Transporter O-license

[Rene]

Hi
This seemed to be the most suitable forum for my question, hope that I'm not off-topic.

A colleague of mine needs to run a 7.5 tonne truck for a transporter next season. I believe that it's not neccesary to have an O-license to run one of these, as long as the vehicle is not used for hire or reward, and have seen many transporters marked as such.

Can anyone confirm this? And is it neccesary to register the truck and it's usage in any way. Is the truck still governed by the driving hours regulations, and does it have to run a tacho? Any information elsewhere on the net?

A whole pile of questions I know, sorry, but I'm trying to give him the whole picture, and anyone who runs one will know.

Thanks in anticipation.
--
Rene :confused:

[ActiveMS]

Hi there,
No problem, Ive been through all of the problems this year.
Basically as long as the vehicle is registered to a private individual and NOT a company, and runs with "Not for Hire or Reward" stickers on cab, you dont need an O license and it can be driven on normal license (as long as the driver took their test before 1998ish as they changed licenses around then, so double check). No Tacho is needed. Tax is about £165 pa and insurance can be gained through THB and Competition Car Insurance in Nottingham.

It took a while to work it all out but got there in the end. Also make sure you dont travel over weight as the police get very funny.

Many say a 7.5t costs more to run than a van and a trailer, but Im running for about the same.

Spent 7500 on 98 (S) 20ft Iveco, mint condition
Spent another 600 on insurance for truck and 165 on contents
Spent 165 on tax and between 50-80 on diesel each meeting.

Hope that helps.
Have fun
JC

[imull]

If you are towing a trailer though, and the train weight is OVER 7.5T then you need a tacho etc.

You dont have to have the stickers but it saves a lot of grief if you do...

the going rate is around £1 - £2 per kilo over your legal plated weight for the driver and the operator each!!!

[MGDavid]

you positive imull? surely cat C1E included on the car licence allows a gross train weight of 8250 kg?

[topwelshman]

Stupid question - can you tow a trailer behind a 7.5 ton truck?

[Tim Falce]

Originally posted by topwelshman
Stupid question - can you tow a trailer behind a 7.5 ton truck?

You can tow a trailer behind whatever you want providing you don't exceed the plated gross train weight of the towing vehicle. I think the 8.25 ton gtw is for non HGV licence holders or people who passed thier test after a certain date. You can go up to 12.5 tons GTW on a 7.5 ton truck.
Judging by the standard of driving of some of the 7.5 ton truck drivers on the road, they should have introduced the HGV licence for anything above 3.5 tons when they originaly said they would.

[MGDavid]

>>>or people who passed thier test after a certain date.
===surely *before* a certain date ? as since around 1998 new car licences only allow one to drive up to 3500 kg gross, which you have hinted at.

[MGDavid]

..details here
http://www.direct.gov.uk/Topics/Moto...578&chk=CFCEJp

[Tim Falce]

Originally posted by MGDavid
>>>or people who passed thier test after a certain date.
===surely *before* a certain date ? as since around 1998 new car licences only allow one to drive up to 3500 kg gross, which you have hinted at.

I didn't realise that you have to take an additional test to tow a trailer or drive a 7.5 tonner if you passed after 1997 but it's a good thing imo. I wonder how many people illegaly tow trailers or drive larger vehicle without knowing or maybe even bothering.
I have never had to worry about these regs as I hold a HGV 1 or whatever the equivelant is, CE I think. Thanks for the info anyway