Legalities around running 7.5t recovery truck

[Linctrader 16]

Hi all,

So my licence allows It, but I'm wondering about the other legalities for running a 7.5t recovery truck for picking up and dropping off my own cars.

I think as a recovery operator I don't need tacho, don't need operating licence and potentially mot exempt and low road tax.

However, I cannot pick up and drop off for hire or reward as then I need tacjo and operators licence.

But is collecting my own cars and dropping them off viewed as hire or reward? 

I've seen a cheap truck and with weight limits on 3.5t trucks being a very real issue once you add anything on the back I would rather see if I can make this work.

Cheers 

[Max Branning 149]

6 minutes ago, Linctrader said:

Hi all,

So my licence allows It, but I'm wondering about the other legalities for running a 7.5t recovery truck for picking up and dropping off my own cars.

I think as a recovery operator I don't need tacho, don't need operating licence and potentially mot exempt and low road tax.

However, I cannot pick up and drop off for hire or reward as then I need tacjo and operators licence.

But is collecting my own cars and dropping them off viewed as hire or reward? 

I've seen a cheap truck and with weight limits on 3.5t trucks being a very real issue once you add anything on the back I would rather see if I can make this work.

Cheers 

Even for moving your own stock you would need an Operators licence. I think if you are only moving within a 50 mile radius of base or something like that then tacho is not required.

Recovery operators are exempt from O licence but it must be purely recovery work ie moving disabled vehicles.

[Linctrader 16]

So if I removed the battery before loading, that would deem the car disabled? 

Shame, as costs of operators licence, funds in bank and 6 weekly checks are a joke.

If I were to buy cars for my own personal collection (so v5 filled out in my name) - would that be different? 

I'm sure there is a way to resolve this.

[Max Branning 149]

If you are operating in the course of a business then an O licence is required for anything over 3.5 ton.

Bear in mind you need insurance to cover what you are doing.

If you was only ever moving your own personal vehicles then maybe you would be ok but again what happens when they check your insurance and find out you are a motor trader?

If it was that easy to get away without an O licence every transport company currently using a 3.5 ton would just upgrade to a 5 ton / 7.5 ton and be able to do a lot more work ! 

This is another reason the 3.5 tons fetch such good money and you can often pick up a bargain on the heavier payloads.

[It's me 615]

the six weekly checks are there for a very good reason

a friend of mine used to be a transport manager for a few companies till corporate manslaughter reared its head on things like the rail crash in the lake district

vosa are very tough now and theres no way you will get away for long without an operaters licence a tacho thats checked and signed off and a service schedule

you really dont want to go there

i got rid of my 7.5 ton er years ago when it was free recovery tax and a ministry test was my decision or exempted if i wished, just remember if its exempted and you are involved in a fatality then porridge is coming

 

way out?

a decent pickup a proper brenderup type trailer and some driving lessons on reversing

or pay someone else and keep copies of everything moved

[have a word with the wife 299]

its why 7.5t is cheap in the first place, and why 3.5t is barmy prices even for clonkers, and also if you put a trailer on the 3.5t your into taco land again, the idea of "immobilising" one of your cars and calling it recovery is well known by vosa [dsa], simple questions like where you going to where have you come from kills that idea .

its a tricky question thats easily answered, no ! 

bear in mind too, a 7.5t vehicle can be very expensive if it goes wrong, and not many dealers are interested in supplying parts.

[Linctrader 16]

Thanks guys,

Such a shame, it's a Merc vario I've seen which are tanks and go on forever.

Had to ask to see if I could make it happen. 

[Linctrader 16]

4 hours ago, twerp said:

I assume these are over weight on the back of a Sprinter ?

 

I would say just a tad haha!

[have a word with the wife 299]

merc 2 and 1/2 half ton?

lets be generous trailer 1 ton?

exotica on merc 2 ton?

horrid lookin pink thing 3 ton ?

total 8 1/2 ton  how does it stop ? 

you just know insurance wont cover that ! 

[metcars 397]

I would be mightly pissed off if my lambo turned up on the back of an 'open' trailer covered in diesel and stone chips?

[It's me 615]

wow just wow

that combination must drive like a 3 wheeled trolley jack