can your cpc expire the reason i ask is a mate of mine took it years ago along with his class1 and adr but he,s never used it .also could i employ him as my transport manager if i bought a truck and if so what would the requirements be.also is there any chance someone could post the basic requirements for a new startup ie financial standing for you to gain an o license etc ive tried the rha and they were a waste of space.can a new start lease trucksn and if yes would you advise against it and here comes the naive question how do i go about doing a bussiness plan.this is somthing ive wanted to do since i was knee high to a grasshopper i dont want it to fail but i know it wont be easy and i,ll never get rich but if i dont try it i,ll know i.ll regret it.and rob ive got my tin helmet on in anticipation of your reply 
Carl
Ask your bank manager (or other oik) about business plans, they’re there to help - after all, they want your money
Don’t know about now, but most banks used to have pro-forma business plans where, with a little advice, you just filled in the blanks.
All the best and keep us up to date with how you get along (some of us are interested 
)
cheers
Jules
Hi Carl
Once you have a CPC it is for life and cannot expire
I have my truck on a lease/purchase over 4 years and I got this from my startup
Business plans are a pain at the best of times but you can get help from businesslink.gov.uk
I still struggle a bit after the first year but I am happy and thats the main thing so good luck mate enjoy
in answer to the cpc question, yes your mate can act as a tm for you, you’d need to send his certificate with your o’license application together with a contract of employment (povided by vosa) if i remember rightly they specify that you must employ him for four hours a week for one wagon.
as already sugested, the banks a good place to sort out a business plan they all have small business advisers for that job. just a word of warning, steer well clear of barclays.
as for leasing? never done it and probably never will unless i get some work that gave me a contract that matched the lengh of the lease.
another word of caution, if you go down the buying second hand route to get going, make sure you know what your buying, theres an awfull lot of crap for sale and an awfull lot of people that will turn you over but also the odd decent wagon so if you spot something that looks ok have someone look it over top to bottom, hundred quid for a machanic to check it out is a lot less than you might end up spending if you buy a dog!
Mine’s still current although I haven’t used it in anger for about 9 years.
Business plans weren’t in fashion the last time I was an independant but maybe the others are right about the bank. Personally I would prefer to find a recommended accountant, I have a deep distrust of banks and insurance companies.
Again beware of second hand trucks, don’t rule them out but you can get your fingers burnt. I did a couple of times but that was because 100 years ago you couldn’t get finance unless you were rich and I had to buy cheapos for cash 
.
Unless you are an expert mechano budget for a good man to look after that side. Botching blindly all day Saturday will only turn you into a grump with a wreck on Monday.
Lastly, research your market and buy the appropriate kit. A tipper is not much good on container work and have you ever tried shifting muck with a skelly?
Best of luck and keep us posted if you take the plunge.
Salut, David.
Don’t forget though, your CPC holder has to be of “good repute”.
Criminals and bankrupts will find it very hard to get on an O licence.
I’m not saying for a second that your friend isn’t of good repute - I’m just pointing out the obvious. 
Ian.
a CPC and an “O” licence are two different things.
paul
Yes he can act as your TM but I assume that you will pay him for the work involved & frankley after a couple weeks wages you would’ve given him enough money to pay for your own cpc.
I did an intensive course which lasted a week & got bot the national & international (cant remember how much tho)
*I think the cpc certificate is only valid for 5 years or it’s about come in
I stand to be corrected (Again)
Business an is your bank or accountant
flatbedman:
a CPC and an “O” licence are two different things.paul
Yes - but a cpc holder still has to be of good repute to be on an O licence.
north surrey haulage:
*I think the cpc certificate is only valid for 5 years or it’s about come in
The date if issue may have a bearing on it’s length of validity although I’m not sure but I think different conditions apply to some CPC’s.
north surrey haulage:
*I think the cpc certificate is only valid for 5 years or it’s about come inI stand to be corrected (Again)
AFAIK a CPC is for life - unless you lose repute when a Traffic Commissioner can take it away
north surrey haulage:
I think the cpc certificate is only valid for 5 years or it’s about come in
An O’Licence is valid for 5 years, not heard about the CPC, but I suppose having to renew that as well every half decade will keep more civil servants in jobs. 
cheers for the replys guys.i was thinking about a volvo globetrotter on maybe a x or y plate it will be a 4x2 as i,ll be doin fridge work but the weight will be low as its yogurts out and bread back up. matenance wont be a problem as where i intend to park the truck they do contract matenace.
Banks are only interested in a business plan if you want to borrow money from them - so they can see if you should be able to repay it. However, even if you don’t want or need to borrow from them, it can be useful to do onefor yourself. There are various agencies that will help new businesses in many ways. Funnyfut mentions one.
Start up & running costs have been discussed here many times b4, if you use the search facility you should pull lots up.
There is also a website called “ownerdrivers” which has much useful info.
Try to arrange early payment terms from your customers as industry standard is 90 days + which means you will have to fund your normal living expenses, fuel, vehicle payments, trailer hire, road tax, etc. for the thick end of 4 months.
Good luck.
regards, Jonathan
good point about the finances, i work on sixty days and that initial period waiting for the first cheque was a long long time having stumped up for three months worth of diesel. if starting again i’d diffinately get a business plan together and sort a decent overdraft facility to take the pressure off those first few months.
Carl:
i,ll be doin fridge work but the weight will be low as its yogurts out and bread back up. matenance wont be a problem as where i intend to park the truck they do contract matenace.
Without being facetious, Carl, you ever loaded 33 euros of yoghurt?? or even 26 blues of the stuff?
I loaded out of Ocken’s in Moers, Germany and the Danone and Yoplait plants at Auxerre, Le Mans and Rosselar. I never found a ‘light’ load of yoghurt yet!! Yep, the frozen bread is low…about 10 tonnes but guarantee on running to the max with the yoghurt on
Carl:
cheers for the replys guys.i was thinking about a volvo globetrotter on maybe a x or y plate it will be a 4x2 as i,ll be doin fridge work but the weight will be low as its yogurts out and bread back up. matenance wont be a problem as where i intend to park the truck they do contract matenace.
You seem to have done all the right things so far Carl (but as Bear says re-check your weights re the yoghurt 
) unlike the ‘newbie’ in cloud cuckoo-land on another thread, but the point Jonathan makes about payment is valid. I calculated and offered a discount for early payment and, although the largest firms amongst my customers weren’t interested, my largest customer most definitely was and always took advantage (on one occasion when he missed the post, driving from Loughborough to Nottingham to hand me the cheque before the deadline). This gave me just the bridge I needed for those vital couple of months.
Salut, David.
Spardo:
Carl:
cheers for the replys guys.i was thinking about a volvo globetrotter on maybe a x or y plate it will be a 4x2 as i,ll be doin fridge work but the weight will be low as its yogurts out and bread back up. matenance wont be a problem as where i intend to park the truck they do contract matenace.You seem to have done all the right things so far Carl (but as Bear says re-check your weights re the yoghurt
Salut, David.
or alternatively you could do as i did and do three or four months then ask for a part payment to help cash flow, i now get a £2500 cheque on thirty days which pays the fuel bill and keeps everyone happy although to be honest i have never and will never work on 90 days for anyone, to much money owed in my opinion, should it go ■■■■ up.
As I’ve mentioned before on Tnet, when I was 18 I used to drive a ■■■■■■ van for a guy in the dairy produce business. Used to load trays of yoghourts (& I still can’t spell it) right through to almost level with the top of the seats (no head rests in those days). The van used to sit well down on its springs & trays of the stuff don’t half sway about too!
I also remember one van came new fitted with a set of MIchelin tyres, they weren’t changed this side of 100,000 miles…he talked of writing to MIchelin about it, but don’t think he ever did. (Vans used to be changed at 3 yrs 150K)
I might add it wasn’t driven in the manner you see some Sprinters driven in today
spoke to volvo today an x reg 420 globetrotter with full bumper to bumper warrenty just over 24 grand with.5 grand deposit leaveing just under 20 to pay on an operating lease of 3 years =£670 a month incuding gap insurence payment.volvo do a new start up programme which they tell me means the warrnenty will cover any cost of repairs so in theory it want cost me a penny if it breaksdown in the first year only also if the bussiness fails to be profitable by 12 months later by putting 20%deposit down they tell i,ll owe them nothing and just hand the truck back and walk away. by this i think they mean when they sell it on there garrenteed to get there money back.got an insurence quote for the unit valued at 25 grand and a fridge valued at 15 grand of £2995 git £750 for the year at rha cover rate.is this good bad or indifferant .only one problem the wifes unsure as she,s not a risk taker and without her support its gonna be a no no 