ultimate

does anybody know the requirements and what kind of vehicle needs an operators licence?

and any costs involved?
thanks

STUCOS

iTrader: (8)

any think over 3.5 tonnes requires an o licence,for work purpose ,and a tacho,to obtain an o licence you also require a cpc,for haulage company's you n eed 6.5k funds in the bank for first vehicle and a certain amount more,for each additonal vehicle above that,not sure on recovery vehicle,but will find out tomorrow

cheeRS stu

ultimate

thanks stu i will be waitin . i got 2 x 3.5 tonne trucks already and just ready to get my first larger vehicle but been told it involves a lot of paperwork and funds!!

MikeeB

I work for a recovery company in Hampshire.

My understanding is you only need an o license if you are moving vehicle that have not effectively broken down. I.E delivering a repaired vehicle or a vehicle that has no tax will need an o license as its looked on as goods. But you can (i think) tax the vehicle as a recovery vehicle and not have to worry about an o license, you do need a cpc for an o license.
Also as long as you operate within a 100km radious of where you start your day you do not have to operate on tacho, althoagh if you venture outside the radious you do. This is how our company works so not sure how it will work for a private individual.

What trucks do you have, what working gear etc, im a little bit of an anorak, recovery trucks get me going.

bigjim172000

iTrader: (1)

correct, aslong as you are doing recovery and NOT taking a car somewhere for a mate, then you need no operators licence.

ultimate

i have only got 2 ford transit beavertails on 2002 plates both 125 ps used to be a main dealers vehicles so they are well built.
i am a pretty much an anorak too when it comes to recovery vehicles, i find myself taking pictures of them from all across the country.
thanks for the information

MikeeB

Im fairly certain that if you are not being paid the rules are different.

Please tell me your not a cowboy thoagh, friday a bloke came to our depot to pick up his mates LDV Convoy LUTON with a small car trailer with a landrover defender towing it, and he drove out with it on the back, an accident waiting to happen, needless to say one of the lads followed him discreetly just incase.

Dont forget your IVR passport if your looking at this as a seriously aswell, you will soon need one to work on the motorways and the rules are becoming tighter every year.

lardypants

who do you work for mike?

ultimate

at the moment i run a independent garage in preston and we do breakdown and recovery for our customers. i understand what you mean about cowboys though they come to our place all the time in there homemade recovery van asking for scrap (if you know what i mean)

lardypants

ive got two trucks but you lot porb class me as a cowboy then lol, ones a 2001 lt35 beavertail on lpg and the other an old trusty j reg tranist spec, v well built looks great, must add though there all fully insured and mot'd etc they spend there life collecting for 3 local garages snaped belts clutches gearbox's etc, the lt's going though as never gets used, the old trannys superb never misses a beat bit like a comfy old pair of slippers lol

Big G

Some of those big bastards are Awesome though,
I got a tow last year from FAM's Bull nose Scanny, awesome piece of kit.

MikeeB

Not seen FAM's fleet but there is some serious kit about, I work for Mcallisters, althoagh we have a few depots, im the aldershot HQ.

If your into recovery check out a website called tow 411, its american but some great images and techniques.