hi everyone,
started a gritting job 2 weeks ago and been out 4 times so far.
the truck i am asked to drive is a 7.5 tonne iveco with an auger and a spinner and a snow plough later.
the thing is the firm i work for thinks i dont need a tacco to do the job but i think it is the law to have one , there is one in the dash and 3 times i asked for it to be used, the boss told me that gritters dont need a tacco and dont even need an mot.!!
my shift starts at 8pm and i get back at 5 or 6am but i work on site during the day and get to the gritting yard at 6pm.
they are paying £12 an hr with no extra for weekends or even b/holidays xmas etc and i get told at lunch time if i am needed for the night shift but at 5pm it may change!
the question is am i working for shysters?
and must i have a tacco fitted?
many thanx, martin.
Gritters, being dedicated highway maintainance vehicles, are exempt from EU rules. They still have tahos fitted in them by the manufacturer, but you don’t have to use them by law. Of course, they do still fall under Domestic laws (unless in a situation deemed as an ‘emergency’ where life/property could be at risk - i.e., sudden heavy snowfall) - so you will have to record your hours on paper in some form.
the boss told me that gritters dont need a tacco and dont even need an mot.!!
Not sure about MOT, but if you look closely at the tax disc it will show ‘nil duty’ or something similar. Gritters are exempt from road duty - still have to display a tax disc, but it costs the owner nothing.
Welcome to Trucknet-UK saltycheshiremark 
I agree with BravoGolfCharlie that as you are working on road maintenance you are exempt from tachograph regulations articles 5 to 9 of “Regulation (EC) 561/2006” which basically means that you don’t need to use a tachograph on the job you do.
I’ve no idea about the need for the vehicle to be tested but I hope it’s not right, I can’t think of a single good reason why gritters should be exempt from the need to be MOT tested 
I would be interested to know how much grit a 7.5 tonne iveco with a blade, a spinner and an auger or conveyor can carry, not much I bet
No MOT is necessary;
Vehicles used solely for one or both of the following purposes:-
a. Clearing frost, ice or snow from roads by means of a snow plough or
smaller contrivance, whether forming part of the vehicle or not, and
b. spreading material on roads to deal with, ice or snow.
Road Tax is NIL.
There is some doubt about Dual Purpose trucks, such as those demountable gritter bodies but I think the word solely in my quote rules those out!