Digital tacho symbols explained

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Working with a digital tachograph? There are four standard digital tacho symbols that are used on all systems. Read more about the symbols on our website!

What are digital tacho symbols?

Digital tacho symbols (digital tachograph symbols) are the data points through which a driver’s activities are recorded. Digital tacho symbols account for preconfigured modes that may measure different things depending on the needs of the user. Most often, “drive mode” is the default setting activated when the car is in motion. It logs drive times and helps to effortlessly determine how long a driver has been working.

What are the digital tacho symbols?

There are four standard digital tacho symbols that are used on all systems. They are as follows:

Driving

The “driving” tacho symbol represents the steering wheel of a vehicle. This symbol is used when the driver is behind the wheel and the vehicle’s engine is running. It applies even if the vehicle is parked or stationary.

Other Work

“Other work” is represented by an icon that shows tools and covers activities other than driving. When the tachograph “other work” symbol is active the car is not in motion, but the driver is doing other work. This may include loading or unloading the truck or doing work for another employer.

Tachograph Available

The “available” symbol is a square with a diagonal line in the middle, which represents blocked-out time. When this digital tacho symbol is active the driver is not working, but they are on standby to do work as needed. This can be used during waiting periods or when taking the vehicle on a ferry.

Break Time

The tacho break symbol represents a bed. It denotes the time the driver is resting. Drivers use the tachograph rest symbol when they’re taking a break during a shift or having a rest period when they’ve ended their shift. It can also include annual or sick leave.

Why are digital tacho symbols important?

In addition to maintaining good business practices, digital tacho symbols and detectors also help to keep you in compliance with local laws. In the EU, work-hour regulations for drivers can be difficult to follow.

Digital tacho symbols log these hours automatically, making it very straightforward to determine how you are complying with regulations. In addition to logging drive hours, a digital tachograph can also monitor periods of rest, as well as non-driving related work, giving you a robust range of well-documented analytics.

According to law, drivers must take a break of at least forty-five minutes for every four-and-a-half hours of driving that they do. They must also rest for at least eleven hours out of every 24-hour period. Failure to comply with work-hour related laws can result in stiff fines and other punishments (including jail time in extreme cases). These problems can be easily avoided by properly logging time through digital tacho symbols.

Webfleet and digital tacho symbols

At Webfleet, we take digital tacho symbols seriously. We know why it is important for your business to properly log your worker analytics and our digital tachograph solutions are designed to help you do it effectively.

Get in touch with one of our experts today for estimates and consultations on solutions that can help make your life easier.