The Dutch transport and logistics association TLN has warned drivers about the huge fines that truck drivers are receiving in Luxembourg and France for registering the wrong information in the tachographs. Recently, a truck driver in Luxembourg received a fine of €1,500 for improper use of the „Availability time“ setting on the tachograph.

Drivers in Luxembourg and France are being issued major fines for misuse of the “Availability time” function. “Availability time” does not refer to break or rest periods. This option can be used in cases where a driver is not obligated to stay in his workspace but must be able to answer work calls, complete other necessary tasks, and continue the journey once asked to. For example, a driver could use the “Availability time” function if they are accompanying the vehicle that is being transported by a ferryboat, or in the case where they are not driving the truck and are forced to wait due to road bans. It is crucial to note that the use of the “Availability time” function is allowed only in the case where the driver knows the waiting time in advance or is not driving and sitting in the vehicle’s passenger seat during their working hours.
 

This setting is also known as the “Period of Availability”. In a tachograph it’s pictured as a square with a diagonal line inside it. If you are using this function, do not forget that after 45min it automatically switches to driving time. Depending on the type of the tachographs that you’re using, you might be able to change the device settings so that it would not start automatically counting the “Period of Availability” as rest or driving time.

Keywords: use of tachographs, work for drivers, work for long haul drivers