Can a HGV driver work 2 Saturdays in a row? If planned for in advance so it doesn't breach the Working Time Directive or the Drivers' Hours Regulations, absolutely! Many drivers get a better rate at the weekend, so knowing where the rules stand on working consecutive weekends is worth it.
In this blog, we'll go over the circumstances that determine whether a HGV driver can work 2 Saturdays in a row.
Table of Contents
Can A HGV Driver Work 2 Saturdays In A Row? - EU Drivers' Hours Regulations
Weekly Driving Limits
The EU Drivers' Hours rules prohibit HGV drivers from driving for more than 56 hours per week - a week being defined as starting at 00:00 Monday, ending at 24:00 Sunday. So, if a Driver drives for 56 hours in between Monday and Friday, they won't be allowed to drive at the weekend.
Fortnightly Driving Limits
These rules also prohibit HGV drivers from driving for more than 90 hours per fortnight - defined as starting at 00:00 on Monday and ending at 24:00 the second Sunday after. This means that, if a Driver were to drive for 56 hours one week, then 34 hours between Monday and Friday the next, they wouldn't be allowed to drive at the weekend that second week, as they'd have used up their fortnightly hours.
The third week in this example, they would be allowed to work Saturday because a new fortnight is calculated on a week-by-week basis. Having only worked 34 hours on the first week of the new fortnight, they'd have plenty of hours left over to work at the weekend on the second week of the new fortnight.
It's tricky to explain using just words - below is a great demonstration of the situation we're describing (albeit with different numbers used):
Weekly Rest
Each week, drivers must have 45 hours of unbroken rest (this can be reduced to 24 hours once per fortnight). This functions as the Drivers' weekend, but can be taken on any days of the week - it doesn't necessarily have to be Saturday!
Can A HGV Driver Work 2 Saturdays In A Row? - Working Time Directive
While the EU Drivers' Hours rules apply only to driving, the WTD applies to all work that the driver performs. This includes, for example, warehouse work, unloading, office admin, etc.
According to these rules, weekly working time must not exceed an average of 48 hours, although the length of time the average is calculated over depends on the employer - it's usually done over a 17-week rolling average.
If you're a Driver and have been working more than the 48-hour per week average permits, your employer might cut your shifts, potentially preventing you from working two Saturdays in a row.
Summary: Can A HGV Driver Work 2 Saturdays In A Row?
Absolutely! As long as you don't breach the EU Drivers' Hours rules or the Working Time Directive, Drivers can work as many Saturdays in a row as they (and their employer) please. Scheduling Saturdays as working time is straightforward to plan around, and mainly involves not working too much from Monday to Friday.
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Further Reading:
If you've found our page, "Can A HGV Driver Work 2 Saturdays In A Row?" helpful, then you might also be interested in these posts:
- Tachograph rest rules made simple
- Drivers' and Operators' responsibilities
- Guide to the Working Time Directive
- Government guide to Drivers' Hours rules
