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Transport & Driver CPC

HGV Drivers’ Hours & Tachographs

UK & European Rules

EU drivers’ hours under Regulation 561/2006, the GB domestic rules, AETR journeys and the Working Time rules that sit on top.

Every Tachograph Type

Analogue, digital and smart units, driver cards, manual entries, mode switching and border crossing records.

Instant Certificate

Complete the assessment online and download your certificate straight away.

About This Course

Drivers’ hours and tachograph rules are the single most common source of infringements picked up at the roadside and the most common reason an operator ends up in front of a Traffic Commissioner. The rules are not difficult, but they are detailed, and a driver who has never had them explained properly will make the same handful of mistakes over and over until an enforcement officer finds them.

This course takes an HGV driver from first principles through to confident daily practice. It covers the EU drivers’ hours rules that apply to most goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, the GB domestic rules that apply to exempt work, and the AETR rules that come into play on journeys through non-EU European countries. It then covers the tachograph itself: how to use the unit correctly, how to make manual entries that stand up to scrutiny, what has to be recorded at a border, and what the operator has to download and keep.

Who it suits: new HGV drivers who need the rules explained from scratch, experienced drivers who need a refresher, and transport office staff who have to analyse the data and defend it. Running vans between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes as well? See our Van Drivers’ Hours & Tachographs course.
Duration
Approx. 3 Hours
Delivery
100% Online
Access
12 Months
Certificate
On Completion

What You’ll Learn

Drivers’ Hours Rules

  • Which rules apply: EU, GB domestic or AETR
  • Daily and weekly driving limits
  • Breaks and how they can be split
  • Daily rest, reduced rest and split rest
  • Weekly rest, reduced weekly rest and compensation
  • Where a weekly rest may and may not be taken
  • Return home and international journey requirements
  • Multi-manning, ferry and train rest interruptions
  • Emergency derogations and common exemptions
  • Working Time rules and how they differ from drivers’ hours

Tachographs & Records

  • Analogue, digital and smart tachograph units
  • Driver cards: use, care, loss and damage
  • Mode switching and periods of availability
  • Manual entries and other work away from the vehicle
  • Recording country of start, finish and border crossings
  • Out-of-scope and exempt driving
  • Records a driver must carry at the roadside
  • Driver card and vehicle unit download intervals
  • Data retention and analysis in the transport office
  • Faults, breakdowns and what to do when a unit fails

Who Should Take This Course?

HGV drivers on UK and European work
Newly qualified drivers and career changers
Transport managers and compliance staff
Operators, owner-drivers and transport office teams

Why Train With National Compliance Training?

No Day Off the Road

Around 3 hours, self-paced and online, so drivers can complete it between shifts rather than losing a working day.

Built for Fleets

Volume pricing, consolidated invoicing and completion tracking for whole-team rollouts.

Transport Specialists

Written by a compliance provider that trains transport managers and operators every day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this course count towards Driver CPC?
No. This is a standalone online awareness course with its own certificate. It is not a Driver CPC periodic training module and no DCPC hours are uploaded. If you need DCPC hours, see our Driver CPC Training courses.
Does it cover UK-only work as well as European journeys?
Yes. The course explains how to work out which set of rules applies to a given job, and covers the EU rules used for most goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, the GB domestic rules that apply to exempt work, and AETR journeys through non-EU European countries.
Is this suitable for a brand new driver?
Yes. It assumes no prior knowledge and builds up from what the rules are and why they exist, through to using a tachograph day to day. It is equally useful as a refresher for an experienced driver who has picked up bad habits.
Does it cover the transport office side as well as driving?
Yes. Alongside the driver’s responsibilities it covers download intervals for driver cards and vehicle units, how long records must be kept, and what infringement analysis looks for, which is the part transport office staff and owner-drivers usually need most.
What happens at the end of the course?
There is an end-of-course assessment. Pass it and you can download your certificate immediately. Access to the course material lasts 12 months, so you can go back and review any section.
Can you train a whole fleet?
Yes. We offer volume pricing, a single consolidated invoice and completion tracking so you can see who has finished and who has not. Get in touch and we will set your team up.

Get Your Drivers Confident on the Rules

£25 per learner, fully online, with an instant certificate on completion.

Enrol Now, £25

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