Operators Licence / Hoops To Jump through

[pressbrake1]

I let my o license go in 2014. With lez and the need for a late expensive truck I had enough
Used a transport manager that looked after lots of small timers like me

 

[m_c]

The problem with the 4x4 and trailer 7000kg exemption is what's left as a legal payload, a tri axle trailer with a crane is going to weigh 1.5 tons leaving less than a two ton payload. Far better off biting the bullet and getting an olicense and truck.

Bob

Wouldn't that combination fall under O-license requirements anyway?

 

[8ob]

Wouldn't that combination fall under O-license requirements anyway?

Not for private use, for commercial use they just need to have a tacho fitted. You can get a distance related exemption for that. This is where the 4x4 mini artics/stepframe trailers become useful, get one with the correct train weight and you can get a four ton payload.

Bob

 

[Brad93]

would a hiab trailer be better?

We'd love one of them but the places we work or would deliver to are not suitable for trailer - Also have you seen the price of those trailers! £12000 and upwards. For something that has limited use and as bob says, limited payload, youre better off with the real deal.

 

[Brad93]

I let my o license go in 2014. With lez and the need for a late expensive truck I had enough
Used a transport manager that looked after lots of small timers like me

The transport managers can now only look after 4 operators at any one time so thats not gonna be cheap now!

 

[Smallfry]

The relevant regulations concerning the crane itself are LOLER, part of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The very important part of that is "at Work". If your situation is not within the scope of those regulations, you are not obliged to comply with them.

It is private use only, although occasionally used on the road, I do not do any paid or unpaid work for anyone else, so guess I will be OK then.

 

[premmington]

At one time - I used to have 7.5ton recovery truck at our workshop.

It was handy to have about - but to be honest - it never paid for itself.

So about ten years ago - we got rid of it. I just pay people now to move cars about.

These people "come and go" - nobody can seem to make a go of the bottom of the food chain transport thing.

 

[sako243]

We'd love one of them but the places we work or would deliver to are not suitable for trailer - Also have you seen the price of those trailers! £12000 and upwards. For something that has limited use and as bob says, limited payload, youre better off with the real deal.

How often are you realistically going to shift >2.5t* (realistic upper limit of a 3.5t trailer)?

What about a 3.5t or 4x4 mounted HIAB with the a shorter trailer? Kind of the mini artic style that @8ob mentioned. Looking at that Iveco that initiated all of this I'd wager I could get a 4x4 and smaller trailer most places that would go.

It's a bit of an odd combination but my 6x6 has a payload of 2t (admittedly that's with its gross plating of 4t but it'd still be 1.5t if played to 3.5t). That way even with the HIAB on the back you've got a 2.7tish payload on a bog standard trailer. You could up that to 3.7t if carrying multiple items.

Admittedly not as versatile with being able to carry bigger items but then only you can answer how often you carry heavier items vs. multiple smaller ones. You would eliminate the headache of an O license though.

 

[8ob]

A friend of mine gave up with general haulage a few years ago, too cut throat and too many problems with drivers. He only runs trucks with cranes now and is very busy, mates rates are £950 a day, I would say go for it

Bob

 

[arther dailey]

if you can recover costs from customers its not a problem , as long as those are regular, its only when you have a quiet couple of months the costs become prohibative .

 

[Brad93]

A friend of mine gave up with general haulage a few years ago, too cut throat and too many problems with drivers. He only runs trucks with cranes now and is very busy, mates rates are £950 a day, I would say go for it

Bob

Yes i have a pal Gary who runs three trucks and does well.

He was £900 including vat last time i used him.

 

[gaz1]

the only way i can see to not pay all of that is to use a frame gantrys that you build on site to unload the vehicle

its either pay the cost of all of it and have ease of unloading or pay in hrs to unload instead

 

[Stupoty]

Sorry to slightly off topic the thread.

Is the 6wk inspection a requirement for a large(over 3.5 ton) domestic vehicle like a massive camper van/mobile home?

Stu

 

[Mikes]

Brad, Out of interest, how much does that piece of equipment in the original photo weigh? Also, is that the largest sort of component that you would need to move?

 

[Brad93]

Brad, Out of interest, how much does that piece of equipment in the original photo weigh? Also, is that the largest sort of component that you would need to move?

1.3 Ton

2 ton probably would be the biggest piece of bakery equipment

 

[Munkul]

As for Brad... IME the running costs of an OL and vehicle are high enough of an overhead that you'd be just as well off spending a bit more on a bigger truck and getting the appropriate license. Obviously a lot more up front, but a lot more capacity than a 7.5t. Tell you what, its DEAD easy to overload a 7.5t especially with what's probably a 2t+ hiab and jack legs sitting on it. Do you know what payload that one is?

 

[Munkul]

1.3 Ton

2 ton probably would be the biggest piece of bakery equipment

You aren't going to get 2t legally on a 7.5t hiab. You'll be lucky to get 1ton tbh.

 

[8ob]

You aren't going to get 2t legally on a 7.5t hiab. You'll be lucky to get 1ton tbh.

True of the older 7.5 ton trucks with steel bodies and six pot engines. You might be surprised with newer gear, 7.5 ton tippers go about three tons empty so 4 ton payloads are possible,even full of fuel with tools and passengers you are going to be safe at three tons. Modern flatbed with a small crane could be up around three to four tons payload.

Bob

 

[Mick Annick]

True of the older 7.5 ton trucks with steel bodies and six pot engines. You might be surprised with newer gear, 7.5 ton tippers go about three tons empty so 4 ton payloads are possible,even full of fuel with tools and passengers you are going to be safe at three tons. Modern flatbed with a small crane could be up around three to four tons payload.

Bob

Agreed, when I last had an O licence I was running a couple of 7.5t Mitsubishi Canter 2 car transporters, even with the twin decks we could carry 3 tons, though that was only a couple of Ford Focus’s.

Edit: And that was a legal 3t - full tank of fuel, winch, traffic cones and a crew of two fat Brummies!

 

[Munkul]

True of the older 7.5 ton trucks with steel bodies and six pot engines. You might be surprised with newer gear, 7.5 ton tippers go about three tons empty so 4 ton payloads are possible,even full of fuel with tools and passengers you are going to be safe at three tons. Modern flatbed with a small crane could be up around three to four tons payload.

Bob

Fair enough