Application of Regulations: Road Transport, Working Time, Tachograph, Driving and Rest Periods
The framework
EU rules on driving time, breaks and rest periods (Regulation 561/2006) and the tachograph Regulation (EU) 165/2014 form the backbone. Candidates must know the daily and weekly limits, the break rule, daily and weekly rest, and how the digital tachograph records activities.
Key limits to know
- Daily driving: normally 9 hours, extendable to 10 hours twice a week.
- Weekly driving: 56 hours maximum; two consecutive weeks: 90 hours maximum.
- Break: after 4.5 hours of driving, a break of at least 45 minutes, which may be split into 15 minutes followed by 30 minutes (in that order).
- Daily rest: normally 11 hours, reducible to 9 hours no more than three times between weekly rests. A split daily rest is 3 hours plus 9 hours.
- Weekly rest: 45 hours, reducible to 24 hours with compensation taken en bloc before the end of the third following week.
Tachograph practice
Manual entries must be made for ferry/train crossings, other work, availability and any period the card was not inserted. The mode switch must be set correctly: driving is automatic when the vehicle moves; other work, availability and break are manual. Records must be produced on request and retained for at least 28 days by the driver.
Traps
Questions often reverse the split-break order (30 then 15 is wrong) or confuse daily with weekly rest compensation. Another trap: counting availability as break.
Rule of thumb
"4.5 – 45 – 9/10" - after four and a half hours of driving take 45 minutes; drive at most 9 hours (10 twice weekly).