Digital Tachograph Overview

Firstly it's important to stress that the introduction of Digital Tachographs only means a change in how drivers log their driving, other work, rest, etc. The tachograph rules themselves have not changed.

So, what is the difference? Basically all that has changed is the equipment in the cab and, as opposed to using a tachodisc, every driver will need a 'Driver Card'.

The Driver Card is the same size as a credit card and is inserted into the Digital Tachograph unit (otherwise known as a Vehicle Unit) that is in the vehicle.

The Vehicle Unit records, both on the Driver Card and within itself, all of the same information that the old fashioned (analogue) tachodisc used to. If the driver is working away from the vehicle then rather than writing this down, he enters the details using the Vehicle Unit.

Information is stored on the Vehicle Unit as well as Driver Cards so that they can be cross-referenced with each other to ensure that no information is missed.

All of your drivers already use an analogue tachograph so there is no reason that, after being shown how, they'll have any problems with a Digital Tachograph.

As well as the Driver Card, there are three other Digital Tachograph Cards. These, and what they are for, are as follows:

Company

This is issued to the company's owner and is used to 'lock' information into the Vehicle Unit. Before you first use the Vehicle Unit, you lock it so that only your Company Card will allow you to read the information that's stored on it. When you sell the vehicle you use the Company Card to unlock the Vehicle Unit.

You'll also need the Company Card to download (read) the information that's been stored in the Vehicle Unit - more on this below.

Workshop

Unless you happen to be an approved Digital Tachograph calibration centre, you won't have one of these. The Workshop Card is issued by DVSA to Digital Tachograph Technicians so that they can:

• Activate a vehicle unit, after installation.
• Enter, amend or alter any of the calibration settings (W, L, tyre size or VRM).
• Reset or correct any error in time on the Vehicle Unit.
• Decommission any old Vehicle Unit (downloading data where required).

To prevent anyone from using the Workshop Card, it requires a PIN number to be entered before it can be used. The Card also has a microchip embedded in it that will carry details of fitter, workshop and a unique number (part of which will be the current seal number of the centre).

Control

The Control Card is only available only to DVSA and the Police and will be used to carry out enforcement.

Thanks to the introduction of Digital Tachograph, the BIG change to your business will be how you read and store the information that has been recorded onto the Driver Card and Vehicle Unit.

As a minimum, once every four weeks you will need to download (read) all of the information that has been stored on the Driver Cards and Vehicle Units. As Driver Card can only keep 28-days worth of information at any time, if you neglect to do this you will lose the data stored on it. The Vehicle Unit can store up to 365 days worth of driving activities and the speed information for the last 24 hours driving time.

To get the Vehicle Unit information, you will need to insert the Company Card (see above) and also a Download Device. The Download Device is a small piece of equipment that takes the information from the Vehicle Unit and stores it so that you can transfer it to your desktop PC.

To read the Driver Cards, you will need a Smart Card Reader. The reader plugs into your desktop computer.

Now you have your data, you need to be able to store and analyse it. The Tachomaster Software can be downloaded free via the Internet and makes this task simple.

Once you have the Tachomaster System, all you will need to do is call it up, let it know which type of data (Vehicle Unit or Driver Card) that you wish to upload and the software will take care of the rest.

With the information stored securely on the Tachomaster Servers, you will be able to produce all of the reports that you need to ensure that you are complying with the Tachograph Regulations. The system will even show you your Digital Tachograph information as an Analogue (old-fashioned) Tachodisc.

If you don't want to worry about Digital Tachographs, then you'd better get Tachomaster.