Driving and Rest Time Rules
EU driving and rest time rules apply to goods vehicles over 3,500 kg, so a C1 truck used professionally normally falls within Regulation 561/2006 and requires a tachograph. The exam tests the daily and weekly limits, break splitting and the use of the driver card.
Driving limits
- Daily driving time is 9 hours, extendable to 10 hours on no more than two days in a week.
- Weekly driving time must not exceed 56 hours. In any two consecutive weeks, total driving must not exceed 90 hours.
- After 4.5 hours of driving, take a break of at least 45 minutes. The break may be split into 15 minutes followed by 30 minutes, in that order.
Rest periods
- Daily rest is normally 11 hours. It may be reduced to 9 hours no more than three times between weekly rest periods.
- A regular weekly rest is 45 hours. A reduced weekly rest of at least 24 hours is allowed, but the reduction must be compensated by an equivalent rest taken before the end of the third following week.
Tachograph and records
- Use your driver card, select the correct mode (driving, other work, availability, rest) and make manual entries for any missing periods. Carry printouts or records when required.
- The tachograph must be calibrated every two years, and faults must be reported.
Worked example
You start at 06:00, drive for 2 hours, take a 15-minute break, then drive for 2.5 hours. Your total driving is 4.5 hours. You must now take a 30-minute break before driving further, because the split must be 15 minutes plus 30 minutes. A 15-minute break at this point is not enough.
Traps that cost marks
Do not count loading or waiting as rest unless the tachograph mode is correct. The 15+30 split cannot be reversed. A reduced daily rest is limited to three times between weekly rests. Missing manual entries can make the record unreliable and lead to penalties.