Tractor unit and low loader

[elfinwood saws]

I,ve been thinking about getting rid of my Foden 6x6, since i got a 4x4 tractor and timber trailer i have just not been using the Foden, so i,ve been thinking about buying a Foden or Erf tractor unit and a lowloader trailer and registering as private hgv, so i can move my own stuff about, does any else run a truck as a private hgv, if so what are the pro's and con's? cheers mark.

[twmarriott]

yes for moving our steam engine about, you'd struggle doing it in connection with your work though as your not doing it for free, its a dodgey area, if its hire or reward and your taking money for a job, then you can't do it under personal use. still need tested trailer etc but operator exempt, plus you still have to keep tachos, i know a man who'd know more than me as he runs wagons proffesionally but also one for personal, which is also tricky.

[18 stoner]

So, in theory, do you think it would be possible in such as Marks case to have "Durham county logs" go into a job do the cutting, then "Mark Bloggs" go in with his private hgv to carry out the timber for his personal use of firewood?

[Peter]

Total minefield.

 

Short answer is you can do anything you like, and you will never have a problem unless you get stopped. Then its down to whether you can give an explanation that satisfies whoever has stopped you, VOSA in particular tend to take a dim view of rule bending (as they see it).

[elfinwood saws]

it,s not really for moving timber, it,s just for moving my own machines about, also for picking stuff up that i have bought, so there would be no hire or reward.

[Peter]

What do you use the machines for?

[tree monkey]

if your moving machines were are you moving them? if your moving them from or to site surely thats hire and reward?

[East Anglian landscaping]

If you move anything in conjunction with your bussiness from which you earn a living then you need an o licence either a restricted for your own good or a standard national for hire or reward this is the law you will get a tug and it will end badly i know lots of peaple me included that thouht otherwise

[MikeTM150]

Sort of similar, I looked at this for moving farming machinery about. But because the machinery your moving is going to earn you income from the work it carries out your not in the exemption. As basically your using the lorry as haulage for business machinery. Shame cuz it would have saved us thousands of man hours and haulage costs by now!

 

But do let me know if you find different, but this is the small print I got from VOSA.

[elfinwood saws]

A restricted O license would cover me for what i do and don't need a CPC for restricted O licence and i have access to maintence facilitys (pit and brake rollers) so anything else needed? and i have the money in the bank that vosa say you must have to maintain your vehicle.