Client updates

Client Updates

Please see the following if you are having problems downloading the software or logging in link

PREVIOUS CLIENT UPDATES here

20/07/12

Rows of red crosses in working time.

Where a driver uses an analogue vehicle and then uses his/her driver card, when asked what duties had been performed since the driver card was last used the driver should select ?. If rest is selected, when the driver card is downloaded, the rest will be recorded in working time along with duties from any analogue charts. This will result in conflicts, which will record a red cross in the working time. For information on how to record this see the following.

1. DTCO Short Operating Instructions

2. DTCO 1381 Rel1 4 Drivers Main Changes.

October 2011

The following is a question sent to VOSA for clarification and as you can see the answer endorses what we have been saying for years, in that all times recorded on worksheet, clock cards etc, must correspond with times on analogue charts or driver cards, by manual entry if necessary, - see August 2011 below.

Question form client.

Do our drivers have to make a manual entry to record the time between when they clock on to when they get in the lorry and put the card in? for example we have got a yard with about 30 wagons in, and the driver will clock on and then walk out of the office and get into their wagon, it may take two minutes if the wagon is by the office door, or it may take five minutes if their wagon is at the far end of the line. If they do have to make a manual entry, what would you like it recording as? bearing in mind it will probably take longer to make the entry than it would to walk to the lorry.

Reply form VOSA

The answer to your question is yes they should record all duties after they clock on so as the chart for the day is a true record. I appreciate that recording 2/5 minutes for there walk to the vehicle on the reverse of a chart is very difficult. I would suggest that when reaching the vehicle they put there chart /digicard in and set it to other work while they conduct there walk round check. As soon as this is completed then the normal rules for recording there duties would come into play eg using the mode switch correctly to record driving/breaks/other work.

If however they are waiting for vehicles to be loaded prior to them taking the vehicles out they should also make a manual record of this as a period of availability.

I hope this answers your questions but please feel free to contact me to discuss the matter further.

All details of client and VOSA officer withheld for confidentiality reasons.

Run as Administrator - Windows explorer 9

Using Advanced Properties
Instead of having to keep selecting Run as Administrator follow the steps below for windows 7. For earlier versions use the compatibility tab and select run as administrator. See below

NOTE: This will allow you to always have the program run as an administrator when you open it.

1. Right click on the Internet Explorer shortcut, then click on Properties.

2. Click on the Shortcut tab for a program shortcut, then click on the Advanced button. (See screenshot below)

3. To Always Run this Program as an Administrator -
A) Check the Run as administrator box, and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

Using Compatibility Mode

NOTE: This will allow you to always have the program run as an administrator when you open it.

1. Right click on the program shortcut or program .exe file, then click on Properties, and on the Compatibility tab. (See screenshots below)
NOTE: If you are doing this while logged on as a standard user instead of an administrator, then you will need to also click on the Change settings for all users button and type in the administrator's password.

Buttons do not display at the bottom of the window when editing ie next, save etc.

Change zoom settings.

Control- to reduce or control +.

Might need to go back to the working time screen and change zoom, then go back to edit.

August 2011

Analysis Procedures

It is imperative that companies follow the procedures below to prevent prosecution.

Times recoded on clock cards and worksheets must be the same as those recorded on driver cards and analogue charts.
You MUST check all downloaded digital data from driver cards and vehicle units regularly and you must keep records of these checks and any anomalies found and edited.
You MUST give proper training to drivers who repeatedly breach the regulations and you must keep records of this training.
You MUST have a discipline procedure in place for drivers who continue to breach the legislation.

RECENT HIGH PROFILE COURT CASES HAVE RESULTED IN FINES TOTALLING ALMOST £100,000 FOR ONE HAULIER AND PRISON SENTENCES FOR DRIVERS

Not recording times shown on worksheets/clock cards on driver’s cards/charts.

If you keep worksheets and/or clock cards and you do not record all of the duty recorded on these on driver cards and charts you will commit an offence - why. Because Regulation 3821/85 requires drivers to record duty when not in vehicles as follows, which does not included worksheets or clock cards!

Not using manual input when required to do so is a Very Serious Infringement (VSI), under the COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2009/5/EC of 30 January 2009 amending Annex III to Directive 2006/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on minimum conditions for the implementation of Council Regulations (EEC) Nos 3820/85 and 3821/85 concerning social legislation relating to road transport activities.

July 2011

Initial Driver Training

Over the last few months there has been a number of cases leading to Police and VOSA prosecutions involving shortcomings in drivers' knowledge of the tachograph rules.

The advice is that on recruitment all new driver employees should undergo some kind of detailed checking procedure before they carry out journeys for the operator - during their initial weeks and months particular regard must be had to analysing their charts and digital data to identify any problems which will in all likelihood be capable of being addressed through simple training.

Full article.

Drivers Initial training

Carrying Driver cards

A driver has been fined £200 for not carrying their driver card when driving an analogue vehicle. Remember, you need to be able to produce your driver card when stopped by an authorised office EVEN WHEN DRIVING AN ANALOGUE VEHICLE, unless the card is lost, stolen or malfunctioning.

New Drivers Cards.

Recently drivers have been receiving new driver cards and they have found that their old card will not work and neither will their new one, because they have not reached the start date on the new card.

Under these circumstances, drivers should keep a printout until the new card starts, in line with the requirements when keeping printouts.

Manual entries

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 3821/85 of 20 December 1985 on recording equipment in road transport.

Article 15(2)

When as a result of being away from the vehicle, a driver is unable to use the equipment fitted to the vehicle, the periods of time referred to in paragraph 3, second indent (b), (c) and (d) shall:

(a) if the vehicle is fitted with recording equipment in conformity with Annex I, be entered on the record sheet, either manually, by automatic recording or other means, legibly and without dirtying the sheet; or

(b) if the vehicle is fitted with recording equipment in conformity with Annex IB, be entered onto the driver card using the manual entry facility provided in the recording equipment.

(b), (c) and (d) above refer to crossed hammers, box and rest. THESE DUTIES HAVE TO BE RECORDED MANUALLY ON THE DRIVER CARD OR ON AN ANALOGUE CHART. Recording the times on a worksheet, clock card or any other device will not suffice and that is why you will risk prosecution if you think that because you record duty on worksheets, but not as outlined above, you are complying with the legislation.

July 2011

Checking your digital data

If you don't check your digital data you will be prosecuted - no doubt about it. Either you must check it or we need to. See below.

REGULATION (EC) No 561/2006 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 15 March 2006 on the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport and amending Council Regulations (EEC) No 3821/85 and (EC) No 2135/98 and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85,

CHAPTER III

LIABILITY OF TRANSPORT UNDERTAKINGS

Article 10
1. A transport undertaking shall not give drivers it employs or who are put at its disposal any payment, even in the form of a bonus or wage supplement, related to distances travelled and/or the amount of goods carried if that payment is of such a kind as to endanger road safety and/or encourages infringement of this Regulation.

2. A transport undertaking shall organise the work of drivers referred to in paragraph 1 in such a way that the drivers are able to comply with Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85
and Chapter II of this Regulation. The transport undertaking shall properly instruct the driver and shall make regular checks to ensure that Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 and Chapter II of this Regulation are complied with.

3. A transport undertaking shall be liable for infringements committed by drivers of the undertaking, even if the infringement was committed on the territory of another Member State or a third country. Without prejudice to the right of Member States to hold transport undertakings fully liable, Member States may make this liability conditional on the undertaking's infringement of paragraphs 1 and 2. Member States may consider any evidence that the transport undertaking cannot reasonably be held responsible for the infringement committed.

You will be prosecuted

We have been warning companies for years that they need to have the correct systems in place otherwise they will be prosecuted and now it's happened.

If you keep paper records, i.e. worksheets, clock cards etc and the times recorded on those sheets do not correspond to the times recorded on driver cards/ analogue tachograph charts - You will be prosecuted
If data downloaded from driver cards and vehicle units is not checked, edited and assigned where necessary - You will be prosecuted
If you do not have a system in place proving that you give training to drivers who breach the regulations - You will be prosecuted
If you do not have a discipline system in place for persistent offenders - You will be prosecuted

If you do not have systems in place regarding the above the Enforcement Agencies will have no problem proving that you have permitted drivers to commit offences and they have done just that!

If you are one of our many clients who use our Tachograph Data Management Service, you have nothing to fear.

IF YOU ARE FOUND GUILTY OF THESE TYPES OF OFFENCES YOU HAVE TO REPORT THE DETAILS TO THE TRAFFIC COMMISSIONERS, WHO CAN IMPOSE ADDITIONAL PENALTIES AT A PUBLIC HEARING AND YOU MAY ALSO GET A VISIT FROM VOSA ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, TO CHECK THE WHOLE OF YOUR OPERATION.

Don't stick your head in the sand and wait until it is too late, call us on 01785 850999, so that we can make sure that you will not be caught out.

July 2011

PLEASE VISIT OUR TERMS OF USE FOR CHANGES TO ANALYSIS PROCEDURES.

Q. I am having difficulties printing off driver reports. I get the message ‘scheduling is not possible because Email ID is not available at account level’ Can you offer me some assistance please

R. After you have generated the reports, instead of printing try the export facility. Select PDF as the file type and then click on the word export. You can the open or save the file in pdf format and then print out the reports.

Q. I have a problem that I can't seem to resolve. Our driver was on holiday on 23rd & 24th March but the report for March shows infringements on the 24th:

"Insufficient daily rest" & "WTD - failure to take a break......". I've tried deleting the days activities and re-entering but still get the infringement. Can you please advise.

R. Login and go to Settings>Infringement and make sure that the following are ticked.

Check for Driver Planner

Check for Working Time

Analysis accuracy

If you use worksheets, clock cards or any other method to record drivers working time as well as his driver card, drivers have to make manual entries when the insert their card. If they do not they could be guilty of making a false record.

They should record EDR SDR on the front of their cards to record duty not recorded by the tachograph.

You must put holidays, sickness, driving vans pickups etc into your account (where applicable).

If you are still using paper records for your WTD records you have to ask yourself why are you still wasting time on this antiquated, flawed system, when you can get accurate reports from your account, at the press of a button.

You or we must check and edit your digital data. Far too many are not doing this which means that your reports may not be accurate and VOSA may find completely different results when they enter all of the data required by law.

Deleting drivers & vehicles.

Would clients please delete old drivers and vehicles, from both their main sites and site B. You can make multiple selections to do this so it will not take long to do.

It is simple to do go to archive management>company data. Select the site and then driver or vehicles. Put a tick in the box for drivers you wish to delete and press delete.

If a driver or vehicle that you have selected has downloads associated with them, un-tick the box so that they are not deleted.

Checking Overspeeds - Digital Vehicles

Go to Archive Management>Legal Archive>Vehicles, select the vehicle registration number that you wish to view. Click on the last download ( date with image of key in square) and Click open - bottom right hand side of page.

You can then click on Overspeed Control Data for a list of overspeeds or you can click on Days and then select the day you wish to view and then click on Speed Graph.

To view in detail move the mouse pointer to the beginning of the area you wish to view in detail, hold down the left hand mouse button and move the pointer to the end of the area you wish to view. Release the button and the area will be brought up in detail for you to view.

Seriousness of different types of Drivers Hours Offences.

Under Settings>Infringement there is a selection, EC Council Regulation No. 561/2006 with Directive 2009-5. This Directive relates to how the authorities should view the seriousness of the various types of Drivers Hours offences. These are outlined in the following directive.

There are a number of Very Serious Infringements, one of which is incorrect use of switch mechanism - Mode Offence.

So you'd better watch out if you are selecting break or POA when you are working.

Another example of a VSI is:

Falsify, suppress, destroy data recorded on record sheets, stored in the recording equipment or on the driver card or print-outs from the recording equipment.

Which is something you all commit when you answer 'Yes' when asked by a digital tachograph, is this your start or finish time and you answer 'yes', knowing that it isn't.

COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2009/5/EC

of 30 January 2009 amending Annex III to Directive 2006/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on minimum conditions for the implementation of Council Regulations (EEC) Nos 3820/85 and 3821/85 concerning social legislation relating to road transport activities

You can view this directive and the severity of the offences Here

Red and white question marks - vehicle downloads.

The different colours do not refer to the severity of the journey without a card.

The red question mark means that there are no other journeys for that day and the white one means that there are other journeys on that day.

Checking Digital data following downloads

You must check and edit the data yourselves or have us do it for you.

Call us on 01785 85099 for details.

Driving digital and analogue vehicles - same day

If a driver moves from a digital vehicle to an analogue vehicle and leaves his chart in the digital vehicle, whilst he is driving the analogue vehicle and then returns to the digital vehicle, the digital data cannot be edited to enable the analogue chart to be added.

If drivers move vehicles they should remove their drivers card.

Vehicle checks

If your chart or digital driver card download does not show work at the beginning, where you should be checking your vehicle, then you could face problems if VOSA check your charts or downloads.

Also if you have clock cards or work sheets, which record duty time which is not recorded on your drivers card, if you click 'YES' when asked if it is your start or finish time when inserting your card at the beginning of the day, then you will commit and offence, which could be construed as a false record.

If you have work sheets or clock cards that start or finish before or after you remove your drivers card, or you are paid for set start and finish times, which are outside the times recorded on your card, then you must select 'NO' when asked and make a manual entry which corresponds with your start and finish times.

Drive/Rest only on charts

If you drivers are working and only recording drive and rest on their charts they will face prosecution and so will you.

The days of fiddling working time by recording rest when working are over.

Drivers need to set their tachograph to work when they start and only change the mode to rest when taking a break or occasionally to box for periods of availability, if they can be justified.

20/12/10

Overdue accounts.

We will no longer waste time sending reminder after reminder.

Statements will be sent, where invoices are overdue.

If payment is not received a final request will be sent and if payment or contact with us is still not made, the account will be closed and will only be re-opened when payment of outstanding invoices is made in full.

There will also be a £15.00 charge to re-instate the account.

Download key turns Red

This could be due to the fact that the key software needs updating or the key is full.

Visit the following link for information

Downloadkey errors

Same Driver with two names

Where a driver card is downloaded without checking the listing of that name in an account will result in clients having the same driver listed twice, for example without a middle name and with a middle name.

To merge the data go to Archive Management>Company Data>Drivers. Select the drivers name which has the digital data (normally the full name, including a middle name) This will bring up a screen which will have 'driver card' at the bottom.

Click on the image of the driver card, alongside the driver number which brings up a screen that will allow you to assign that card to the 2nd drivers name that you have in your account, which is normally the old name put on when analysing analogue charts.

You can then delete off the duplicate drivers name which no longer had data associated with it.

Entering Events

When entering events, such as holidays and sickness you need to start the event at 00:00 hrs on the first day to 00:00 hrs on the next day after the event finishes.

For example where a driver has the 4th to 5th of January as a Personal Holiday, enter the start as 00:00 4th of January to 00:00 6th of January.

Change of Invoicing

Until recently we have shown running totals of the analysis of charts and digital data.

This has involved the taking of end of month totals for all of our accounts.

Continental now provide us with a chart and archive breakdown for all accounts each month and we shall simply use these totals for invoicing which will save us a great deal of time having to check each account every month.

It will mean, however that there will be no running total, simply the number of analogue charts, digital charts and archives added, as provide by Continental.

Centrefield offences

Drivers must enter their full Christian name and locations, not not abbreviations.

If we indicate centrefield offences they can be corrected by altering the entry on the charts.

E 04 Driving without an appropriate card.

If you see this fault on the driver letter, it is usually due to the driver card being faulty.

Driving vehicles not covered by the regulations i.e pickup, van etc.

A driver shall record as other work any time spent driving a vehicle used for commercial operations not falling within the scope of this Regulation, and shall record any periods of availability, as defined in Article 15(3)(c) of Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85, since his last daily or weekly rest period. This record shall be entered either manually on a record sheet, a printout or by use of manual input facilities on recording equipment.

You cannot simply write 'driving pickup' on a chart. You have to record the duty as Other Work or POA as defined above.

06/10

Downloading driver cards

You must download all drivers cards with 28 days of the previous download , even if the driver has not used the card in your employ.

He/She could have used the card to drive for another employer.

Data storage

Data is stored on the system for 13 months.

If you are using the software to store and calculate your working time records you should print off RTD and Driver Activity Protocol reports which should be stored for 2 years after your period (i.e if you are using a 26 week period reports should be stored for 30 months, 17 weeks for 28 months.)

Forgotten Passwords

It is the responsibility of the client to inform us of any change of password. We are finding that clients change their password and then forget what they have changed it to.

Where we are required to have the password reset in these circumstances a charge will be imposed.

Although we will provide help with initial set-up we will not provide free in depth training over the telephone in the use of the download equipment and software. In the past certain clients have wasted a great deal of our time explaining things that can be found in our Help Section and Client Updates.
Telephone help in these circumstances will be charged at £1.50 per hour or you may wish to book a Training session.
We cannot be expected to provide free tuition on the legislation and the operation of the software in relation to this. Where there is a genuine discrepancy we will take all steps to rectify this. If you do not understand how to use the software or the legislation, which we accept is very complicated, then you should arrange a Training session..
Where we are required to examine data that is correct and due to a clients mis-understanding of the regulations then we will implement a charge for the time involved.

Far to many drivers are not using the correct mode. We do not know what a drivers activities are and can only accept what is on the chart.

You must properly instruct the driver on the use of the mode switch.

Basically it is:

Crossed Hammers - Working

Box - Passive work - awaiting to be called to restart working where you are not free to dispose of your own time.

Bed - Breaks and Rest.

You can no longer use Box to record anything other than driving, break or rest.

Far too many drivers are not using crossed hammers.

Error message when logging in

If you see the following error message when you login you have typed something wrong in one or more of the boxes. If you do this 3 times you will be locked out of your account, on the computer that you are using, for 30 minutes.

If you see this message when you first login clear all of the data out of the three boxes and re-enter it.

Downloadkey Update

There is a download key software update which can be found on the following link.

http://dtco.siemensvdo.co.uk/data-management/downloadkey/Downloadkey.htm

The Working Time Directive - procedures and record keeping.

You will need to follow these simple procedures to enable you to conform to the WTD, using this system only. Without the need to keep reams of paperwork, for 2 years or more.

Driver CD

Error description

Problems during program start may occur when using the Internet Explorer 7. When the program is started the following error massage is displayed even when the original CD is being used.

Follow the link below for the fix

http://www.tachograph.digital-spirit.com/en/trouble.htm

01/11/2006

*IMPORTANT NOTICE*

Downloading Digital driver data

It is imperative that you check all of your drivers names before downloading digital data into your account, to ensure that they correspond with the name on their drivers card.

For example if your drivers name is logged in your account as Jimmy Jones but his drivers card is registered in his correct name James Edward Jones, then you must modify the existing name before downloading the card/vehicle data.

If you do not, a new drivers name - James Edward Jones will be added to the list which will store the digital data and analogue data separately.

To modify names

Go to your account.
Click on My Fleet.
Select Driver Maintenance.
Click on the driver that you wish to modify and click the modify button.
Change the details and press enter and then update.