The new second-generation smart digital tachographs, now mandatory for international road transport under recent European regulations, mark a step forward in the digitalisation and transparency of the sector. However, according to reports gathered by the Romanian association Untrr and experts such as the Polish company Inelo – which specialises in software solutions for road transport inspections – their implementation is causing problems for some hauliers.
Among the most frequent issues reported to the association is the incorrect recording of driving times on both the tachograph and the driver's card, leading to the risk of administrative penalties even in the absence of actual violations. According to Inelo, in some cases the devices have recorded continuous journeys of over twenty hours, despite drivers claiming to have complied with the regulated driving and rest times.
Another critical malfunction involves the automatic and unexpected ejection of the card while driving, triggering the message “last session with card not properly closed”. This results in a lack of synchronisation between the data stored on the tachograph and that on the card, with direct consequences for drivers’ pay and the documentation required during inspections. In such cases, experts recommend that drivers immediately print out the tachograph data and inform their company headquarters, making a detailed note of the incident. Only by doing so can drivers demonstrate the legitimacy of their activities and avoid fines or disputes during inspections.
Problems have also been reported with the GNSS positioning system, which in many cases signals the absence of a satellite connection. While temporary loss of signal is understandable in areas such as tunnels or urban centres with limited visibility, a frequent recurrence of the issue requires intervention from specialised centres, as it may be due to incorrect installation of the device or interference from other equipment, such as FM transmitters. Signal loss can also result in inaccurate reports of border crossings, particularly in mountainous areas or along coastlines where satellite coverage is weaker.
Further complicating the situation, Untrr claims that the new second-generation smart tachographs are not fully compatible with earlier card versions such as G1 and G2V1. These older cards are reportedly unable to store border crossings automatically recorded by the device, meaning that during inspections, it becomes necessary to manually read the data from the previously used vehicle in order to reconstruct the route taken. Moreover, with the entry into force of the requirement to check drivers' activities over the previous 56 days, the limited storage capacity of older cards is seen as an additional operational burden.
Untrr warns that the reported difficulties are likely to disproportionately affect small and medium-sized haulage companies, which are less equipped to deal with complex technical issues and to manage the documentation required during inspections promptly. The association is therefore calling on the relevant authorities to clarify responsibilities, update systems and ensure fair enforcement of the regulations, so that the aim of greater safety and transparency does not become a bureaucratic and technical obstacle for the entire sector.
