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Track90 FLEET

Checking a planned run against a driver's remaining Schengen days

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The useful moment to test a 90/180 count is before a transport office confirms the driver on a run, not at the booth. GOV.UK publishes a clear method for working out whether a future stay still sits inside the 90-day limit. A fleet that holds each driver's trip history can apply that method to a planned itinerary and see who still has enough days.

This post walks through the official method, and how a company dashboard can support it. Facts were checked on 11 November 2026.

Key takeaways

  • GOV.UK's travelling to the EU and Schengen area page sets out a five-step method that starts from the date you plan to leave the Schengen Area, looks back 180 days, and then adds the days already spent plus the days on the next trip.
  • The Schengen Borders Code treats the date of entry as the first day of stay and the date of exit as the last day of stay, so both ends of the trip count.
  • The 90 days are a single total for the whole Schengen Area, so the planned itinerary and the past window must include every Schengen country, and Gibraltar days from 15 July 2026 for British short-stay visitors.
  • Personal holidays in the window count as well as work, because the limit belongs to the person.
  • A company dashboard that shows days already used, days remaining and a colour status helps the office compare drivers before it assigns the job.
  • A company check cannot guarantee entry. Border officers apply the official rules and official systems, including EES.

The official method for a future trip

GOV.UK gives the following steps for working out whether a stay is within the 90-day limit:

  1. Check the date you plan to leave the Schengen Area on your next trip.
  2. Count back 180 days from that date to get the start of the 180-day period.
  3. Add up the number of days you have already spent in the Schengen Area in that 180-day period.
  4. Work out how many days you will spend in the Schengen Area on your next trip, and add that number to the days from step 3.
  5. Check that the total number of days is not more than 90.

Two details from the Borders Code should sit beside that list. The date of entry is the first day of stay. The date of exit is the last day of stay. A planned run that enters on a Monday and leaves on a Friday uses five days, not four.

The window is also rolling. The 180 days are the 180 days before each day of stay, ending on the planned exit. A driver who was inside the limit last month may not be inside it for a later exit date, because the window has moved and older days may have dropped out, or newer days may have been added.

How a transport office can apply it

Start with a complete history for the driver in the relevant window. That history should include work trips, personal travel, and, from 15 July 2026, Gibraltar days for British short-stay visitors, following GOV.UK's Gibraltar entry requirements. It should also include days from a previous employer if they still fall inside the 180 days.

Then take the planned itinerary. Write down the planned date of entry and the planned date of exit, count those days as a stay, and add any other Schengen days that the same trip will use. Add that total to the days already spent in the window that ends on the planned exit. If the combined figure is more than 90, the office should assign a different driver, change the dates, or take other planning action.

Passport validity should be checked at the same time, because a passport can fail the 10-year issue test or the 3-month expiry test even when the day count looks acceptable. That is covered in the passport post.

If the driver holds a residence permit or long-stay visa, the office should apply the official residence rules to days in the country of residence, and should still test short stays in other Schengen countries.

What the fleet dashboard can show

Track90 FLEET shows each driver's rolling usage and remaining days, with a green, amber or red status. In the current product, status is green below 75 days used, amber from 75 to 90 days inclusive, and red above 90 days. The driver record also includes a calendar view of Schengen days. Office users can record planned trips as well as completed ones, and can see that information before they assign work.

The product is a record and planning view. It does not replace the official GOV.UK method, and it cannot guarantee the result at the border.

Practical checklist

  • Collect a full trip history for the driver, including personal travel and any Gibraltar days that official guidance includes.
  • Write down the planned entry and exit dates, and count both days.
  • Look back 180 days from the planned exit, in line with the GOV.UK method.
  • Add the planned trip to the days already in that window, and check the total against 90.
  • Recheck if the dates move, because the rolling window moves with them.
  • Check passport issue and expiry dates against the same itinerary.
  • Keep a note of the calculation with the job, so the office can see later how the decision was made.

How Track90 FLEET can help

Track90 FLEET gives transport offices a fleet dashboard with each driver's rolling usage, remaining days and a colour status, plus a driver calendar of Schengen days. You can start a 7-day free trial for up to 5 drivers, with no credit card, from the pricing page. A company record helps you test a plan before you assign it. It cannot guarantee entry at the border.

Sources

Facts in this post were checked on 11 November 2026 against the official pages below.