Am I exempt from CPC?

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
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Hi there, been browsing the forum for a while and has been very helpful, thanks.

I’m a tree surgeon and need to take my lorry test in order to drive the 7.5t truck and tow the 1.5t chipper to site, as driving is not my job do I not have to take the driver CPC?

I found this on a website:

‘Vehicles used for carrying material of equipment to be used by the driver in the course of his or her work, providing that driving the vehicles is not the drivers’ principle activity’

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. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: Welcome SamBarnett :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: .
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SamBarnett:
I’m a tree surgeon and need to take my lorry test in order to drive the 7.5t truck and tow the 1.5t chipper to site, as driving is not my job do I not have to take the driver CPC?

That would require you to have a FULL C1+E licence as the trailer is over 750kgs
Most C1 courses are the same price as C courses - same for C1+E and C+E

If all you do is to drive to the site, work all day on the site, then drive back at the end of shift, you are EXEMPT initial & periodic driver cpc.
If you do any more than the above then a call to the the DSA number in my signature will be needed for a decision.

Forum with some useful stuff and Forum for questions on drivers hours

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ROG:
Most C1 courses are the same price as C courses - same for C1+E and C+E

Just out of interest but are C1E courses that common, or do most schools offer the CE?

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mrpj:

ROG:
Most C1 courses are the same price as C courses - same for C1+E and C+E

Just out of interest but are C1E courses that common, or do most schools offer the CE?

Some schools use the ‘B+E’ trailer for C1+E if they have a C1 truck - many have to hire the C1 truck.

Most schools offer C and then C+E because doing C1 & C1+E is a waste of time for most as a car ‘B’ licence holder can go straight to C

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Best advice is as above; take your C then CE. The cost will be virtually the same and the licence a hell of a lot better. You will never have to worry about trailer weights etc (within reason of course!). Also, another form of income if ever trees didn’t need surgery. You would then need the driver cpc - but you’ll earn the cost of that back in a couple of days so it’s no big deal.

Be very carefull when looking to use exemptions. If, for instance, you drove the truck one day to fetch some equipment from a supplier and bring it back to base, you would not be exempt from cpc. The example given is the bricklayer who drives the truck to site, lays bricks all day and then returns the truck. Once you do more than that, you are outside the exemption.

As a new law, this will only be clarified by a test case or two in court. For the sake of £200, why risk it??

Best of luck with it all. :laughing: :laughing:

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I wouldn’t worry too much about cpc, we have found that many of customers in the same position as yourself are exempt.

However you will always find in this industry that companies say getting a c1 licence will cost the same as obtaining C. In our area this is not the case because driving schools use large Iveco vans with a car trailer in tow. The course only lasts 2 days on C1 and one day on C1+E, including both tests. You will find this over £1000 cheaper than doing the full class one C+E. Just look for a driving school offering c1 training using a large van not a truck. It’s a doddle to pass, I know because we do it.

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Thanks for the feedback.

I have noticed a training school using the iveco daily vans which don’t look too big so will have to give them a call.

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I have noticed a training school using the iveco daily vans which don’t look too big so will have to give them a call.

Got to be the easy way so I don’t blame you. If you’re worried about the size of vehicle you’re absolutely right. But if it’s the cost, look around. The difference between the two may just surprise you. Also consider the possibility of needing a CAT C at a future date. If there’s any chance of that, then don’t waste your time, money and sleepless nights on a lesser licence just to have to do most of it again.

Whatever you decide, good luck with it all :laughing: :laughing:

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I agree with Peter, why go for the lesser licence. You still have to take the same theory test and also the test fee is the same.

Shop about in your area and you may find that doing the C licence may be cheaper than doing the C1

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ROG:

mrpj:

ROG:
Most C1 courses are the same price as C courses - same for C1+E and C+E

Just out of interest but are C1E courses that common, or do most schools offer the CE?

Some schools use the ‘B+E’ trailer for C1+E if they have a C1 truck - many have to hire the C1 truck.

Most schools offer C and then C+E because doing C1 & C1+E is a waste of time for most as a car ‘B’ licence holder can go straight to C

We use different trailers for B+E and C1+E, because the requirements for MAM of the trailers are different - B+E unladen trailer of at least one tonne MAM, C1+E a trailer of at least 2 tonnes MAM. Also it’s better to be able to see the trailer behind a C1 vehicle, which would be a bit wide for a B+E.

Generally a C1 vehicle does not have a range change to ‘play with’ either, so is somewhat easier to drive.