Mariusz Hendzel from Evicenter, a specialist in drivers’ working time and author of the YouTube channel Liczy się Transport, explains the issue.
A regular weekly rest of at least 45 hours may be taken abroad. There is, however, one crucial condition: it must be taken outside the vehicle’s cab. The rest must be genuinely regenerative and provided in a place offering appropriate social conditions.
This does not have to be limited to a hotel or motel. Apartments, company accommodation or lodging provided by contractors are also acceptable.
At the same time, regulations do not require drivers to carry an invoice or any other document confirming the overnight stay. During a roadside check, the driver only needs to be able to indicate where the rest was taken.
Removing the driver’s card from the tachograph
Removing the driver’s card from the tachograph is a natural consequence of leaving the vehicle. A driver who leaves the truck to take a rest can – and often should – take personal documents and the driver’s card with them. Removing the card causes the tachograph to record the end location of the activity, including the country and GPS position.
Crucially, removing the card does not affect the application of the Mobility Package. The transport route, the nature of the operation (for example, cabotage or cross-trade), and remuneration rules remain unchanged. The mere act of leaving the vehicle and removing the card does not alter the legal status of the transport.
Upon returning to the vehicle, the driver inserts the card into the tachograph and makes a manual entry confirming the rest period. The rest may last longer than 45 hours – for example 48, 52 or even 60 hours – and still qualifies as regular weekly rest.
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Why is the weekend not visible on the card?
One of the main sources of confusion lies in how data is recorded on the driver’s card. The tachograph records the start of the rest period (for example on Friday evening) and the start of the next activity (for example on Monday morning). Saturday and Sunday do not appear as separate rest entries – they are part of the same event that began on Friday.
As a result, a printout from the driver’s card may show no distinct rest symbol for the entire weekend. This is normal and results from the way the data is stored, although it is sometimes misinterpreted by certain control software used by enforcement authorities.
Can the card be left in the tachograph?
Yes. Leaving the card in the tachograph is not a violation, provided the driver actually takes the rest outside the vehicle. Some drivers choose this option due to concerns about incorrect manual entries or potential problems with how the data is displayed during inspections.
The presence of the card in the tachograph does not mean that the driver remained in the cab. These are two separate issues. During a roadside check, it is possible to make a tachograph printout and add a handwritten explanation of the rest, indicating where it was taken and its duration. Such a description may be written in the driver’s native language.
Documents and certificates – what is not required
When taking regular weekly rest abroad, the driver:
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does not need an invoice for accommodation,
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does not need a certificate from the employer,
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does not turn regular rest into reduced rest simply because it was taken abroad.
Two conditions are decisive: the rest must be regular, and it must be taken outside the vehicle in appropriate social conditions.
Practical conclusions for drivers and companies
From the perspective of tachograph regulations and enforcement practice, there is no absolute obligation to remove the driver’s card when taking weekly rest abroad. The card may be removed – and this is often recommended for practical reasons – but it may also be left in the tachograph if the driver and company have justified reasons for doing so.
The key requirement is that the rest is genuinely taken outside the cab and that the driver is able to demonstrate this during an inspection. Technical details of data recording do not alter the rules of the Mobility Package or the legality of the rest, provided it is correctly taken and properly documented.
