Hiring a truck, not for hire or reward

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi all,

Hoping I can pick a few brains in here first, before I might have to head off to one of the other forums!

A friend of mine is planning to block-pave his drive in Colchester. His dad, who lives in Lincoln, has loads of block paviours, by his counting about 22 ton of them. My mate reckons he’ll probably use about 18 ton of them, and then flog the rest. The only problem is transporting them.

He’s asked me if I’ll drive a lorry, if he hires it, to collect them for him, as a favour - not for pay (apart from a few beers or so when all the hard work is done). I’m more than happy to do this, as I owe him a few favours, but I’m just wondering what sort of problems this will cause, and what we’d need in terms of paperwork etc.

Firstly, I’m pretty certain that it will be a journey under tacho rules, no problem in that. I’m sure we’ll be able to get Colchester - Lincoln & back in a normal driving day.

The main concern is how does the O-licence bit work? Is it even possible to hire a truck without holding your own O-licence, and would one be needed for this sort of one-off, not for hire, own goods, work? Going by the weight, I’m pretty sure it would need to be an artic (the weights which have been quoted seem a bit too close to the margin to take a chance on a rigid, even a 4-axle one).

Has anybody any experience of this sort of thing? It seems like a lot of palaver, but to buy the bricks works out at about £280 for a pallet, and there’s about 15 pallets there, so it will save a fair chunk of dosh if it can be done.

Thanks

Gary

2

that might come under the scope of a restriced o licence although not sure as it is not a business or for hire or reward, best bet is phone your local vosa and ask the question.

3

I think it would be easier and a lot cheaper to phone around a few hauliers and get it shifted as a back load!

4

scaniason:
he’ll probably use about 18 ton of them, and then flog the rest.

I believe that would mean a restricted O licence is required.

5

scaniason:
The main concern is how does the O-licence bit work?

Hi Gary,

Since your endeavour isn’t connected with a trade or business, then you don’t need an ‘O’ licence.

IMHO, your problem might arise when you have to provide an acceptable indemnity (to the hirer) that what you’re doing doesn’t come under the requirement to have an ‘O’ licence.

FWIW, I agree with the advice already given to get the load moved by somebody who already has a truck, because even if you could overcome the indemnity problem, the cost of hire + fuel will probably exceed the rate at which you could get the job done by somebody as a backload.