice a week if needed
- Maximum of 56 hours weekly driving limit
- Maximum of 90 hours fortnightly driving
- 45 minute breaks to be taken every 4.5 hours – these can consist of ‘split breaks’ in which the first break is a minimum of 15 minutes and the second break a minimum of 30 minutes after 4.5 hours of driving
- Regular daily rest period of 11 hours. These rest hours can be taken in two periods. The first must be an uninterrupted period with a minimum of 3 hours and the second uninterrupted for a minimum of 9 hours which totals 12 hours
- Drivers’ weekly rest hours must total 45 hours
For example, if a drivers’ work day begins at 8am on day 1, by 8am the following day they must have had a rest period of 11 hours (uninterrupted) – or a split rest totally 12 hours as well as 45 minute break (which could be split into two).
Working hours are as follows:
- Must not exceed an average of 48 hours, calculated over a 17 week period (which can be extended to 26 week period under a collective or workforce agreement).
- An exception of a maximum working time of 60 hours in one week, provided the average working time over the 17 week period does not exceed 48 hours per week.
- Maximum working time of 10 hours if night work performed (can also be extended under the collective or workforce agreement)
- When a driver is on full daily rest, the maximum working day is 13 hours
Working breaks are as follows:
- Work time breaks take precedence over driving breaks
- Cannot work more than 6 hours without a break
- Breaks should last a minimum of 15 minutes or 30 minutes if working between 6 – 9 hours in total
- These breaks can also be split, as the driving breaks
- Working rest time is the same as driving rest rules
Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, HGV drivers are also entitled to:
- 5.6 weeks’ paid annual leave
- Health checks for night workers
Travelling between home and your normal place of work will not be counted as working time, not counted towards rest/break periods.
Tacographs record the driving time undertaken. Employers can use tachograph records to ensure regulations are adhered to. Some do not have access to sophisticated tachographs, however, and
there are some handy mobile apps which can assist with recording working, driving and rest time. These can be found here: Top Mobile Apps for HGV Drivers | Optimum Driving Group
Here are some examples of how a drivers’ day can be broken down:
This is how a two week driving time pattern could look:
Further information can be found here:
Tachographs: rules for drivers and operators: Overview – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)