Digital tachograph system delayed

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) says that the European Commission has bungled arrangements for the fitting of digital tachographs into new lorries across the EU. Vehicle operators and manufacturers should by now know what models should be fitted to new lorries after August 2004, but no unit has yet been type-approved for installation. The consequence, according to the FTA, is confusion for vehicle manufacturers and lorry operators and no time for training for fleet administrators and lorry drivers.

FTA director of policy James Hookman said: “The fitting of a digital tachograph in vehicles is the easy bit. The real challenge lies with operators moving from a paper-based analysis system to a digital regime for the recording and monitoring of drivers' hours. The timetable leaves no time for vehicle operators to implement new drivers'-hours analysis systems and to undertake staff training and driver instruction.”