Most HGV drivers do not have a USB card reader in their pocket on day one. A classic “sign up for 14 days free” trial would expire before you ever saw what the app actually does with your tachograph data.
That is why HGV Time Pilot uses a Pro card bonus instead:
Your first card download unlocks 14 days of Pro — explore the full compliance toolkit.
It is a bonus after your first successful import, not a payment trial. No card on file. No Google Play subscription trickery. Just: download your driver card once in the Android app, and we turn on full Pro for 14 days.
This post explains exactly how it works, what you unlock, and what happens when the fortnight is up.
Why a card bonus, not a signup trial?
HGV Time Pilot only shows its real value after tachograph data is on your account — Daily Compliance Review, minute-level remaining times, PDF reports, unlimited Time Pilot AI, and the full “Can I drive now?” picture from your card.
A timer-only account (see our shift timer guide) is useful from minute one. Deep compliance review needs a card download. The bonus lines up Pro access with the moment that data arrives.
How to trigger it
- Create a Free account (app or web — same login).
- Install the HGV Time Pilot Android app from Google Play (
uk.co.hgvtimepilot.bridge). - Connect a CCID USB card reader and download your driver card.
- Let the upload finish successfully.
Grant fires on your first accepted import — status success or no_new_data (same path as a normal compliance snapshot). Failed uploads, wrong-card blocks, and parser errors do not count as your bonus import.
Card download is Free. You do not need Pro to read the card. The bonus is what happens after.
There is no web upload UI for drivers today — the production path is Android USB → auto-upload.
The rules in plain English
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Duration | 14 days from the moment the bonus is granted |
| Once per account | Ever. If you already received it, a second import will not re-grant |
| Existing Free users | If you never got the bonus before, your next successful import still qualifies — a positive surprise for long-standing accounts |
| Already Pro? | Paid Pro, Lifetime, or admin accounts skip the bonus — you already have access |
| After expiry | Account returns to Free unless you have an active Stripe subscription or Lifetime |
| Upgrade during bonus | Subscribe via pricing anytime — paid Pro continues after the bonus ends |
| No re-grant | Support cannot auto-reset the bonus flag; it is one per account by design |
We email you when the bonus starts, remind you before it ends, and confirm when you are back on Free — so you are not caught off guard on day 15.
What you get for 14 days
Full Pro — the same feature set as a paying subscriber for that fortnight:
- Daily Compliance Review — colour-coded calendar, day tabs, infringement detail
- Live compliance snapshot — remaining drive times recomputed from your full card timeline
- “Can I drive now?” with full detail and View in review shortcuts
- WTD reference period dashboard (experimental — indicative only)
- PDF reports — weekly, fortnight, day packs, infringement acknowledgement, reference period
- Walkaround checks and vehicle compliance tracker
- Unlimited Time Pilot AI with deeper card and compliance context
Use the fortnight to decide whether Pro earns a place in your cab routine. Many drivers download on a Friday, review the week over the weekend, and know by Monday whether they want to keep it.
What you will see in the app
Android — a celebration when the bonus lands after your first successful read (you will know it worked).
Web dashboard — a Pro card bonus active banner with a countdown: “{X} days left — keep full Daily Compliance Review, remaining times, and unlimited AI, or upgrade to stay Pro after the bonus ends.”
Same email and password everywhere. Pro entitlements follow your account, not the device.
What it is not
- Not legal advice or enforcement clearance — Pro is richer analysis; your tachograph remains the record.
- Not a forever free Pro — 14 days, once.
- Not triggered by the shift timer alone — timer works on Free without a card; the bonus needs a card import.
- Not iOS — card download and bonus path are Android only today.
After the bonus ends
On day 15 (unless you subscribed):
- You return to Free — driver status headline, 14-day preview totals, Android timer, card download, and 3 AI messages per 24 hours stay available.
- Pro-only sections lock again — full DCR calendar, PDF reports, walkaround history, unlimited AI, etc.
- Your card data stays on your account. We do not delete imports when Pro expires.
Upgrade anytime at pricing — £6.99/month or annual billing with savings. Lifetime offers appear occasionally on the lifetime promo page when enabled.
Frequently asked questions
I downloaded my card but did not get Pro.
Check that the import succeeded (not blocked for wrong card, not a parser error). Only the first ever successful import grants the bonus. If you were already Pro, you would not see a change.
Does no_new_data still count?
Yes. If the read completes and we accept it — even when there is nothing new on the card — that can still be your qualifying first import.
Can I get the bonus without the Android app?
Not through the normal driver path. USB card download is Android-only.
What if I subscribe on day 3?
Stripe wins. You keep Pro permanently via your subscription; the bonus timer becomes irrelevant.
Will you charge me automatically when 14 days end?
No. There is no payment method required for the bonus. You choose to upgrade or return to Free.
Try it
If you have not downloaded your card yet, that is the whole game:
- Get the Android app
- Read our card download guide
- Import once
- Explore Pro for two weeks
Questions: support@hgvtimepilot.com. We read everything.
Pro features analyse tachograph data for planning and review. They are not legal advice. Always follow your operator's policies and current regulations.