Recording Working Time

Recording working time is a requirement for your employer. Tachograph records may also be used to record working time records and it is always important that you record activities accurately.

In some circumstances, it may be necessary to keep other types of records in addition to the tachograph. For example, timesheets or clocking in/out data will provide data to calculate working time.

If tachographs are not used as working time records, then another type of accurate record must be kept by your employer.

Reference Periods

Whether you choose to use the government default periods or choose to enter into a workforce agreement is a decision that you alone can take, in the best interests of your operation. However, whatever periods you decide upon, the process of calculation will undoubtedly remain the same.

Maintaining Records

Maintaining records for working time should be undertaken in the same manner in which vehicle or staff records are kept, in a logical and easy to access manner. However, if you decide to maintain records electronically, we would advise:

• Keep ‘hard copy’ data in A4 folders marked with what it applies to; ie, WTD Data from date to date.

Calculating WTD Data

As we have explained previously, it is not necessary for you to worry about undertaking your own WTD calculations; you can use the services of an outside source, such as a tachograph analysis company to do it for you. It makes sense to utilise your tachograph analysis company as they already hold data records of your driver activity.

However, if you do use your tachograph analysis service provider to undertake your companies WTD calculations in full, they MUST be given all relevant data including:

• Statutory holidays, of which only four weeks per annum must be compensated
• Sick leave
• Maternity, paternity, shared parental or adoption leave

The hours to be calculated here are:

• 48 hours for every full fixed week of absence, or, where a full fixed week has not been used, calculate days as 8 hours and partial days (based upon half days) as 4 hours

NB: If your company pay for drivers to undertake CPC training on a Saturday or Sunday, these training days are considered work and MUST be included with the driver(s) in question working time calculations. However, if the driver attends the course and pays for it him/her self, this is NOT considered working time.

Source – DVSA