The race team I work for are going to stop using one of the trucks and replace it with and van and trailer and use one truck to carry the equipment.
I’d like some answers to the regulations covering Van and trailers operations, the van has a GVW of 3.5t and the combinations has a GTW of 7t.
I’ve been looking round internet for answers on speed limits vignettes etc, but some websites seem to contradict each other or confuse GVW with GTW, or refer to combinations under 3.5t.
Am I right in thinking that the speed limit is generally the same for vehicle of 3.5t?
I don’t need to pay the MAUT in Germany or Vignette in Benelux?
I don’t need a Go box for Austria, instead I have to pay the daily vignette for vehicles up to 3.5t?
Yip, no maut in DE (despite changes in oct 15 from 12t to 7.5t) or indeed is 80km speed limit without a trailer with TuV tho, which most UK can’t pass as don’t have shocks, just rubber in compression. I have several speeding fines for this. Commercial trailer ban on a sun tho, I have a fine for this also! & unlike doing 100km not 80 which is peanuts fine thats not small!
Benelux- no vignette needed.
Holland 80km speed limit, belg 90, lux 90.
Austria yip just 1 vignette sticker, no go box.
Swiss, 2 stickers, one van 1 trailer
Tacho as per uk & if for hire & reward o licence. Even if just van & its got tacho run it in DE & belg, have to keep logs if not
You don’t need to pay MAUT for Germany, that is 12t and over. The same for the Euro-Vignette.
Austrian Go-Box is for over 3.5t, so needed for when you have your trailer.
Drivers hours and tacho rules will apply when you’re pulling your trailer.
The EU rules (Regulation (EC) 561/2006) apply to drivers of most vehicles used for the carriage of goods - defined as goods or burden of any description - (including dual purpose vehicles) where the maximum permissible weight of the vehicle, including any trailer or semi-trailer, exceeds 3.5 tonnes and where the vehicle is used within the UK or between the UK and other EU and EEA countries and Switzerland.
I don’t know about speed limits.
I got most of this directly from the national toll sites, have a look in the Euro Drivers Info Point, a sticky post at the top of this forum.
Some of the links may come up as broken, I’ve had more pressing concerns recently I’m afraid.
Thanks iguana, I didn’t know about the German Sunday ban, knew it was in place in Austria though, although I can get a Sunday running permit in Austria.
As its a race car you ‘could’ be OK in DE on a sun, as its cough your own race car & stuff… I’ve done it hundreds of times unknowingly, but did get done the once. Tho one stroke of luck, had to pay the on spot fine & get parked up, but the massive rest of the fine never came to the office, hurrah. But that’s your call, but officially no its verboten.
The Austria is tricky, my 1st time van & trailer I bought 2 vignettes as per swiss, dead cheap at €8 odd each for the 10dayer got stopped on border guy said why 2? For trailer I reply, nope he says only need 1, could be worth getting two anyway? I’ve been back a few times only got 1 tho but not been stopped since
muckles:
I’d like some answers to the regulations covering Van and trailers operations, the van has a GVW of 3.5t and the combinations has a GTW of 7t.
I’ve been looking round internet for answers on speed limits vignettes etc, but some websites seem to contradict each other or confuse GVW with GTW, or refer to combinations under 3.5t.
Any other advice would be appreciated.
Hi muckles,
Here’s the bit about the German Sunday driving ban, right from the horse’s mouth.
Straßenverkerhrsverordnung (StVo) §30(3)
An Sonntagen und Feiertagen dürfen in der Zeit von 0.00 bis 22.00 Uhr Lastkraftwagen mit einer zulässigen Gesamtmasse über 7,5 t sowie Anhänger hinter Lastkraftwagen nicht verkehren.
My translation On Sundays and Bank Holidays between the hours of 00.00 - 22:00 trucks having a permitted GVW exceeding 7.5t and trucks towing trailers are not allowed to circulate [on the roads.]
TBH, I’m not sure about the speed limits or vignette/Maut rules for your van/trailer combination.
muckles:
I’d like some answers to the regulations covering Van and trailers operations, the van has a GVW of 3.5t and the combinations has a GTW of 7t.
I’ve been looking round internet for answers on speed limits vignettes etc, but some websites seem to contradict each other or confuse GVW with GTW, or refer to combinations under 3.5t.
Any other advice would be appreciated.
Hi muckles,
Here’s the bit about the German Sunday driving ban, right from the horse’s mouth.
Straßenverkerhrsverordnung (StVo) §30(3)
An Sonntagen und Feiertagen dürfen in der Zeit von 0.00 bis 22.00 Uhr Lastkraftwagen mit einer zulässigen Gesamtmasse über 7,5 t sowie Anhänger hinter Lastkraftwagen nicht verkehren.
My translation On Sundays and Bank Holidays between the hours of 00.00 - 22:00 trucks having a permitted GVW exceeding 7.5t and trucks towing trailers are not allowed to circulate [on the roads.]
TBH, I’m not sure about the speed limits or vignette/Maut rules for your van/trailer combination.
But what do they class as a truck, we have a 3.5t van towing a trailer, but I don’t need to run on Sunday in Germany so I’ll not worry to much about that for the moment.
Iguana seems to have trail blazed for me and much of what he posted (could be she I suppose ) seems to tally with other things I’ve read.
muckles:
But what do they class as a truck, we have a 3.5t van towing a trailer, but I don’t need to run on Sunday in Germany so I’ll not worry to much about that for the moment.
Iguana seems to have trail blazed for me and much of what he posted (could be she I suppose ) seems to tally with other things I’ve read.
A truck is nearly anything with a permitted GVW exceeding 3.5t.
Your van is known as a Kleintransporter (AKA Kleinlaster) so if it’s running solo, you’re not affected by the German Sunday driving ban.
My reading of the rules is that your problem arises when your van pulls a trailer, regardless of the permitted GVW.
IMHO, it’s caught because of the trailer and it being a vehicle constructed for carrying freight, so if it were a ‘proper’ **<**7.5t vehicle (without a trailer) you’d be ok to run on Sundays.
I’m fairly sure I’ve got this right, but let’s see if Inselaffe sees this and comments, because his knowledge is more current than mine.
dieseldave:
I’m fairly sure I’ve got this right, but let’s see if Inselaffe sees this and comments, because his knowledge is more current than mine.
Crazy as it seems, you’re OK with a 7,5t truck but a van pulling a trailer is a no no on Sundays. However, caravans, or trailers carrying equipment for sport or recreational purposes pulled by a vehicle with up to 3.5t gross weight are exempt from the Sunday driving ban. What actually defines “sport and recreational purposes” is open to debate and could lead to an interesting roadside conversation with the Polizei…
dieseldave:
I’m fairly sure I’ve got this right, but let’s see if Inselaffe sees this and comments, because his knowledge is more current than mine.
Crazy as it seems, you’re OK with a 7,5t truck but a van pulling a trailer is a no no on Sundays. However, caravans, or trailers carrying equipment for sport or recreational purposes pulled by a vehicle with up to 3.5t gross weight are exempt from the Sunday driving ban. What actually defines “sport and recreational purposes” is open to debate and could lead to an interesting roadside conversation with the Polizei…
Does seem strange.
Do they specify that the sports and recreational purpose is for non commercial use?
If they don’t specify it, then I’m sure a racing car and tools could be considered Sports use without to much further explanation.
Anybody know if it works the same in Austria?
muckles:
Do they specify that the sports and recreational purpose is for non commercial use?
Strictly non commercial use
Bugger, might be difficult to persuade them that the £500,000 car is mine especially as it has the drivers names on it.
But what constitutes “commercial use”, when transporting a race car?
Is it professional racing? ie Is there potentially, and hopefully, big prize money?
Or is it amateur racing where the prize money covers expenses, if you’re lucky?
Or is it that the transporter driver being a professional driver makes it commercial use?
Simon:
But what constitutes “commercial use”, when transporting a race car?
My guess is that carrying a racing car that belongs to somebody else would count as a commercial activity because there’s probably a transport fee involved.
I think the spirit of the Regulation is that your own racing car could be OK because it’s for your own use.
) seems to tally with other things I’ve read.
