Tachograph and driver hour regulations are not always easy to understand. Marathon Group’s Driver Hours and Tachograph Policy is there to help Marathon Group staff, sub-contractors & drivers understand the local and national policies and regulations with regard to driver hours and tachograph regulations.
This policy is to cover all Marathon Travel Employees, sub-contractors, their staff and drivers and all clients of Marathon Group. All employees of Marathon Group and Travel will be trained on this policy upon commencing employment and will have refresher training annually. all Marathon Group Subcontractors are issued this policy upon commencement of their business relationship with marathon and as part of our mutual contract are to train all their staff and uphold the requirements set out in this policy and national legislation. this is to ensure the safety of all staff, drivers & passengers.
Tachograph Rules – Maximum Driving Hours
The daily maximum driving hours is set to 9 hours but this can be exceeded to 10 hours twice each week. The weekly maximum driving hours can total no more than 56 hours. The maximum two- weekly driving limit is 90 hours over any two-week period.
Tachograph Rules – Breaks
The driver must take at least 45 minutes of breaks every 4.5 hours of driving unless they take a rest period. This may be a single 45-minute break or a single 15-minute break followed by a single 30- minute break.
Tachograph Rules – Minimum Rest Each Day
A driver must be given at least 11 consecutive hours of rest each day. If a vehicle is equipped with a compliant bunk, some or all of this rest may be taken in the vehicle if it is stationary. Alternatively, the rest period may be split into two periods, one of at least 3 hours followed by another of at least 9 hours. This daily rest may be curtailed to only 9 hours in total, on three occasions between any two weekly rest periods. All daily rests must be completed within 24 hours of the end of the previous daily or weekly rest.
A daily rest period may be taken on a train or ferry journey of not less than 11 hours, but it may be interrupted not more than twice by activities not exceeding a total of one hour. The driver must have access to a couchette or bunk for the entire period.
If double-manning, a driver must take a new daily rest of not less than 9 hours within 30 hours of the end of the last daily or weekly rest period. The presence of the backup driver is only optional for the first hour of driving; after that, it is compulsory.
Tachograph Rules – Minimum Rest Each Week
Each week, a driver must be given a rest of at least 45 (regular weekly rest) or 24 hours (reduced weekly rest). This must begin no later than the end of 6 consecutive 24-hour days from the end of that driver’s last weekly rest. In any 2-week period, a driver must get at least one 45 hour rest and one 24 hour rest. A rest that stretches across two 1-week periods may be counted towards either week, but not both.
Any reductions in weekly rest must be compensated for by adding the missed hours to another rest block (which started at no less than 9 hours) and must be given before the end of the third week.
Non-Tachograph Rules – Additional Requirements of the Road Transport Regulations
Maximum working time cannot exceed 60 hours in a single week and must average no more than 48 hours per week. Night work cannot occupy more than 10 hours of every 24 unless a collective workforce agreement is in place.
Breaks must take place at least every 6 consecutive hours -30 minutes for 6 hours or 45 minutes for 9, and taken in increments of no less than 15 minutes each. Records must be kept for 2 weeks after the end of each designated period.
