Driver working time
Driver working time is the total time a professional driver spends driving and performing other work – loading, vehicle checks, paperwork – as distinct from breaks and rest periods. In the EU it is recorded by a tachograph and governed by the EU 561 driving-time rules and the Mobility Package; for international transport outside the EU, the AETR agreement applies.
How is driver working time recorded?
In trucks above 3.5 t gross vehicle weight used in international transport, working time is recorded by a mandatory tachograph. Under the Mobility Package, second-generation smart tachographs (G2V2) are replacing older analogue, digital (G1) and first-generation smart (G2V1) devices. Vehicles first registered from 21 August 2023 have carried G2V2 units from the start. From 1 July 2026 the obligation extends to lighter commercial vehicles of 2.5–3.5 t used in international transport for hire or reward.
What are the G2V2 tachograph deadlines?
The retrofit schedule for international transport is tied to the vehicle’s registration date and the currently installed device:
- vehicles registered before 15 June 2019 (analogue or digital G1): replacement was due by 31 December 2024, with an education-first transition period from 1 January to 28 February 2025, now closed
- vehicles registered between 15 June 2019 and 21 August 2023 (smart G2V1): upgrade to G2V2 by 18/19 August 2025, with no transition period announced after that date
- vehicles registered from 21 August 2023: G2V2 fitted at first registration
- vehicles of 2.5–3.5 t in international transport for hire or reward: obligation starts 1 July 2026
Does the obligation cover national transport?
No. The retrofit requirement applies to vehicles used in international road transport within the EU. Vehicles used exclusively for national transport, or for international transport outside the EU under AETR rules, are generally exempt, although AETR interpretations differ between EU member states, so transit through EU countries needs care. Mixed fleets sometimes assign older-tachograph vehicles to national routes only and G2V2 vehicles to international work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between driving time and working time?
Driving time covers only the time at the wheel. Working time additionally includes other duties such as loading and unloading, vehicle checks and administrative tasks. The tachograph records both, in separate activity modes, along with breaks and rest.
Can driver working time be read remotely?
Yes. Remote tachograph download is a standard telematics function: platforms such as frameLOGIC read the tachograph over the air and show how much driving time each driver has left before a mandatory rest, which helps operators avoid infringement penalties.
What happens after the August 2025 tachograph deadline?
No transition period has been announced after 18/19 August 2025, so full enforcement starts immediately for G2V1 vehicles that have not been upgraded. The tachograph service market for installation and calibration is also expected to congest and rise in price close to the deadline, which favours booking the retrofit early.