The UK government’s proposed plans to extend the period allowed to download digital tachograph data from the vehicle unit from 56 days to 90 days is a backward step for the industry, writes Tachodisc managing director Karen Crispe.
Currently under EU law, the frequency for downloading data from both the vehicle unit and associated drivers’ cards is left to each Members States’ discretion, with the maximum period stated as 90 days for data from the vehicle unit and 28 days for data from the driver in accordance with Article 1(3) of Regulation (EC) n°581/2010.
The UK government chose to impose that the driver card must be downloaded at least every 28 days and the vehicle unit at least once every 56 days. Now the government is proposing to increase the vehicle unit downloading time to 90 days with reports suggesting it would ease the regulatory burden on UK hauliers and operators and remove barriers for industry growth.
The idea was proposed in a DfT Logistics Growth Review published last year, but was thought to have been originally suggested in the Red Tape Challenge earlier in 2011.
The introduction of digital tachographs has helped operators embrace technology which has sparked a positive sea of change in the industry. The technology has served to advance operations with companies seeing the business benefits of analysing the full scope of information that is available from a vehicle unit.
By downloading every 56 days, transport operators have real time data which they can use, analyse and act upon if required. Extending the time to 90 days contradicts these advances – we believe it would be a step backward for the industry and is unnecessary.
