A MAJOR SUCCESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE !!!

On 16 April 2015 a Conference on “Manipulation of the Tachograph versus Road Safety – Professional Detection of Manipulation – the Experience of Polish and European Control Authorities”, organized by Inelo company was held at the Warsaw National Stadium.

The unique on a European scale event held under the patronage of the European Commission and the Main Road Transport Inspectorate of Poland (GITD) concerned the problem faced not only by transport inspections. The purpose of the Conference was the exchange of experience among control authorities of European countries and increasing the awareness of consequences of manipulations for drivers, entrepreneurs and for the society. Over 290 guests, including experts and representatives of control authorities i.a. from Germany, Slovakia, Great Britain, Denmark, Ireland, Austria, Hungary, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Belarus, Sweden, Serbia, Bulgaria, Latvia, Turkey, Luxembourg and Poland gathered at the National Stadium Conference Centre.

Lectures were given by:

• Mr. Bernardo Martinez de Miguel, the representative of the European Commission Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) of the Land Transport Unit,
• Ms. Veronica Pampa (ISCTR, Romania),
• Mr. Dariusz Ciereszko (GITD, Poland),
• Mr. Chris Dooley (Police of Great Britain),
• Mr. Meelis Moor (Police of Estonia),
• Mr. Helfried Gössel (Former Police Officer, Independent Expert),
• Ms. Małgorzata Stocerz (Inelo),
• Mr. Piotr Żółty (Inelo).

Bernardo Martinez de Miguel – the European Commission

The lecture given by Mr. Bernardo Martinez centred primarily on the tachograph legislation of the European Union.

The major issues raised in this lecture were:

• The history of introducing further versions of tachographs
• Relevant information concerning the statistics of control authorities – by an estimated 30 – 35 % of data from tachographs is manipulated
• The intelligent tachograph: Regulation (EC) No 165/2014 – general technical specification
• Time-limits for adopting technical specification for intelligent tachographs – March 2016
• The Commission Recommendation on the guidelines concerning best practices for law enforcement

Dariusz Ciereszko – GITD in Poland

The lecture of Mr. Dariusz Ciereszko mostly applied to manipulations in tachographs and their negative impact on road safety.

Key issues raised in the lecture were as follows:

• Methods of detecting manipulation by the GITD
• Examples of manipulations
• Statistics of manipulations detected in years 2013 – 2014 – over 12 thousand of disclosed manipulation
• Negative impact of manipulations on road safety – examples of accidents caused by manipulations
• Consequences related to detected manipulations

Veronica Pampa – ISCTR in Romania

The lecture given by Ms. Veronica Pampa mainly focused on manipulations in tachographs.

The major issues discussed in this lecture were:

• Characteristics of the ISCTR – scope of duties, territorial division
• Methods of detecting manipulations by the ISCTR
• Statistics of manipulations detected in year 2014 and 2015 – doubling of detection of manipulations in the first quarter of 2015 against the first quarter of 2014 after implementing
• TachoScan Control, 80% of manipulations is related to the usage of driver cards, record sheets and tachographs
• Examples of detected manipulations

Chris Dooley – Police of Great Britain

The lecture of Mr. Chris Dooley mainly concerned manipulations in tachographs and their negative impact on road safety.

The key points discussed in the lecture were:

• Basic information about the Police of Great Britain – scope of responsibilities, partner agencies
• Possible penalties and consequences of breaking the law
• Examples of detected manipulations
• Negative impact of manipulations on road safety – examples of accidents caused by manipulations

Meelis Moor – Police of Estonia

The lecture of Mr. Meelis Moor focused mainly on manipulations in tachographs and their negative impact on road safety.

The most important issues raised in the lecture were:

• A quick word on Estonian Police – territorial scope, characteristics, duties
• Examples of detected manipulations and manipulation devices
• Statistics of manipulations detected in year 2014
• Penalties attaching to detected manipulation
• Negative impact of manipulations on road safety – a film demonstrating how manipulations in tachographs influence the behaviour of the vehicle on road

Helfried Gössel  (Former Police Officer, Independent Expert)

The lecture of Mr. Helfried Gössel mainly dealt with manipulations in tachographs, penalties provided by German Law for detected manipulations and their negative impact on road safety.

The essential issues presented in this lecture related to:

• A brief description of German Police – scope of duties, territorial scope
• What happens when magnet is used for manipulations? – consequences for the vehicle, influence on road safety
• Tools for detecting manipulations
• Penalties for the driver and enterprise resulting from detecting manipulations

Małgorzata Stocerz – Inelo

The lecture given by Ms. Małgorzata Stocerz was aimed at bringing closer the topic of detection and consequences of manipulation.

The most important issues raised in this lecture were:

• Main ways of detecting manipulations in different countries
• The Commission Recommendation on ways to control on road and in companies
• The influence of manipulations on road safety
• Consequences of detecting manipulations
• Financial penalties for detecting manipulations in different countries – penalties for drivers of up to 5000€  and  for companies of up to even 88000€, depending on the country

Piotr Żółty – Inelo

The lecture of Mr. Piotr Żółty mainly dealt with types of manipulations and the latest changes in law related to the possibility of loss of good repute and as a consequence, even the withdrawal of authorisation to pursue the occupation of road transport operator if manipulations are detected.
The main issues raised at this lecture were:

• Main types of detected manipulations – examples from different countries, i.e.:
  • Driving without a driver card
  • Driving on improper card
  • Short drives
  • Magnets, voltage breakers and other manipulating devices
  • Illegal calibrations
• The latest changes in law related to the possibility of loss of good repute also in case of detecting manipulations in other European Union countries.