Tachodisc is calling on the EU and the government to set a standard for the paper used to print out data from digital tachographs. While analogue tacho charts must be made from a specified quality of paper, there is no similar regulation governing digitach printouts. Karen Crispe, director at Tachodisc, says this could cause a problem because ink could fade from poor quality paper if it is exposed to sunlight or grease: "The printout is a legal document and therefore must be kept for 12 months - and if it's being used for Working Time data for two years. This means it needs to be legible for that period of time."
Crispe warns that some paper manufacturers have entered the market since the introduction of digitachs and are using thermal paper which is similar to that used in old fax machines. "The problem with this is that it does fade very quickly," she explains. "And this means it's no good as a legal record." Tachodisc has approached the EU and the UK authorities, but Crispe says: "The impression we got was that they did not really understand the problem." The company has its paper tested in Germany to ensure it is fir for purpose.
She reports adds that after Tachodisc raised this issue with the EU, its Monitoring of the Implementation of Digital Tachographs project has promised to investigate the need for a paper standard.
