This is a bit of a how-long-is-a-piece-of-string question, but I’ve been asked by a would-be owner driver what kind of price he should expect to pay to a maintenance provider.
He’s not computer literate so can’t post on here himself, plus he’s not a native English speaker so framing questions is a bit of a challenge for him. I expect most replies would suggest telling him to drop the idea, I’m certainly tempted to do so, but he has asked for information so I’d like to get a rough answer for him.
He aims to run two tractor units, most likely working for the local Amazon place, he has no idea of annual mileage yet. The vehicles are apparently going to be rented. I would have expected a rental company to insist on charging for their own inspections etc. TBH I’ve got issues with where he’s “renting” them from, he apparently traveled from the north-east to London to pick up these vehicles
I would imagine a basic contract would be most appropriate for him, covering safety inspections, scheduled servicing etc.
All suggestions on expected costs would be gratefully received, especially for the northern region as I’d expect regional price differences, I’ve got no personal prior experience in arranging truck maintenance.
Zac_A:
This is a bit of a how-long-is-a-piece-of-string question, but I’ve been asked by a would-be owner driver what kind of price he should expect to pay to a maintenance provider.
He’s not computer literate so can’t post on here himself, plus he’s not a native English speaker so framing questions is a bit of a challenge for him. I expect most replies would suggest telling him to drop the idea, I’m certainly tempted to do so, but he has asked for information so I’d like to get a rough answer for him.
He aims to run two tractor units, most likely working for the local Amazon place, he has no idea of annual mileage yet. The vehicles are apparently going to be rented. I would have expected a rental company to insist on charging for their own inspections etc. TBH I’ve got issues with where he’s “renting” them from, he apparently traveled from the north-east to London to pick up these vehicles :?
I would imagine a basic contract would be most appropriate for him, covering safety inspections, scheduled servicing etc.
All suggestions on expected costs would be gratefully received, especially for the northern region as I’d expect regional price differences, I’ve got no personal prior experience in arranging truck maintenance.
If he has already picked up 2 trucks, its also a "cart before the horse" question. What did he put on his O-Licence application regarding maintenance I wonder? How is he costing out his work if he doesnt know mileages, nor maintenance costs, etc?
“Using a maintenance provider
If you do not do this work yourself, you must provide the traffic commissioner with a copy of a contract with a maintenance provider. You’re still responsible for the condition of your vehicles and trailers, even if they are maintained for you by someone else.” gov.uk/being-a-goods-vehicl … r-vehicles
Zac_A:
Picking up the trucks isn’t a problem, as long as he isn’t “operating”, ie loaded or on the way to get loaded.
The trip up in a solo tractor may not be a problem, I agree, but will he have a couple of tractors sat around doing nowt except cost money?
If he has an O-Licence all sorted great, he can use them. Im surprised its possible to get one without a contract in place.
You don’t need an O licence to rent an LGV, but he does have his O-licence set up and ready to rock, it just has no vehicles listed on it and there won’t be until he’s sorted the maintenance provider, which is currently the main point he’s stuck at.
No suggestions on actual costs? There is a maintenance provider in our area I could contact, I just didn’t think he’d be happy to have me phoning him on a Sunday when he works six days a week.
Zac_A:
You don’t need an O licence to rent an LGV, but he does have his O-licence set up and ready to rock, it just has no vehicles listed on it and there won’t be until he’s sorted the maintenance provider, which is currently the main point he’s stuck at.
No suggestions on actual costs? There is a maintenance provider in our area I could contact, I just didn’t think he’d be happy to have me phoning him on a Sunday when he works six days a week.
If you are running legit and dealing with legit suppliers, of course you need an o licence to rent vehicles.
You also need insurance, for which you also need an o licence.
You also need to name a maintenance provider on your o licence application.
An o licence with no vehicles…?
If he actually does have an o license and has already collected vehicles without a clue of inspection costs then it really does not bode well.
Not being able to speak English or use a computer is the icing on a very dodgy cake.
Walk away from this.
For your information, I pay £75 for a six weekly inspection, £100 with a brake roller test.
idrive:
For your information, I pay £75 for a six weekly inspection, £100 with a brake roller test.
Thanks for that, this is the kind of thing I was looking for. So do I take it you don’t have a package that includes servicing too, or MOT/Pre-MOT work etc?
Seems like there’s some misconceptions about the O-licence situation:
The unfortunate OD has his O-licence, I know, I’ve seen it.
Yes you can obtain your O-licence before specifying the actual reg numbers that will be on it, as he has done.
Similarly you can (very quickly and easily now) add/remove/change the vehicles on the licence (within the limits of what was originally authorized)
As he hadn’t yet specified the vehicle reg number, the insurance (which he does now have) wasn’t required until he obtained the vehicles, and the maintenance information likewise not initially required - hence this is currently his main stumbling block.
I can’t say if his vehicles came from a legit supplier, I’ve told him he’ll need to possess a written contract for the rental and for the maintenance.
As for not boding well… I am inclined to agree. However I have no problem advising him what he MUST have, and in telling him he CANNOT operate until he has this.
His English is functional, I think it is a cultural issue whereby he hasn’t yet realised in the UK we need things to be properly squared away. Either he’ll get his ducks in a row or he’ll have a non-functional O-licence, which he knows will get him in deep, deep trouble.
A three axle HGV MOT is assumed to take 45 minutes including RBT. This assumes the assistance of a driver in the cab and a loaded trailer coupled. The pre-paid fee from the DVSA is £113 and the ATF is entitled to charge up to £55 to provide the facilities. The MOT does not include checking wheel nut torque nor checking and recording tyre pressures, age and tread depths, there is no requirement either to tick off a checklist nor to categorise the priority of any developing issues. In that context £75 plus an extra £25 for RBT is very cheap.
He’s all sorted now, the vehicle lessor is going to do the maintenance, I’ve seen the rental agreement, maintenance agreement and insurance docs, the vehicles have checked out on gov.uk and his O-licence lists his vehicles. The driver shortage, whatever number that might actually be, has now been reduced by two.
If he had previously been of the opinion that “going it alone” was a doddle, as some people who post on TN seem to imagine, he knows differently now. Despite the initial hurdles, when he speaks he sounds very genuine about running legally, which is more than I can say for some potential clients I’ve refused to touch with a bargepole.
Zac_A:
He’s all sorted now, the vehicle lessor is going to do the maintenance, I’ve seen the rental agreement, maintenance agreement and insurance docs, the vehicles have checked out on gov.uk and his O-licence lists his vehicles. The driver shortage, whatever number that might actually be, has now been reduced by two.
If he had previously been of the opinion that “going it alone” was a doddle, as some people who post on TN seem to imagine, he knows differently now. Despite the initial hurdles, when he speaks he sounds very genuine about running legally, which is more than I can say for some potential clients I’ve refused to touch with a bargepole.
I’m really curious how he managed to gain an O licence without a maintenance contract?
To qualify for an Operator’s Licence, whether it is Standard or Restricted Licence, you must satisfy a traffic commissioner that you: Are of good repute and fit to hold a licence. Are of appropriate financial standing eg: you have enough money to run your business. Have suitable facilities or arrangements for maintaining your vehicles. Are capable of ensuring that both you and your staff obey all the rules. For a Standard Licence there are three other requirements:
“The driver shortage has been reduced by two”……How? I’m guessing he’s got a LGV licence and I’m praying his driver(s) have a license. He does understand there isn’t a shortage of jobs or trucks, there’s a shortage of drivers?
Zac_A:
He’s all sorted now, the vehicle lessor is going to do the maintenance, I’ve seen the rental agreement, maintenance agreement and insurance docs, the vehicles have checked out on gov.uk and his O-licence lists his vehicles. The driver shortage, whatever number that might actually be, has now been reduced by two.
If he had previously been of the opinion that “going it alone” was a doddle, as some people who post on TN seem to imagine, he knows differently now. Despite the initial hurdles, when he speaks he sounds very genuine about running legally, which is more than I can say for some potential clients I’ve refused to touch with a bargepole.
That someone else is doing the physical PMIs, its still your friend who is responsible and has a number of O Lic obligations. They might do well, if you haven’t already, get an external assessor in to do a gap analysis (Difference between what you have and what you should have) and a plan to get things rectified.
Getting a vehicle PMI’d is just the tint tip of the O lic roles they are going to be expected to deal with.
Sounds like you’re familiar with the TM side of the job, using a phrase like Gap analysis
We always do a SIPCAT for new clients, but as he hasn’t had any vehicles to run until a few days ago, there’s been nothing to analyse. You can be certain that we’ll be very actively managing his O-licence and telling exactly what he needs to do. He talks-the-talk about running compliantly, we’ll be on him all the time to make sure he walks-the-walk.
He’s been very fortunate to find people prepared to be patient with him, many others would have just walked away.
