Since June 25th 2019 new smart tachographs have been compulsory in all new LGVs sold in the UK. This will have positive outcomes for the industry and the general public, the company believes.

With smart tachographs being introduced, enforcement vehicles will, in turn, eventually be fitted with a Remote Early Detection Communication Reader (REDCR) which will be able to read information remotely from a passing smart digital tachograph. Once enforcement vehicles have been fitted with REDCRs, it will no longer be necessary for LGVs to be stopped for basic information from their smart tachographs to be read. Trials for this are already underway.

Using a REDCR, it is possible for enforcement authorities such as the police and the DVSA to capture information such as security breaches, the absence of a valid card and the speed recorded by the tachograph, while the LGV is still in motion. They will be able to detect and time adjustment data, the most recent calibration date and a host of other details. The smart tachograph itself will be able to tell whether the driver card inserted is the most recent card issued to that driver.

EU regulation 165/2014, which introduced this change was passed in 2014 and enacted in 2016, with the deadline for compliance being set in June 2019.

"It is more important than ever that transport Operators ensure that their drivers are properly trained to operate tachographs correctly and compliantly, and that there are robust policies and processes in place to manage and record tachograph data," says Novadata Chairman, Derek Broomfield. "We also recommend that holders of a Management CPC qualification undertake some refresher training, and Restricted Operator Licence holders attend an Operator Licence Awareness Training course if they have not done so for a number of years, as this represents a significant shift in detection practice and the policing of transport compliance. Of course, vehicles with older tachographs may still be subject to roadside inspections, so the correct use of all tachographs will still be of paramount importance.

"With transport law continually evolving, knowing how to manage a transport operation effectively and ensuring that its policies and practices are reflecting best practice should be an increasingly pressing priority for all transport managers and Operators."

The future benefits to the industry should also be significant over time, says Novadata. It will become more routine for tachographs to be used consistently, compliantly and correctly as the consequences for not doing so will become more immediate and more strictly imposed. "If you don't have to be stopped in order for your tachograph to be checked, any temptation to cut corners or be lax about knowing how to use them correctly should eventually disappear," says Derek Broomfield." As a result, safety standards and compliance levels will be raised, and so will the professionalism and reputation of the transport industry.

"Smart tachographs may take some getting used to at first, but ultimately, this level of transparency and compliance will make our industry more compliant and our roads safer for everyone."

Novadata, which already runs a range of expert courses for both drivers and Operators on the correct usage of both analogue and digital tachographs, has adapted its market leading courses to include the correct use of smart tachographs.