From 15 June 2019, any newly registered vehicles requiring a tachograph to be fitted must use a type 1C unit tachograph – also known as a smart tachograph.
Which vehicles need a smart tachograph?
The rules affect any vehicle first registered on or after 15 June 2019, that requires a tachograph to be fitted.
Whether your vehicle requires a tachograph may vary depending on the vehicle type and the country where it will be driven. Typically, all HGVs and PSVs in Great Britain and in the EU do require an approved tachograph to be fitted to measure drivers’ hours.
See this DVSA guidance on exactly which HGVs are required to be fitted with a tachograph to abide by the drivers’ hours rules and which PSVs are required to be fitted with a tachograph to abide by the drivers’ hours rules.
What is a tachograph?
A tachograph is a device fitted to some commercial vehicles in order to monitor drivers’ working hours (and ensure that they stay within safe driving rules.
Tachographs should record:
- how many hours you’ve driven for
- breaks and rest periods
- the vehicle’s speed
- the distance the vehicle has travelled
to monitor speed and compliance.
What is a Smart Tachograph?
A smart tachograph is a new type of tachograph. The European Commission defines smart or digital tachographs as:
” the new generation of on-board mandatory digital recorders to enforce the EU legislation on professional drivers driving and resting times”.
Also known as a type 1C unit, smart tachographs have advanced features like:
- Satellite positioning, giving you more accurate location data
- Short-range communication, which makes it easier to connect with road enforcers or other telematics applications
- Automated start & end location recording for more accurate data
- Remote access to some data for control authorities, via wireless data transmission
What will happen if you don’t have the right tachograph fitted?
The DVSA bulletin about large vehicles requiring a smart tachograph, advises that “Drivers of vehicles which require tachographs, but fail to have one fitted or have the wrong type fitted could face enforcement action”
This makes it essential that commercial vehicle operators ensure smart tachographs are fitted to any vehicle first registered on or after 15 June 2019
Stream is now partnered with Teletrac Navaman DIRECTOR to provide driver hours information via tachograph downloads. Schedule your demo today to learn how Stream works for vehicles fitted with Smart Tachograph systems.