What was/is the procedure for getting them issued ?
Looking at some pics of lorries in the 70s/80s,there appears to be more than a few sporting them when imo, it looks like they never ventured over the water.
So, could you only get them if running on an international O licence.
Also, why did some operators have them on the unit when it was the trailer that would have been customs sealed ?
Suedehead:
What was/is the procedure for getting them issued ?
Looking at some pics of lorries in the 70s/80s,there appears to be more than a few sporting them when imo, it looks like they never ventured over the water.
So, could you only get them if running on an international O licence.
Also, why did some operators have them on the unit when it was the trailer that would have been customs sealed ?
TIR-plates were not issued. You could buy them over the counter. In about 1977 TRUCK magazine actually gave away thousands of sticky-backed full size ones in an issue of their magazine. In the '70s it was commonplace to ‘■■■ up’ your lorry with a TIR-plate.
In principal they were, as you suggest, only applicable to the loaded part of the vehicle, which in most cases meant plating the front and back of the trailer, or in the case of a rigid vehicle, the front bumper and the rear doors. However, as some countries - Turkey springs to mind - sealed the fifth-wheel coupling release handle, thus rendering the whole equipage a single TIR unit, you needed your front TIR-plate on the bumper of the unit. IIRC, Russia was similarly ruled. I do remember also that Saudi used to seal the turntable handle but I can’t remember if they were actually part of the TIR convention! Hope that helps. Robert
It was really quite simple. You walked into any one of a number of truck parts suppliers, paid your money ad walked out with as many as you wanted.
For those few of us who actually did the job hanging a TIR plate on a tractor unit was the perfect way of having a big illuminated sign saying 'i am a complete ■■■■ who knows nothing about the job. Once loaded and doing customs the plate front and back of the loaded goods carrying vehicle had also to be sealed making the whole thing the vehicle declared on the TIR Carnet that could then not be opened or dissasembled without customs authority. If you were silly enough to get the plate on the front of the tractor sealed it would mean that you could not, without a load of aggro, separate to two in the advent of a breakdown. It was different, of course, with a wagon and drag because the waggon itself would be a goods carrying vehicle.
David
David Miller:
It was really quite simple. You walked into any one of a number of truck parts suppliers, paid your money ad walked out with as many as you wanted.For those few of us who actually did the job hanging a TIR plate on a tractor unit was the perfect way of having a big illuminated sign saying 'i am a complete [zb] who knows nothing about the job. Once loaded and doing customs the plate front and back of the loaded goods carrying vehicle had also to be sealed making the whole thing the vehicle declared on the TIR Carnet that could then not be opened or dissasembled without customs authority. If you were silly enough to get the plate on the front of the tractor sealed it would mean that you could not, without a load of aggro, separate to two in the advent of a breakdown. It was different, of course, with a wagon and drag because the waggon itself would be a goods carrying vehicle.
David
Quite right David. Getting a load re-sealed after an accident, a theft or ingress of illegal immigrants was usually a bit of nightmare. Incidentally, I always reckoned the most sensible TIR-plates were those that were hinged down the middle like a haz-chem plate so that you could stow it when not required. By the way, merry Xmas to you old mate! Robert
You know more than I do Robert (no big surprises there) but in all the trips I did either to or through Turkey nobody ever offered to seal my 5th wheel coupling and they would have been hard pressed to find a TIR plate on the tractor to seal. The whole rig was, of course, entered in your passport and I believe it was difficult to leave without it.
Though I had packed up the Middle East before most of the tales on this website are dated.
David
David Miller:
You know more than I do Robert (no big surprises there) but in all the trips I did either to or through Turkey nobody ever offered to seal my 5th wheel coupling and they would have been hard pressed to find a TIR plate on the tractor to seal. The whole rig was, of course, entered in your passport and I believe it was difficult to leave without it.Though I had packed up the Middle East before most of the tales on this website are dated.
David
Absolutely. I was transitting Turkey many years later than you were. I understand that the Turks introduced the system following legion fiddles and corrupt practices resulting in the infamous disappearances of units, trailers, loads and even drivers in Turkey during the '70s and '80s. The UK bandits of that era had a lot to answer for and their rotten legacy had a long-lasting effect on the reputation of our industry. Robert
A lot of us blokes only put them on for decoration along with stickers etc …just the fad of the times !!! and a bit of bulldust …this was mine !!
I’ve had a few trucks with TIR plates on them.
TIR was set up by the IRU in 1949 and was designed so that if a container / truck was inspected while being loaded and also sealed by a certified member it could then continue for the remainder of it’s international journey unhindered… as long as the seal was unbroken.
In recent years the IRU also tried to initiate. NETI… New Eurasian Transportation Initiative which was designed to do over land transport from China to Europe. I’m not really sure what happened to NETI . it got going around 2002 after some brave European drivers had spent a few years trying to sort out a bunch “bureaucratic situations” and different routes. I would like to think it’s still going as a lot of people spent a load of time on it. But there doesn’t seem to be any sign of it after 2009.
A few of my work mates did a course in Swiss before our initial run, unfortunately most of the border guards along the way did their best to knock the wheels of that particular band wagon. The only person that we met that was even slightly interested in the scheme was the Fat Controller who was in charge of the rail yard at Almaty. The IRU also gave us the CMR … and still to come is the E TIR… The IRU along with TIR in now recognised in 60 countries…
Many years ago if you were a poser and ran through France with a TIR plate but weren’t on an international journey then the Douang (or however you spell it) would expect you to buy them a very large coffee.
I still have one of my old TIR plates hanging on the wall of my shed… and have been known from time to time to stick it to the front of my truck. Last time I had it on for a recent Interstate trip I was pulled at every Government check point. They didn’t know what it was for but they thought it must be worth investigating. I took it after about 500k’s after being pulled 3 times.
Saudi is part of IRU but they were late to sign up… how ever they used to make their own rules on the spot when the feeling took them. Iran was also part of the IUR but it also never stopped them ripping into your truck if they felt like it. Libya also had an understanding with the IRU… Questionable…
Jeff…
Most TIR plates came with 1 inch wide section of truck size inner tube. This was stretched diagonally across the plate and looped round the corners to show the trailer wasn’t running under TIR regulations.
I had TIR plate stuck on my document case; along with the nationality stickers of Switzerland, half of Romania, Italy and Sweden.
ChrisArbon:
Most TIR plates came with 1 inch wide section of truck size inner tube. This was stretched diagonally across the plate and looped round the corners to show the trailer wasn’t running under TIR regulations.I had TIR plate stuck on my document case; along with the nationality stickers of Switzerland, half of Romania, Italy and Sweden.
When not running under TIR, I always kept a roll of black tape to hand for sticking diagonally across the plate. The authorities were always happy with that, except for one occasion when I used red tape instead of black and was pulled up by the douane in France. 
Robert
As well as the tir plates does any one remember the buckets hanging on the front ,what was all that about?
ANDREWDAX:
As well as the tir plates does any one remember the buckets hanging on the front ,what was all that about?
Hey, to clean your windows and mirrors, and at the time you needed very often to fill water in the radiator too.
Eric,
Hey Robert, Where is the time you needed for the nightbour countries even en TIR plate, and empty not black strip and you could pay or deal in a routiers. Only NL and LUX were free for us then already Benelux countries. Yes in those strange countries it was Always often different, if you never continuous drove, after a halve year or more you thought i know it if you went back,but nothing was the same. And of course the more trucks came the more control. Were there 3 times in '73 and '74 and it was al easy, only still the ferry in Istanbul. Of course i can not speak of experience for only 3 times. Then two times begin the '80’s and the game was over for me. But a broken seal was a night more too in England 
if one for the joke had snipped it. No experience but think if you saw it in the morning, was best to call the police to explane.
think here the same if of the 100 sold plates 50 ever were used it was much. And this 141 was never outside of Belgium even not further of about 200km from base.
Eric,
ANDREWDAX:
As well as the tir plates does any one remember the buckets hanging on the front ,what was all that about?
Here you go! My favourite ‘bucket’ picture. Robert
tiptop495:
Hey Robert, Where is the time you needed for the nightbour countries even en TIR plate, and empty not black strip and you could pay or deal in a routiers. Only NL and LUX were free for us then already Benelux countries. Yes in those strange countries it was Always often different, if you never continuous drove, after a halve year or more you thought i know it if you went back,but nothing was the same. And of course the more trucks came the more control. Were there 3 times in '73 and '74 and it was al easy, only still the ferry in Istanbul. Of course i can not speak of experience for only 3 times. Then two times begin the '80’s and the game was over for me. But a broken seal was a night more too in England
think here the same if of the 100 sold plates 50 ever were used it was much. And this 141 was never outside of Belgium even not further of about 200km from base.Eric,
Yes, always a problem if the seal was broken; or if the tilt was slashed. I remember a bloke in Romania had alluminium on board but the load shifted so he pulled into Sibiu to get customs to help him right the load and re-seal it. Robert
ERF-NGC-European:
tiptop495:
Hey Robert, Where is the time you needed for the nightbour countries even en TIR plate, and empty not black strip and you could pay or deal in a routiers. Only NL and LUX were free for us then already Benelux countries. Yes in those strange countries it was Always often different, if you never continuous drove, after a halve year or more you thought i know it if you went back,but nothing was the same. And of course the more trucks came the more control. Were there 3 times in '73 and '74 and it was al easy, only still the ferry in Istanbul. Of course i can not speak of experience for only 3 times. Then two times begin the '80’s and the game was over for me. But a broken seal was a night more too in England
think here the same if of the 100 sold plates 50 ever were used it was much. And this 141 was never outside of Belgium even not further of about 200km from base.Eric,
Yes, always a problem if the seal was broken; or if the tilt was slashed. I remember a bloke in Romania had alluminium on board but the load shifted so he pulled into Sibiu to get customs to help him right the load and re-seal it. Robert
Robert, didn’t T.I.R. stand for Trans Internatianole Routiers?
gingerfold:
ERF-NGC-European:
tiptop495:
Hey Robert, Where is the time you needed for the nightbour countries even en TIR plate, and empty not black strip and you could pay or deal in a routiers. Only NL and LUX were free for us then already Benelux countries. Yes in those strange countries it was Always often different, if you never continuous drove, after a halve year or more you thought i know it if you went back,but nothing was the same. And of course the more trucks came the more control. Were there 3 times in '73 and '74 and it was al easy, only still the ferry in Istanbul. Of course i can not speak of experience for only 3 times. Then two times begin the '80’s and the game was over for me. But a broken seal was a night more too in England
think here the same if of the 100 sold plates 50 ever were used it was much. And this 141 was never outside of Belgium even not further of about 200km from base.Eric,
Yes, always a problem if the seal was broken; or if the tilt was slashed. I remember a bloke in Romania had alluminium on board but the load shifted so he pulled into Sibiu to get customs to help him right the load and re-seal it. Robert
Robert, didn’t T.I.R. stand for Trans Internatianole Routiers?
Yes!
I remember the first trip i done to Italy,that was on a TIR carnet.I had to clear and tip in Novara first,re-seal then on to Milan,clear again then tip.Re-load Zanussi,make TIR carnet again at Novara for the homeward journey,took 2 weeks.
I’m curious about the bucket pic with the Oryx motor crossing H4-Turayf.If thats Pat Hawkes driving then thats me sitting next to him. 
hutpik:
I’m curious about the bucket pic with the Oryx motor crossing H4-Turayf.If thats Pat Hawkes driving then thats me sitting next to him.
Truckerash will know 
Robert