UK and EU Drivers to Prepare for Winter Clock Change
The annual transition back to winter time occurs on October 25, 2026, impacting driving logs and tachograph settings.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Trucks
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Truck drivers across the UK and EU must adjust their recording equipment as clocks move back one hour on October 25, 2026. This seasonal shift requires specific attention to tachograph settings to maintain compliance with legal working time regulations.
Why it matters
Accurate time recording is essential for drivers to avoid exceeding legal limits on daily working hours. Proper adjustments ensure that logs reflect the correct duration of shifts during the overnight transition to winter time.
Drivers must advance analogue tachograph clocks by 23 hours to sync with the official one-hour time shift. Daily working hours must not exceed 10 hours within any 24-hour period, with mandatory breaks required based on total work duration.
The details
Drivers operating during the night shift between October 24 and October 25 will experience a shift one hour longer than the clock indicates. While digital and smart tachographs record in Coordinated Universal Time, analogue devices require manual updates to match the new local time.
Timeline
October 24-25, 2026: Night shift drivers work one extra hour.
October 25, 2026: UK and EU clocks move back one hour at 02:00 and 01:00 UTC respectively.
March 2027: Clocks will go forward again for the start of summer time.
Roadmap
The requirement to adjust tachographs highlights the ongoing dependency on standardized timekeeping within the European transport sector. This procedure aligns with long-standing regulatory frameworks that govern commercial trucking operations across international borders.
Drivers must manually update their analogue recording devices to prevent potential violations of legal working time limits. Failing to account for the extra hour during the overnight shift could lead to inaccurate logs and non-compliance with regional transport safety rules.
The takeaway
Drivers should double-check their recording equipment manual before the overnight shift begins this week. Proper preparation prevents the accidental recording of extra hours that could trigger an investigation into work-time compliance.
Further reading
For more information on logistics operations, visit the Trucks section.
Live Poll
Do you find the transition between daylight and standard time disruptive to your personal work schedule?
