A new digital tachograph download service, which significantly improves the systemised capture of driver and vehicle tacho data, has been launched by transport management technology specialist, Mandata Ltd.

Digital tachographs operate by storing data on the driver and the vehicle in their own memory and separately on a driver’s smart card. Transport operators must download this information from the digital tachograph every 90 days and from the driver cards every 28 days. This is then analysed to ensure compliance with law. 

Using Mandata’s new tacho download service, Tacho Now, driver data is automatically collected from tachographs on a weekly basis and vehicle unit data is collected on the first day of each month. This reduces the burden on the operator of having to continually arrange and collect data from vehicles and drivers out on the road, and all the associated administration time and costs, while eliminating the risk of information being lost or containing gaps. 

One-off or ad hoc downloads can be performed by the haulier via a secure web portal at any time, as and when required for third-party analysis.

An automated warning is also flashed to the transport operator as part of the service if a vehicle’s 90-day or a driver’s 28-day limit is approaching and there has been no download in that period, further improving the tacho download process. Charts also make it easier to spot any issues that need to be addressed by the haulier.

Kevin Marshall, Mandata’s Development Director said the service will provide a respite for hauliers: “Gathering tacho data alongside day-to-day operations can be an arduous task for many businesses. Our new service simplifies the process for customers, providing peace of mind knowing that a robust plan to manage this necessary data-mining process is in place.”

The Mandata Tacho Now download service is available to users of its software on a monthly subscription basis.

Photo: Kevin Marshal (R) with Web Service Developer Carl Jameson