All vehicles with a permitted gross vehicle mass (GVM) in excess of 3500kg are required by European Law to obey EU Rules on Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs if that vehicle is used in connection with “hire and reward”.

Vehicles towing trailers are also included in the regulations by virtue of having a gross train weight (GTW) in excess of 3500kg. It used to be only goods-carrying trailers that were considered by the police and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) to be covered by the regulations, but after a test case it was ruled that every type of trailer on business use must comply. Crucially, this is not based on the actual weight of the vehicle, load and trailer, but is entirely based on the maximum permissible weight. So if your vehicle identification number plate is showing a permissable maximum in excess of 3500kg, you may well need to fit a tachograph to your van and get intimate with the regulations that will affect your business, no matter how far off the maximum weight your trailer is. A?tachograph records the speed and length of trips, and is used primarily to check driver hours.

There are, however, a number of exemptions for certain types of vehicle use. Most are distance- based but some are related to the type of power plant installed. For example, electric vehicles – which are typically heavier than diesel- powered ones and are therefore usually over the 3500kg threshold – are exempt from both drivers’ hours regulations and operator licensing. But this exemption does not extend to hybrids.

Vehicles that aren’t in the exempt categories will require a tachograph unit to record data about the activities of the driver and vehicle, although new vehicles must be fitted with digital, rather than analogue, equipment. You will also need to obtain company digital tachograph cards and ensure your drivers have driver digital tachograph cards.