Dear Experienced European Truckers
I have driven cars and vans all over Europe, but may have to drive a friends private 7.5t truck to Holland, then to southern Germany around Christmas time.
All the paperwork and sundry hardware is there.
For me, I think we have to use the tacho to record hours and stuff, but;
Questions to the continental trucking massive…
Is use of a tacho (digital or analogue) mandatory? (will transit France, Belgium, Holland and Germany)
Does the German MAUT apply to a private vehicle?
Just to add a complication, it will be towing a car trailer!
Cheers
Paul
(I know a tacho record not needed in the UK as it is private vehicle)
If its GVW is plated at 7500 and towing a trailer then it will come under full EU tacho regs as it will not be under the 7500 limit exemption and will be carrying goods even if they are private ones
Thanks for the confirmation Rog.
Exactly what I thought, he’d better get a digi card for him and his girlfriend…
Cheers
Paul
Belgium will need a toll box, regardless of what you may think is a private vehicle , now every thing over 3.5 tonne is goods unless it is purely living accommodation or passenger vehicles, horse boxes split half and half ish are not exempt, box is /was 65 euro to register, 145 euro to rent plus various amounts per kilometer depending which area you are transiting, I think it was 14 cents per kilometer for my 12 ton actros, I think the german maut or toll collect is now down to 7.5 t and as has been said the gross of the trailer may put you into toll bracket, France certain motorways toll everything, beware of 3.5 ton weight limits on national roads, I do not think Holland has left the vignette system yet which was under 12t free movement,
What licences are held by the proposed drivers?
“If you passed your car driving test before 1st January 1997 you will automatically have “acquired rights” to categories C1, D1 and B+E entitlements which means you can drive goods vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes, towing a trailer up to 750kg, a minibus up to 16 seats towing a trailer and a car towing any trailer.”
“Category B - if you passed your test before 1 January 1997
You’re usually allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg maximum authorised mass (MAM). View your driving licence information to check.”
If towing a trailer with a car on it thatll be above 750kgs, so wont the drivers will need a full CE licence?
I`m sure others will answer that better than me.
Franglais
Good point, well raised and this has been the subject of much discussion at work. For me, no problem, I have C (and D) +E so can drag anything. 
For him, he has grandfather rights being an old mucker like me…
His idea is to get a 7.5t box, downrate to 6t and then haul a 2.25t MAM trailer, keeping inside the 8.250t train MAM under grandfather rights.
But when I told him about tolls/tacho/MAUT and other stuff he went a whiter shade of pale and did not fully understand the implications of “bending the rules”. AKA a night in the company of some well dodgy Polizie…
I did suggest he did the +E bit and he will be well sorted for the future, but “his mate told him” that it could not be used on a 7.5t to drag a big trailer. (another post is about to be started…)
Cheers
Paul
Youre asking the right questions Id say. Would other countries insist on at least a C1E? due to the weight of the trailer?? Id be asking that question too. A night with the Polizie? Whats the penalty for driving without a valid permit, hence maybe invalidated insurance? A bit more than the wagging of fingers I`d guess.
the fine for no toll box in Belgium is 1000euro and another 1000 if a box is not sourced within a specific time frame (hours not days), the german maut (toll collect) was 180 euro fine plus what ever the rest of the trip toll is (plus they often send a further fine through the post) my mates was a further 280 euro .twice for the same offence two months running lol.