Some significant dates are fast approaching for all transport managers in the UK to be aware of regarding the impending tachograph upgrade. However, according to tachograph compliance software experts Convey, in the region of 10,000 UK hauliers are risking missing the deadline for the mandatory retrofit at the end of the year.

One of the suggestions supporting this claim is that the calibration stations in Britain will struggle to handle the sheer number of second-generation smart tachograph retrofits. As such, if you’re yet to take the required action yourself, it’s important you read on for details of what’s needed and by when.

Firstly, it’s important to get a feel for the Employer Obligations for Tachograph Compliance and for drivers. Once you have a firm grasp of the current state of play, the following significant dates need to be considered.

Big Date #1 – February 21st 2024

The first big date to be aware of is February 21st 2024. It’s the date after which all newly registered HGVs must be fitted with a 2nd-generation smart tachograph – be it full or transitional. This applies irrespective of the type of journey they make.

How do full and transitional second-generation smart tachographs differ? Well, the former already employs Galileo OSNMA (Open Service Navigation Message Authentication), while the latter will need an OSNMA software upgrade at a later date.

Big Date #2 – December 31st 2024

The next important entry on the calendars of UK transport managers is December 31st 2024, by which time all vehicles that have either a digital or analogue tachograph and make international journeys, must be retrofitted by a full or transitional 2nd-generation smart tachograph.

This currently affects more than 10,000 trucks in Britain. Second-generation smart tachographs offer a number of advancements over their predecessors, including the ability to record border crossings and an increased driver card memory (from 28 to 56 days).

Big Date #3 – August 25th 2025

Moving onto August next year, there’s another date that relates to all in-scope vehicles that operate internationally with a 1st-generation smart tachograph.

The date marks the point where these vehicles are subject to a compulsory 2nd-generation retrofit. It’s something that affects more than 5,000 vehicles in the United Kingdom.

Big Date #4 – July 1st 2026

The last date of note on our list is July 1st 2026 and concerns all new vehicles over 2.5 tonnes that operate internationally. By this date, every vehicle of this type must be retrofitted with a 2nd-generation device, and there are currently 48,000 in Britain that will need attention.

Speaking on the matter, Karen Crispe, director of Convey, said, “We have real concerns about the capacity of the calibration stations to handle this level of additional demand for retrofits. Even if all affected operators started booking their vehicles in now, it’s unlikely they will all be upgraded in time.”

This is why we are now actively trying to raise awareness of the situation and would urge anyone who operates internationally to get their vehicles retrofitted now to avoid any issues.”

Helping to Support Hauliers Across the United Kingdom

With these dates rapidly approaching, it’s clear that anyone who operates the haulage vehicles affected by these deadlines should act sooner rather than later. The longer it is left, the more likely it is that you’ll find it difficult to find a calibration station that can accommodate your needs, and you may end up incurring penalties as a result.  

If you would like to refresh your memory with regard to second-generation tachographs and tachographs in general, we’d recommend looking at the article in our Knowledge Base that covers everything you need to know.

At HGVC, we aim to support hauliers across the UK with informational articles like this one and via the provision of industry-leading, scalable HGV licence acquisition programs across our huge nationwide network of 60+ training centres. To find out more about how we can meet all your HGV training needs, take a look around our website. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to talk with us about your training requirements, click ‘contact us’ or call 0333 818 8888, and we’ll be happy to explore your needs.