1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202 
Drivers hit for f38 card DRIVERS ARE to be charged
Page 10
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
£38 for the smart card needed to use new digital tachographs despite union demands that it should be free.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) says the fee is necessary to help recoup the cost of developing the system.
ButBobMonksgeneral-secretary of the United Road Transport Union, warns that it will significantly add to the financial burden of becoming a driver: "Given that there's a massive shortage of drivers the government should do everything it can to encourage people into the industry but this is going to add to the costs of entry."
Monks points out that the cost of HGV driver training can already exceed £1,000 and new recruits must also pay for a medical: "It is another financial burden that a driver is going to have to take on. We say that's not right."
Earlier this month an URTU motion that the Scottish Executive should pay the fee was approved by the Scottish TUC. Another motion that employers should be encouraged to pay the fee also won backing but Monks accepts this is unlikely because the card will belong to the driver.
Company smart cards, which allow access to digital tacho records, will also cost £38 — hut cards for fitters, which will enable them to drive to and from MoT test stations, will be free. Replacement cards will cost £19.