Downloading and storing data from the tachograph and driver card: the complete guide

This article covers Polish regulations and market practice. The principles apply elsewhere, but check the rules in your country.

How often should data be downloaded from the driver card and tachograph memory?

Many carriers who want to run their business in line with the regulations face this dilemma. The law obliges transport companies to carry out regular downloads and specifies the required frequency for downloading data from the driver card and the recording device's memory. What is more, a road transport company must also ensure secure archiving of data from the tachograph and driver cards. Taking care to download these media systematically matters not only in terms of meeting legal requirements, however. Regular downloads of data from digital tachographs and driver cards provide valuable material for analysis, as well as the information needed to correctly record and settle drivers' working time.

If you want to avoid fines for missing tachograph data or for exceeding the deadlines for downloading data from driver cards, the rest of this article contains plenty of information that may come in useful. We explain, among other things, who is subject to the obligation to download data from the tachograph and driver cards, how often this process must be carried out, how it can be streamlined, and what the penalties are for failing to download data from the tachograph or driver card.

Who is responsible for downloading data from tachographs and driver cards?

The regulations on downloading data from the tachograph and driver cards clearly indicate whose task it is to carry out this process correctly. The obligation to download data from the driver card and tachograph memory rests with the carrier. It must do so at the required frequency in order to avoid financial penalties. The carrier is also responsible for archiving the driver data downloaded from the card and the DDD files downloaded from the digital tachograph.

How often should data be downloaded from a digital tachograph?

The regulations oblige transport companies to comply with the deadlines for downloading data from the tachograph and driver cards. How often should the recording device's memory be downloaded to stay within the legal framework? As a rule, files should be downloaded from the tachograph at least once every 90 calendar days.

There are, however, certain circumstances in which tachograph data must be downloaded immediately. These include:

• a risk of data loss, in particular when the digital tachograph needs to be repaired or withdrawn from use,
• permanent or temporary transfer of the vehicle to another entity,
• malfunction or damage to the digital tachograph that does not, however, prevent the data recorded on it from being downloaded,
• withdrawal of a vehicle fitted with a digital tachograph from use,
• a request from the competent public administration bodies or other authorised entities.

The consequences of failing to download tachograph data are severe, so it is worth adhering to the frequency specified in the regulations.

How often should data be downloaded from the driver card?

As with tachograph downloads, the frequency of downloading data from the driver card is also set out in the regulations. Mandatory downloads should be carried out at least once every 28 calendar days. What is the penalty for failing to download driver card data on time? An infringement in this area carries a penalty for the carrier of PLN 500 per driver. It is worth adding that if the driver has not used the card during this period, there is no obligation to download the data.

Transport companies must also remember that there are situations in which driver card data absolutely must be downloaded. Which circumstances are these?

• One situation to consider is the obligation to download driver card data when the driver changes employer. When should driver card data be downloaded if the driver's employment contract is terminated? This process must be carried out before the employee's employment relationship ends. This does not, however, entail an obligation to download tachograph data when employment ends.
• The driver card download must be carried out before the expiry of the contract under which transport was provided for the road transport operator.
• Downloading the driver card is mandatory when the card expires.
• In addition, a driver card download proves necessary when requested by the competent public administration bodies or other authorised entities.
• Driver card data should also be downloaded more often than once every 28 days when the standard interval between downloads would create a risk of losing data related to driving a vehicle performing road transport.

Properly planned downloading of files from the tachograph and driver cards prevents situations in which the statutory deadlines are exceeded or the integrity of the collected information is compromised.

Methods of downloading data from the tachograph and driver card

Downloading the driver card and the tachograph files can be done in various ways. In the simplest terms, we can distinguish:

• traditional methods, which often require the vehicle to be physically present at the company depot,
• downloading the driver card and tachograph data remotely, using the capabilities offered by modern telematics systems such as Navifleet.

Find out what both forms of downloading data from the digital tachograph and driver cards involve.

Traditional methods of downloading tachograph files and driver card data

Driver card downloads can be carried out in several traditional ways. For this purpose you can use, for example:

• a driver card reader: a popular and convenient method; all you need is the right software and a reader connected to a computer or mobile device,
• universal devices (e.g. TachoDrive 5): the driver card is read directly into the device and the data is then transferred to a computer,
• the tachograph: in older tachographs, the company card and driver card are inserted into the appropriate slots and the data is downloaded using special download keys or readers.

And what does traditional downloading of tachograph files look like? To carry out this process you can use, for example:

• a universal reader or a special download key: the right tachograph download device allows this process to be carried out efficiently and in line with the regulations,
• a tachograph cable: it enables direct data transfer to a computer,
• the services of a tachograph workshop: an alternative for companies that do not want to invest in tachograph download hardware or software. The service is performed by a qualified workshop, which ensures a correct download, but it involves costs and the need to bring the vehicle with the tachograph to the workshop.

Remote download of tachograph and driver card data: an innovative way to optimise the whole DDD file download process

Modern technology makes it possible to download tachograph data automatically according to a predefined plan. This minimises the risk of missing deadlines and avoids potential penalties for infringements. The solution that lets you set download schedules for the tachograph and driver cards and then regularly obtain DDD files in line with them is remote download of driver cards and tachograph memory, a feature offered by the Navifleet telematics system.

Implementing the Navifleet system not only makes it easier to maintain the right frequency of downloading data from driver cards and the digital tachograph, but also brings other benefits. Among other things, it eliminates the need to bring vehicles back to the company depot to carry out downloads. Everything is done remotely, saving time for both drivers and fleet managers.

It is also important that remote download with the Navifleet system is a proven way of securing data from the tachograph and driver card so that the regulatory requirements are met. With Navifleet, data from the driver card and tachograph memory is downloaded and archived once every 14 days. The files are stored in an orderly manner on secure servers for 18 months. The Navifleet system gives users convenient access to the collected data, so there is no problem finding it in the event of an inspection.

How long must a company store driver data downloaded from the card and tachograph memory?

Carriers often wonder how many years to keep data from the tachograph and driver cards in order to avoid potential problems in the event of an inspection. Polish regulations remove any doubts in this area. The archiving period for data from the tachograph and driver cards is a minimum of 12 months from the date it was recorded. Complying with this rule is necessary to act lawfully and be ready for possible inspections.

It is worth stressing that road transport companies should store data from the digital tachograph and driver cards in a way that is secure, orderly and protects it against loss or access by unauthorised persons.

What are the penalties for failing to download data from the tachograph and driver cards and for archiving infringements?

Under the regulations, carriers may face penalties for failing to download data from the driver card or tachograph, as well as for shortcomings in archiving it.

• For breaching the obligation to download driver card data on time, the carrier faces a penalty of PLN 500 (per driver).
• Breaching the obligation to download tachograph data carries a penalty for the carrier of PLN 500 (per vehicle).
• A transport company that does not keep the downloaded data for at least one year may be subject to a penalty of PLN 500 (per day, per driver). This is a very serious infringement.

Beyond financial penalties, the lack of properly downloaded data can have other consequences, such as administrative sanctions, insurance problems in the event of road incidents and possible court proceedings.

How often should data be downloaded from the digital tachograph and driver cards? Summary

Knowing how often data should be downloaded from the driver card and tachograph memory is an absolute must for transport companies. Oversights in this area can mean severe penalties for the carrier from the enforcement authorities. To avoid them, the carrier must ensure that downloading and archiving data from driver cards and tachograph memory is done in a properly systematic way. A well-chosen method of downloading DDD files makes these tasks much easier. Remote download of driver cards and tachograph memory using the Navifleet fleet management system proves to be a very good solution. It allows the whole process to be automated and run according to the agreed schedule. This ensures time savings and minimises the risk of exceeding the statutory deadlines, under which driver card downloads must be carried out at least once every 28 days and tachograph data must be downloaded at least once every 90 days.

Want to learn more about digital tachographs and driver cards? Read the other articles about them on our blog, including:

• A new era of tachographs: replacement, key deadlines and the most important changes
• How to streamline settling drivers' working time: a guide to remote tachograph data download
• Tachographs in vans: what you need to know about the new regulations
• Tachograph: what it is, how it works, what it is for and who must have one
• How to change the time on a tachograph: a practical guide for drivers and administrators
• How to insert a card into the tachograph: a practical step-by-step guide
• Driving without a tachograph: when is it allowed?
• Driver card: what it is and what you should know about it

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