Why driving and rest times matter for service technicians
Service technicians are on the road a great deal too. Fatigue at the wheel is therefore a real risk – break rules matter if accidents are to be avoided. Statutory break rules are there to make sure nobody drives or works for too long without a rest.
Because the two occupational groups are covered by different rules on driving and rest times:
- Lorry drivers are bound by the EU-wide driving and rest times (EC 561/2006)
- Service technicians in cars or vans are instead covered by the German Working Hours Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz, ArbZG).
Service technicians in a car or van (<3.5 t)
When service technicians are out in a van or company car, the following applies:
- No digital tachograph required.
- The Working Hours Act governs breaks and working hours.
The key rules under the ArbZG:
- maximum working hours: 8 hours/day, extendable to 10 hours provided an average of 8 hours per day is not exceeded over 6 months.
- Breaks:
- at least 30 minutes from 6 hours of work
- at least 45 minutes from 9 hours of work
- Driving time = working hours: The journey to the customer and back counts in full as working hours. In some cases, however, there are exceptions.
- between assignments, the statutory rest period of 11 hours must be observed
Service technicians in a lorry (>3.5 t)
As soon as service technicians drive a vehicle with a permissible gross weight of over 3.5t, the same rules apply as for lorry drivers:
- Daily driving time: max. 9 hours, twice a week 10 hours
- Breaks: 45 min after 4.5 hours of driving time (can be split into 15 + 30 min).
- Daily rest period: At least 11 hours (can be reduced to 9 hours three times a week).
- Weekly rest period: At least 45 hours (can be reduced to 24 hours, with compensation).
- Tachograph requirement: A digital tachograph is mandatory.
Special rule for trades businesses:
Vehicles up to 7.5 t that carry material or tools for own use only can be exempted from the tachograph requirement. This exemption applies only if the journey is not commercial in the sense of haulage.
| Rule | Service technicians in a car/van (ArbZG) | Service technicians in a lorry (EU 561/2006) |
|---|---|---|
| Max. daily working hours | 8 hrs (10 hrs with compensation) | 9 hrs driving time (2× per week 10 hrs) |
| Weekly limit | Ø 48 hrs/week (max. 60 hrs possible) | 56 hrs driving time/week |
| Mandatory breaks | 30 min from 6 hrs, 45 min from 9 hrs | 45 min after 4.5 hrs driving time |
| Travel time | Counts as working hours | Counts as driving time |
| Tachograph | Not required | Mandatory |
| Legal basis | German Working Hours Act (ArbZG) | EU 561/2006 + FPersV |
Why documentation is decisive
Whether under the ArbZG or the EU regulation: employers must be able to prove that break and working time requirements are being met.
- Paper slips or Excel spreadsheets are error-prone.
- In an inspection (for example by customs), missing documentation can become expensive.
Digital time tracking for service technicians without a tachograph
For service technicians in a car or van, digital time tracking such as clockin offers a simple solution:
- Record travel time and project hours - straight from the app
- Document breaks easily - no more paperwork chaos
- Reports and records available at any time, should inspections take place
- Automatic handover to payroll accounting.
With clockin, service technicians document their working and travel time straight from the app – with no paper chaos at all. Employers keep an overview at all times and can produce records quickly during inspections. That makes working time tracking simple, digital and legally compliant.
Conclusion
Service technicians do not have to observe the strict lorry driving times as long as they are out in vans. Even so, the working time and break rules are binding, and travel time counts towards working hours.
Digital time tracking such as clockin provides legal compliance, saves time and makes documentation as simple as possible - especially for mobile teams.
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