Could you O/Ds settle a discussion please about how many ‘people’ can be carried legally in the cab of your truck?
My argument, point, is that as there are only two usable, belted seats available, only two people can be legally, insured, carried in the truck, specifically the driver and one passenger.
I know there is space on the bunk etc. etc., but, just what is the legal ‘insurance’ position?
Thanks for any quick reply…
Terry
Not sure on that one?
But not all trucks (older) come fitted with seatbelts on both seats and the law states you only haveto wear them if “fitted”
so if you have no seatbelts fitted how many people can you have in the cab now?
No idea on the exact ruling but my Volvo has in place of a permanent bottom bunk what Volvo call the Office/Dinette package, two seats and a table, both of the seats have lap belts fitted. I guess that means I can carry four people in total.
I just had a quick look in my insurance documents and there isn’t anything, that I can see, that says how many people can be carried.
Your insurance might decide it, as they do with cars. They usually have already decided how many legal seats there are.
I thought it was a person for every proper seat, usually two or three id you happen to have a middle seat.
Thanks for the replies, but I’m still none the wiser!
Its not my insurance that is the issue, I am employed and dont have to worry too much about it. My Daughters boyfriends Dad is the O/D and had offered to take his son and my daughter on a job yesterday (saturday) to drop off a tilt and do a collection. She has not had any opportunity to get in a truck for a long time and saw this as an ideal chance to have some fun.
The problem arose when I asked if he had appropriate insurance to carry more than two passengers, my assumption was that only two seats, only two people, I thought that was logical and responsible…?
All I got back was that he only needed insurance if he was going ‘on site’ and as he was not going to do so, my daughter would be alright sitting on the bunk…!
I think I made the right decision in not allowing her to go, it seems too grey an area in the event of an incident.
If anyone can clarify the legal position, chapter and verse, I would appreciate it.
Thank you all
Terry
i don’t think it much matters with insurance as they will try anything to get out of paying a claim anyway but as for the legal aspect in the tacho regs for multi manned driving it states if 2 or more drivers are operating the vehicle therefore insinuating that a truck can be driven by more than the amount of seats available for sitting.
i once worked for a company that often used the trucks as a mini bus with sometimes as many as five drivers returning to base in a renault magnum from as far as harwich or felixstowe.
training vehicles are required to have an extra seat if training 2 students together.
johnny:
tacho regs for multi manned driving it states if 2 or more drivers are operating the vehicle therefore insinuating that a truck can be driven by more than the amount of seats available for sitting.
I don’t think that would necessarily mean they are implying that the vehicle can have more peolple than seats, what about crew cabbed vehicles. We used to have a Volvo rigid with a crew cab that could seat 5, driver, passenger and three on seats where the bunk would have been, all with seat belts. At times all the crew would have held the proper licence to drive the vehicle so could have used the tachograph.
What about if the cab is being double manned and the second driver wants to get his head down on the bunk (which I thought was allowed) while the vehicle is in motion. Almost certainly he won’t be wearing a seat belt.
Would be good to know the legal position though.
marcustandy:
What about if the cab is being double manned and the second driver wants to get his head down on the bunk (which I thought was allowed) while the vehicle is in motion.
I am pretty sure that technically, the second driver getting his head down on the bunk would be illegal. It’s only a break not a rest, when your not driving.
I know it definitely is, in Germany.
I knew that the time on the bunk was a break from driving, not daily rest but I just wasn’t sure if it was legal to be on the bunk while the vehicle is in motion. I know where I always go for a break of anything more than 20 mins - bunk for a power snooze!!
You’re right about Germany though! They’re quite hot on not having anything ‘loose’ in your vehicle, cars as well. There was a stand devoted specifically to the subject at Hanover CV Show.
A couple of months ago they were doing spot checks on the main road near me and basically, anything in your car has to be secured; mobile has to be in a bracket or holder, briefcase/handbag/schoolbags in the boot, dog had to be wearing a dog-seatbelt, etc, etc.
If you drive an estate car you have to have either a load cover fitted and closed or a cargo net.
The dog-seatbelt was funny; if your dog weighs less than 20kg then the harness (dog-seatbelt) can have plastic buckles fitted but over 20kg then it must have metal buckles fitted!! And of course, any of them had to be TUV approved and CE marked. I didn’t see the Polizei had any scales there though!!
i double manned for almost 2 years and let me tell you that there isn’t a person out there that can stay awake for the entire 22 hours that a double man team can be on duty for, if the driver not driving was unable to sleep whilst the other driver drove then there would be a hell of a lot of accidents.
what it says is that the driver resting may take that rest period in a bunk or couchette whilst not driving but the vehicle must be stationary when both drivers rest.
some coaches actually have a bedroom that can be accessed either from the outside of the coach (usually refered to as a coffin by regular drivers) or that can be accessed from the stairwell near the toilet.
both my partners when i double manned used to sleep when not driving as did i.
it is sometimes difficult but without that sleep the drivers would be a danger to other road users.