Frequently Asked Questions

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What is the length of contract that I have to sign up for?

ZERO

At Mister Tacho we don't believe in handcuffs. If you are happy with the service, you will pay us happily. If you are unhappy, we don't want to bind you to a service you will probably not be utilising to its full capability, and you are free to discontinue at any time.

What are my obligations under the cooperation?

• Pay by Direct Debit
• Download driver cards and Vehicle Units according to schedule (or use remote download).
• Sign up to TruTac for the software.
• Read our analysis report every month - take appropriate action to maintain compliance.

What can I expect from the service?

• You can expect a thorough investigation of your tacho data EVERY month, to the same standard as DVSA coming in to investigate. The only difference is - we report to YOU, and not the authorities or Traffic Commissioner.
• Support and advice when you ARE being investigated by DVSA or Police.
• Evidence for courts or Traffic Commissioners in defending your case at a criminal prosecution or Public Inquiry.
• EXPERT advice and support regarding all of the convoluted rules and regulations by phone or email.

Why should I use Mister Tacho if I am paying for TruTac?

You have to pay for the TruTac software, in order to retain legal ownership of the raw data held on the system. If we were to pay for the software, there would be a question as to who owned that data, and we could hold you to ransom in the event of any conflict. As set out above - you are free to discontinue our services at any time, and in such an event YOU would retain the use of the analysis software, and we couldn't prevent access. 

IMPORTANT: Insist on this same arrangement if you use any other specialist analysis service. DON'T get caught in the trap of them charging you for use of the software, while they pay the software provider directly.

What download tool should I use to download driver cards?

We supply you with an Omnikey 3120 smart card reader free of charge. This connects to the Data Capture Application of the TruTac software, easily and quickly transferring the data to the system.

What download tool should I use to download Vehicle Units (Tachos)?

We use two different tools, in order to be able to advise our customers in case of query:

• Lisle Digidown https://www.lisledesign.com/products/digidown 
• Tachosys DigiVU https://tachosys.com/Product/digivu

These have been tried and tested to ensure compatibility with the upload software.We don't advise on or support other hardware. Use the link below for further advice if required.

enquiries@mistertacho.co.uk

Remote downloading of tacho information

Since around 2014, most tachos have the capability to transmit the data to the analysis software of your choice via the mobile phone network. This can often be done without extra hardware through the vehicle manufacturer. But this will usually entail a fairly high monthly fee per vehicle.

Usually it will be cheaper over time to consider purchasing extra hardware, and paying a reduced monthly fee. See our Remote Downloading page for more information on this subject. 

What is the law regarding FULL records for the past 28/56 days?

This is one of the requirements under the "Mobility Package"which became law in August 2020.

It became a requirement that a driver must be able to produce FULL records for the past 28 days (UK) or past 56 days (international carriage of goods) at the roadside when demanded by DVSA or a police officer.

The law itself states that only two methods of recording are allowed. Specifically:

• Manual entry on the tacho
• Printout from the tacho

What do ALL records entail?

• Working days using the driver card to record driving, work, POA and breaks
• Working days when not driving (or out of scope) and therefore not using the driver card. Means ALL paid work, even if outside the driving employment.
• Daily Rest
• Weekly Rest
• Sick days
• Holidays
• Maternity/Paternity leave

What are the fines if I don't do this?

The fine is £300 per offence. So if you get stoppped and haven't recorded your last four Weekly Rests, you can be fined £1200.

Additionally, you will be issued with an IMMEDIATE driving and working prohibition, which means that the vehicle will be immobilised wherever it happens to be, until a relief driver is sent (who will also require full records when he arrives).

Your employer will have to pay for accomodation where you are stopped, as the journey back to your home or the Operating Centre MUST be recorded as Other Work - from which you have just been prohibited for the next 45 hours!

Positioning Drives

A Positioning Drive is what DVSA and Traffic Commissioners call any journey to or from a vehicle that is not parked at the Operating Centre. So if a driver is running out of hours, and parks up to wait for a relief driver, there are a couple of things which must be considered:

The journey by the relieving driver TO the vehicle, MUST be recorded as Other Work by way of a manual entry (see below) as soon as he inserts his card into the tacho. He should also then set the tacho to Other Work and carry out his own Daily Walkaround check.

Then he carries out his duties as assigned by the Operator, who must factor in the journey time to the vehicle when planning the driver's work for the day.

Likewise, the relieved driver MUST record his journey back home or to the Operating Centre as Other Work too. SO DON'T WAIT UNTIL YOUR 13 OR 15 HOURS ARE ALMOST UP, BECAUSE YOUR JOURNEY BACK MUST BE ADDED TO THAT TIME BY WAY OF A MANUAL ENTRY NEXT DAY WHEN YOU INSERT YOUR CARD IN THE TACHO. 

BUT IF YOU ARE AT THE LIMIT OF YOUR HOURS WHEN YOU ARE RELIEVED, THEN YOU PROBABLY WON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO RETURN HOME, WITHOUT RECORDING AN INFRINGEMENT ON THE TACHO WITH YOUR MANUAL ENTRY!

FAILURE TO RECORD POSITIONING DRIVES IS AN OFFENCE.

Train/Ferry

Use Ferry mode on the tacho when travelling by boat or train between destinations.

On arrival at the port or train terminal, set the tacho to Rest.

When embarking set the tacho to Ferry Mode, then drive on board.

On arriving on board, set the tacho back to Rest.

To disembark select Ferry Mode again.

On arrival at your port of destination if the Daily Rest is to be continued, set the tacho back to Rest.

TO QUALIFY FOR A DAILY REST WHILE ON BOARD, YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST 11 CONSECUTIVE HOURS IN TOTAL, WHICH MAY BE INTERRUPTED TWICE TO EMBARK AND DISEMBARK, FOR A MAXIMUM OF 1 HOUR IN TOTAL.

BUT THIS APPLIES ONLY IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A BUNK OR COUCHETTE.

IF NOT, THEN YOU MUST START A DAILY REST OF 9 OR 11 HOURS AS REQUIRED AFTER A NORMAL SHIFT.

DO bear in mind that tachos installed after June 2019 have a GPS locator function built in. So they will show an anomaly between your embarkation and disembarkation as unexplained mileage difference.

How do I make a manual entry?

It can be slightly different, depending on the age and model of the tacho. But there are several excellent videos available on YouTube. Here's one.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kh-Gb6KZd70

How do I log on to my TruTac account to see driver and vehicle information?

Go to WWW.trucontrol.co.uk. Enter your username and password. If you don't know these, use the email  address enquiries@mistertacho.co.uk to get in touch with us.

My downloads are not showing on the system. Why?

There are several issues which can cause this. Please use the email address above to contact us.

My card reader isn't working properly

A couple of different possibilities:

It requires a product code (old version)

It hasn't been set in the settings menu (old and new versions)

USB port stopped working

Card reader stopped working

Usually the quickest solution is to use the email address above to contact us, and we'll resolve the issue for you.

Terms and Conditions

As stated above, you are not bound to an agreement to continue using our services. However, we do have our terms and conditions which govern our partnership with you during the time you are with us.

Please refer to our Terms & Conditions page, by clicking on the link at the bottom or top of this page.

GDPR

We store secure copies of your reports on our servers. These will not be shared with third parties without your permission in writing. We will delete all information immediately once you cease to use our services, provided you request that in writing. Otherwise it will be deleted after 24 months (to allow for you to request WTD information if required under the regulations).

While outside of our control, TruTac also comply with GDPR, BUT PLEASE NOTE THAT THEY DELETE ALL INFORMATION 30 DAYS AFTER YOU CEASE TO BE THEIR CUSTOMER.