You know that moment — motorway services, half a sandwich in one hand, trying to remember whether you're at three hours of driving or four. The tachograph in the cab is the legal record, but it does not tap you on the shoulder before the 4½-hour mark.
That is what the HGV Time Pilot shift timer is for: a live, in-cab companion on your Android phone that tracks what you are doing right now, warns you before key limits bite, and syncs the same shift to your web account. It is free on every account — you do not need Pro to run the timer.
This post explains how it works, what it checks, and what it deliberately does not try to do. It is not legal advice.
Why the live timer lives in the Android app
HGV Time Pilot is built around one idea: drive with the app, review with the web.
| Job | Where |
|---|---|
| Time your shift in real time | Android app (Shift Timer tab) |
| Download your tachograph card | Android app (Card Reader tab) |
| Review compliance from card data | Web dashboard at v3.hgvtimepilot.com |
The live timer used to exist on the web. We retired it in 2026 because professional drivers need something that survives a locked screen, a glove, and a cab that bounces. The Android app runs a foreground service with a persistent notification, so your shift keeps counting even when you switch to maps or messaging.
If you open the old /timer route on the web today, you are sent back to the dashboard. That is intentional — card-based review belongs on the web; live timing belongs in the cab.
Getting started: one shift, four modes
Open the Time Pilot Android app and tap Shift Timer. When you are ready to work:
- Enter your vehicle registration and choose UK or EU rules context.
- Tap Start shift. The timer begins in Other Work automatically — sensible default for yard time, paperwork, or loading before you roll.
- Tap a mode button whenever your activity changes:
- Driving — behind the wheel.
- Other Work — non-driving duties (fuel, paperwork, coupling).
- Break — rest that counts toward break requirements.
- POA (Period of Availability) — waiting time that is not a break but still counts as working time under WTD.
- Tap End shift when you are done. Totals stay on screen until your next shift starts.
Only one active shift runs per account at a time. Your segments sync to Firestore, so the same login on the web can see shift context (for example when you ask Time Pilot AI a question).
The 4½-hour break bar — at a glance
The most-used part of the timer UI is the break progress bar: a live count of continuous driving time since your last valid break reset.
Under EU Regulation 561/2006 (and UK drivers' hours rules), you must not drive for more than 4 hours 30 minutes without taking a break. That break is either:
- 45 minutes in one go, or
- 15 minutes, then later 30 minutes (in that order — not the other way around).
The bar fills as you drive. When you are getting close, the app escalates from on-screen hints to audible alerts and heads-up notifications — even if the app is in the background.
Important: POA and Other Work do not reset the driving clock the way a qualifying break does. If you are unsure which mode to pick, choose the one that matches what you would tell a transport manager — the timer is only useful if the modes reflect reality.
What the timer checks (and what it does not)
The in-shift engine watches three things it can judge from the current shift alone:
1. Continuous driving (EU 561 / UK drivers' hours)
Alerts as you approach and reach the 4½-hour driving limit, including recognition of the 15 + 30 split-break pattern. This mirrors the logic in our main compliance engine — the same thresholds are tested in both the Android app and the web backend.
2. Working Time Directive break tiers
For shifts with more than 6 hours of work, you need 30 minutes of qualifying breaks; over 9 hours, 45 minutes. A qualifying segment is a Break or POA of at least 15 minutes. The timer warns you before these WTD tiers are breached.
3. Maximum shift length (operational safety)
A 14-hour warning and 15-hour hard alert on total shift length. This is an operational guardrail to stop runaway shifts — not a substitute for daily or weekly rest rules on your tachograph.
What requires your card download instead
The timer cannot see your full legal picture. These need tachograph card data on the web dashboard:
- Daily, weekly, and fortnightly driving totals (9h / 56h / 90h limits)
- Daily and weekly rest windows and compensation
- WTD reference period averages (17 or 26 weeks on Pro)
- Formal warnings and infringements on past days
Think of it this way: the timer coaches you through today; your card download plus the web dashboard audits what actually happened.
The timer's alerts are hints for the current shift only. They are not stored as infringements and are not evidence in a dispute. Your digital tachograph and driver card remain the official record.
Background alerts that actually reach you
A timer that only works while you are staring at it is not much use on a long run.
When a shift is active, Time Pilot keeps a foreground service running with an ongoing notification showing your current mode and elapsed time. Compliance hints can fire as:
- On-screen alert cards with WARNING or INFRINGEMENT styling while you are in the app
- Audible alerts (configurable in Settings)
- Heads-up notifications when the app is backgrounded
Allow notifications when Android asks — otherwise you only get visual cues when you open the app.
Manual entries: fix the shift, not the tachograph
Forgot to tap Break when you stopped at services? You can add, edit, or delete manual activity rows for the current or recent shift.
Each manual entry needs a start time, end time, mode, and a short note (for example, "Yard sort — phone in locker"). Manual rows are labelled clearly in the activity log.
Critical distinction: manual entries update your shift timer only. They do not change tachograph data, card compliance, or dashboard infringements. If the card and the timer disagree, trust the card for enforcement and use the timer to build better habits next time.
Manual entries are free — not a Pro feature.
Shift summary and Breaks Log
When you end a shift, you get a shift summary: totals per mode and overall duration. The Breaks Log lists every completed Break segment in order — handy for checking whether that 15 + 30 split actually landed the way you thought.
These stay visible on the Timer screen until you start the next shift, so you can screenshot or double-check before you leave the cab.
Free vs Pro: the timer is the same
Every feature described in this post — live timing, all four modes, the 4½-hour bar, in-shift alerts, manual entries, break log, and Firestore sync — is available on the Free tier.
Pro unlocks card-backed depth on the web: full Daily Compliance Review, WTD reference periods, PDF reports, walkaround checks, and unlimited AI. Your first successful card download also unlocks 14 days of full Pro so you can compare timer hints against real tachograph analysis.
The timer does not change when you upgrade. The dashboard gets smarter.
After the shift: review on the web
Same email, same password, different job.
Open v3.hgvtimepilot.com on a laptop or tablet to see "Can I drive now?" from your latest card read, a 14-day compliance preview on Free, and — on Pro — day-by-day calendars, infringement detail, and downloadable PDFs.
The Android menu includes Open web dashboard and deep links back to the timer if you need to hop between surfaces.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an iPhone app?
Not at present. The live shift timer and USB card reader are Android only.
Can I run the timer on the website?
No. Live timing was retired on the web in favour of the native Android experience.
Does the timer replace my tachograph?
No. It is an advisory helper for the current shift. Legal record-keeping stays with the vehicle unit and your driver card.
Do POA periods count as breaks?
Under EU 561, no — POA does not reset the 4½-hour driving clock. Under WTD, POA counts as working time, and a long POA segment (15 minutes or more) can count toward WTD break totals. The app treats modes accordingly.
Will my operator see my timer?
Your shift segments are stored under your account in Firestore. HGV Time Pilot is driver-first; we do not sell data to third parties. Your operator's visibility depends on their own processes, not a fleet portal in this app.
What languages are supported?
The app UI is available in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, and Romanian. Change language in Settings.
Try it on your next shift
Download HGV Time Pilot from Google Play (uk.co.hgvtimepilot.bridge), sign in with the same account you use on the web, and tap Start shift before you roll.
For the full product tour, see how it works. For the regulation numbers behind the 4½-hour bar, read our EU 561/2006 explainer. Questions or reader feedback: support@hgvtimepilot.com.
This article describes general drivers' hours and working time concepts. It is not legal advice. Always follow your operator's policies and current regulations.