Useful firewood delivery vehicle

[Toberwine]

Expanding firewood business and looking for delivery vehicle that can handle bulk as well as large bags. Does anyone have experience of using a caged tipper with a tail lift? http://dealerservices.autotrader.co.uk/711750/stock.htm I'm looking at the yellow Renault on page two of this link.

Photo in case the above link doesn't work Autotrader - RENAULT TRUCKS MIDLUM 180.08/B TIPPER DAY 4116 cc

Seems it could tick all my boxes, bags could be unloaded by loading onto pallets with my tractor loader at the yard and unloading using hand pallet truck.

I am also thinking small loads of chips could be delivered this way if I decide to branch out (excuse the pun).

At the moment I have a 12 foot IW flatbed with mesh sides which I had thought of trading in for a new tipper trailer but that would cost at least 5 grand so stretching the budget to get a self contained vehicle seems like a no brainer - although I have no clue about running costs. The tipper trailer would still leave me with the problem of how to unload bulk bags.

I'd appreciate any comments.

Thanks.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Toberwine

[dig-dug-dan]

Why not get a tipper truck with a mini crane. You wont lose as much payload, and there is a crane that forms the ladder rack of the vehicle. The pallet truck is ok till you encounter a slope or gravel

[benedmonds]

You would also need o licence, tacho and do your cpd for driving.

[Toberwine]

Thanks for the comments. Mini crane might be a good alternative if I can find the right truck locally. However a pallet truck would allow me to move the bag once it's unloaded, provided there's a level hard surface of course. Also I was thinking a tail lift would provide a useful extension to the tipping floor and allow me to tip unto an open fronted chip store with a low roof, but I'm not certain it would work like that. I didn't think payload will be too much of an issue, what do you think the payload of the Renault would be? And how much weight would a mini crane save over a tail lift?

I took my driving test in England in 1990. My (Northern Ireland) driving licence has the following categories - B1, B, C1, D1, BE, C1E, D1E and DE. Does C1 not entitle me to drive a 7.5 tonner? And are there any exemptions from using a tachometer?

Thanks again.

[benedmonds]

T

I took my driving test in England in 1990. My (Northern Ireland) driving licence has the following categories - B1, B, C1, D1, BE, C1E, D1E and DE. Does C1 not entitle me to drive a 7.5 tonner? And are there any exemptions from using a tachometer?

Thanks again.

 

Your pre 97 licence entitles you to drive a 7.5 tonner but that does not exempt you from an Operators licence and as you are using it as a delivery vehicle I do not think you can claim any exemptions for tacho and CPC use.

 

 

There has been debate on here about exemptions.

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/arb-trucks/71215-do-we-need-35-hours-driver-cpc-september.html

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/arb-trucks/72090-operators-licence.html

[treequip]

Your pre 97 licence entitles you to drive a 7.5 tonner but that does not exempt you from an Operators licence and as you are using it as a delivery vehicle I do not think you can claim any exemptions for tacho and CPC use.

 

 

There has been debate on here about exemptions.

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/arb-trucks/71215-do-we-need-35-hours-driver-cpc-september.html

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/arb-trucks/72090-operators-licence.html

 

What he said