Smart Tachographs will aid compliance with drivers’ hours rules but any claims of financial benefits to businesses are misguided, according to FTA.

The business organisation, which represents the interests of the logistics sector, refutes claims made by the European Commission when the law making the new devices mandatory was made in 2014 that it will save logistics businesses a total of EUR 500 million through increased efficiencies. 

James Firth,  FTA’s Head of Road Freight Regulation said: “Smart tachographs will aid enforcement of the drivers’ hours rules; regrettably, enforcement agencies across Europe face a constant battle against those who would try to compete unfairly by driving beyond the legal maximum hours. The  next generation tachographs herald a new era in the fight against lorry drivers driving  when fatigued, but while they will help with enforcement, but they will not save the industry substantial money.”

Firth continued: “Fortunately for drivers, they will notice little change; the new models look identical to their predecessors and drivers do not need to replace their tachograph cards. Furthermore, the added satellite location data will help authorities to catch non-UK based operators who work illegally in the UK market. The satellite location function does not provide live tracking – a common misconception – instead, it takes a location ‘stamp’ at start and end of duty and every three hours of continuous driving.” 

The FTA says efficient logistics is vital to keep Britain trading, directly having an impact on more than seven million people employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. It says that w ith Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. 

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