As a manufacturer of tachograph download tools, one of the most common questions that we are asked at exhibitions is ‘which product would you recommend for me?’ Choosing the right download device is an important decision for any business operating within the scope of EU or AETR rules for passenger carrying vehicles or goods vehicles. Finding the product that best suits your needs depends on a number of factors including: size of fleet, staff capacity, location, business type and compliance needs.

When we talk about tachograph download it’s important to remember that both driver card download as well as vehicle unit download are required. From this point we can categorise the download tools into three main categories: manual downloads, depot solutions and remote download.

Manual Downloads

Manual download tools, such as the digivu(+) or digifobpro are a great starting point due to their simplicity and cost-effectiveness. These devices allow drivers or fleet managers to manually download the necessary data by connecting them directly to the tachograph and/or inserting the driver card into the device itself. They are portable, easy to use and ideal for smaller fleets or businesses with up to 10 vehicles. The upfront cost is relatively low, making it an attractive option for companies with a smaller budget.

However, manual downloads can be time-consuming; requiring somebody to visit each vehicle and ensuring each driver card is regularly downloaded. As fleets grow, managing this becomes more restrictive and increases the risk of errors or missed downloads. When comparing manual downloads with the two other options, staffing capacity and costs should be a consideration as the time taken to visit vehicles, manage vehicle schedules, chasing drivers and both downloading and then uploading the files can take considerable time.

Depot Solutions

Having a device that can be made available 24 hours a day in a depot, warehouse or drivers’ area allows drivers to upload their own driver cards at any time of day. This solution is ideal for fleets where drivers return to the depot frequently and it ensures automatic and secure upload of the data directly to the designated server of an analysis provider. The digipostpro comes with its own digivu and a port to upload the vehicle unit data once it’s been downloaded from the vehicle.

This solution is still a manual one; requiring the download of the tachograph with the digivu to be done by going to the vehicle as well as requiring each driver to download their own card. It is also reliant on drivers returning to the depot regularly, so for long-haul operations or fleets with infrequent depot visits, this can be a significant limitation. The initial setup cost is higher compared to manual tools, but removes a lot of the challenges associated with driver card download and is much better suited to larger fleets.

Remote Download

Remote download products like the digiDL-H and digiDL-HX offer the most convenient and efficient solution. These devices allow for the download of both the vehicle unit data and the driver card directly from the vehicle without any manual intervention and regardless of its location. By utilising cellular communications (4G), this solution not only handles the download and upload of the tachograph files but opens up real-time driver decision support (DDS) data. This solution is ideal for fleets with more than 10 vehicles or those with multiple locations and particularly where vehicles are operating across wider areas and spend longer away from the depot.

The main drawback of remote download is the upfront investment. This solution requires a device in each vehicle, as well as an ongoing monthly SIM contract. Although with our products we have designed our cables to be as ‘plug-and-play’ as possible, this still requires time and the expertise of someone to install. Despite these challenges, the benefits of remote download; having the real-time data, reduced staff costs* and the peace of mind of having your tachograph compliance taken care of is well worthwhile.

*We would suggest that remote download will save 2-3 working days per year, per vehicle.

So, what product is best for you? It depends. Evaluate the size of your fleet, operational needs and budget, and most importantly choose a solution that will help you to run a compliant and efficient fleet. Manual tools are cost-effective, simple and get the job done. Depot solutions relieve a lot of the pressure of chasing drivers and take away the need for a PC to manage download and upload. And finally, the remote download capabilities of the digiDL-H and digiDL-HX provide the most comprehensive solution but with a higher upfront investment.

If you’d like to find out more you can take a look at our products or if you’d like to contact us you can do so by clicking here – Contact Us.