What is a Driver Tachograph Card and How to Obtain It
Drivers of heavy goods vehicles and buses must operate vehicles equipped with a Tachograph. This rule is established in EU countries. The device is designed to record the time spent by the driver on rest and work. These regulations must be observed; otherwise, the police are authorized to impose a fine. The rules were not established to disadvantage drivers. The objective is to reduce the number of accidents during freight transport caused by driver fatigue.
The Tachograph records driving time and rest hours. A roadside inspector has the full right to request data for verification. A driver card is issued for recording activities. If it is absent or a person drives with another’s chip card, they are violating the law.
Appearance
The driver card is the same size as current photo driving licenses. If you still possess a paper license, you will need to provide supporting identity documents and a photograph. Full information is available in application packs, which can be obtained from local DVLA offices.
You may apply for the card no later than three months in advance, but it is advisable to prepare earlier. You might unexpectedly need to drive a rented vehicle equipped with a digital Tachograph.
You may only possess one card at a time. It is strictly forbidden to use a card that has already been used, has expired, or does not belong to you. The card is valid for 5 years. If it is lost or stolen during this period, a new card will be issued with the same validity period as the original. In the event of theft or loss, an application for a new card must be submitted immediately before resuming driving.
Prohibitions
It is strictly forbidden to drive a heavy goods vehicle without a chip card. Without it, you will be required to print your daily activities for the trip. The company must provide documented proof that the card is lost and that a replacement application has been submitted before allowing you to drive.
You will not be able to drive if you simply forget to take your card. This constitutes an offense, and the employer will be held liable if they permit you to operate a vehicle without it. The Tachograph unit stores detailed information about all activities undertaken, including those performed without an inserted card, and data is retained for 365 days. Your card may be revoked if it is determined that it was used by someone else, was falsified in any way, or was obtained using false declarations or documents.
Cardholder Responsibilities
The card is not merely a key that grants the right to drive a heavy goods vehicle. It contains the driver’s personal information, indicating the distance traveled and rest periods.
Furthermore, the driver must understand that they have certain obligations:
- they must provide only accurate data to be recorded on the card;
- comply with the terms of use for the chip;
- monitor its validity period;
- throughout the entire period of the card’s use, it is forbidden to hand it over to other individuals;
- in cases where a long-haul driver is forced to change jobs, is dismissed, or in other situations where they can no longer use the chip, it should be returned to the authorized bodies.
Road inspection strictly monitors compliance with these rules. In cases where the rules for using the chip card were violated, it was transferred to another driver, or in other situations, the police have the right to issue a fine and hold the offender accountable.
Who Must Obtain
A professional truck driver who not only holds the appropriate driving licenses (categories C or C + E) but has also completed the Code 95 course must apply for their first Tachograph card. This should be done immediately upon starting a new job. The fleet operator is obliged to inform them about the Tachograph type the company uses in its vehicles – whether analog or digital devices.
All vehicles weighing over 3.5 tons used for commercial purposes must be equipped with a Tachograph. If the vehicle was put into operation after May 2006, it must be equipped with a digital Tachograph. Naturally, all drivers operating such vehicles must possess a card.
Vehicles put into operation before May 2006 may be equipped with an analog Tachograph, which requires discs to record driver activities.
Who Does Not Require a Card
The obligation to use a Tachograph is determined by the vehicle, not the driver. This means that drivers of the following vehicles do not require a Tachograph card while driving:
- vehicles that cannot exceed 25 miles per hour – most agricultural machinery falls into this category;
- emergency assistance when performing non-commercial transport;
- breakdown and recovery vehicles;
- vehicles undergoing road tests for repair or maintenance;
- vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago;
- vehicles for personal use weighing over 3.5 tons but less than 7.5 tons.
You can inquire about all the intricacies of a long-haul driver’s work with experienced course instructors at ‘U Marka’ driving school. For several years, they have been training drivers who have successfully found employment with companies.
Tachograph user manual
In this video, the instructor talks in detail about the features of using the Tachograph.
You also receive all this information at our lectures, where absolutely every student undergoes practice on the Tacho simulator.
Features of using the Tachograph
No possibility to get a CHIP?
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