Hi all, im new here, sorry if it is explained already somewhere here, couldn’t find it.
Here is my question. Recently started driving for coachbuilders on truck 3.5t iveco daily. Its basically collection accident dameged cars from customers address to company yard and after fixed delivery back.
Do I need to use tacho and Eu drivers hours? Because driver there told me we don’t need to coz we are recovery but I think we are coachbuilders amd not sole recovery company.
Also been told to use OUT on tacho and we are fine.
Is it correct ? Can someone clarify this? Thanks
I always believed that a tacho wasn’t required on vehicles of 3.5 tonne and below (I’m assuming that you’re not also towing a trailer?)
You are correct that a tacho generally isn’t required on recovery work, but you’re not doing recovery work per se, you’re doing pure hire and reward haulage work from what you say.
I’d also urge caution with regards to being overweight; most 3.5 tonners can only legally carry around 1200kg and a lot of modern cars are way over that.
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As @maoster says apart from anything else the delivery of repaired vehicles means you are not on recovery work.
This vehicle has a decent payload
And smaller cars like Minis might be OK, but a basic BMW 5-Series is too heavy to be carried at over 1,500kgs.
So, if on a trailer it is over 3.5T gross, and then it is O-licence, tachograph etc.
All assuming you aren’t doing Euro work when the rules now change at 2.5T, not 3.5T.
(The EU cracking down on vans,at the speed of a lazy glacier)
But, if under 3.5T ,and only UK, at all times?
Crack on.
Once you’ve got something attached to a towbar on the vehicle it’s no longer a 3.5T, you’re now rated on your GTW - Gross Train Weight
Recovery only, yes you’re exempt from a few things (within 100km of base), but when returning a repaired vehicle you’re under all the regs: O-licence, EU hours, DCPC etc. As Maoster says that’s now H&R work.
The big name recovery companies are so well in with Police and DVSA that they rarely, if ever, get checked, with smaller companies you can expect to attract lots of attention. As a coachbuilder you’re not likely to be “in with the in-crowd”.
You’re right to get independent opinions and to beware of taking legal advice from your fellow drivers, they aren’t going to be chipping in for fines if you get pulled.
Hi, thanks all for reply. Ive checked and its 7400kg gross weight. No trailer and no euro, only uk, glasgow and surrounding areas.
So am i correct use tacho and follow eu driving?
Its iveco daily 72-180
Quick and dirty answer:
Yes and Yes.
Longer answer:
Over 3.5T under 7.5T the driver needs either
Cat B if passed before 1997, or Cat C1 or Cat C, driving licence.
The operator needs a National O-Licence and all that goes with it.
The business involves transporting cars outside of recovery work, and are not the property of the business, so no exemptions seem relevant
A recovery vehicle has the same meaning as in Part V of Schedule 1 to the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 (i.e. a vehicle which is constructed or permanently adapted for any one or more of the purposes of lifting, towing and transporting a disabled vehicle). The returning of a vehicle to a customer after repair does not constitute the transportation of a disabled vehicle. You will require a standard operator’s licence for this
You are under EU rules and need to comply with all Tacho rules.
Yikes, you’ve made a leap from saying it’s a 3.5t needing no additional driving licence, no tacho, no. O Licence to it being a 7.5t that needs all 3.
Regardless of the title as coach builders, nothing you’ve said suggests it would satisfy being a recovery veh. It’s simply carrying goods for some one and the goods happen to be cars.