Introduction
According to Article 36 of Regulation No. 165/2014, drivers during a roadside check must present the tachograph activities related to the current day and the 28 previous days. However, the controllable period on the road has been modified by EU Regulation 1054/2020, which will come into effect on December 31, 2024, extending the control period from 28 to 56 days.
What changes from December 31, 2024
Starting from December 31, 2024, the driver will have to present the tachograph activities of the 56 previous days during a roadside check. For vehicles with a digital tachograph, this information will be recorded on the memory of the tachograph card, while for vehicles with analog tachographs it will be necessary to keep the discs of the 56 previous days on board the vehicle.
Implications for tachograph cards
Regulation 1228/2021 has also introduced significant changes for tachograph cards, aligning them with the extension of the controllable period on the road. The new cards must retain at least the last 56 days of activities. However, it is not necessary to replace existing tachograph cards, as, although the law initially required the recording of the last 28 days, previous cards are capable of storing at least 4-5 months of activities.
News on the functions of the new tachograph cards
The new tachograph cards present an important update: the doubling of storage spaces for the “special conditions”, such as the ferry/train function and the OUT of Scope function. For second generation tachographs (Gen2 V2), the loading/unloading function. These functions, previously limited to 56 entries, will now be stored up to 112 entries, thus avoiding the risk of overwriting.
When is the replacement of the tachograph card necessary
The replacement of the tachograph card becomes important only for those who frequently use special functions like ferry/train or OUT of Scope, to avoid overwriting issues. For most users, existing tachograph cards will remain fully operational even after the introduction of the new regulation.
Conclusion
In view of the entry into force of EU Regulation 1054/2020, it is essential that drivers and transport companies are ready to manage the new controllable period on the road of 56 days. The transition does not require the replacement of tachograph cards, unless special functions are frequently used.