I’m just waiting on my provisional (ticked C1, C, D1 and D) to come back from the DVLA and I’m in a dilemma about what licence to go for.
My hobby involves horses. Thankfully, somebody else’s horses so I don’t have to pay for anything. However, as we’re doing more competitions I thought I’d bite the bullet and upgrade my post-97 licence so I can share some of the driving. The lorry used is a 1993 Iveco Cargo 7.5t with a 750kg trailer for a carriage. Logically, I thought I could get the C1 licence passed to drive this combination (photo uploaded for your perusal) .
However, another friend has said that I ought to do a “full C” class 2 HGV licence as it would be potentially more practical in the future should I find myself with a different horsebox (he drives a 12 tonne 'box, no trailer and few worries about being overweight).
Here’s the crux: some people tell me that doing the C1 licence is much easier and cheaper than the C licence; others tell me that there isn’t much difference and I may as well do the C licence for all the time and money.
So - pros and cons…
Is it really significantly cheaper to do C1 training than C1 licence? Is it really not much more difficult to pass in a HGV than a 5t lwb sprinter?
Are 12-18 tonners better than 7.5t and a bigger trailer (C1+E could be done later)
Makes more sense to do c rather than c1 , slightly larger vehicle but same test, then if you want to get c+e at a later date your halfway there already.
C1 can be easier and slightly cheaper if the training school uses a 5 tonne van
LGV supervising law
Any person supervising a LGV learner MUST have passed a DSA LGV test which covers that category and they MUST have held that for 3+ years
Those with just the free pre 1997 C1 and C1+E cannot supervise
There isn’t much of a price difference between the two, maybe a couple of hundred quid.
Normally a C1 test is done in a large Mercedes Sprinter van (over 3.5t) and is generally considered to be easier, however, for a couple of hundred quid extra you can learn to drive something bigger and more of the size that you want to drive and you won’t be limited to a small truck. It would be pointless doing the C1 and then two years down the line find out that you need to do the C (same test just larger vehicle). Plus in a couple of years time you may be driving a 12 ton truck and find you need to tow 1 ton trailer, in which case you can do the C+E upgrade instead of the full C and C+E.
Spend a little extra now and cover yourself (to drive any horsebox) forever instead of spending a little less and always being limited.
Plus looking at the picture the truck looks like a camper/horsebox? (I’m no expert lol). In which case a 7.5t truck laden with a horse and other various horsey/personal stuff and towing a trailer could very well be overweight or at least near the limit. Better to have a larger truck and carry everything safely.
Tarrman: We took it to a weigh bridge on a ferry port (complete with horse, 2nd carriage inside, basic kit). It came to 7280kg.
To keep legal when we go on longer trips, the carriage on the trailer has been swapped for one weighting 150kg less, so now heavy stuff like hay bales can go in the trailer. Also ditched any heavy stuff not needed, like a dodgy old generator, spare mattress, dodgy old three-way fridge.
Sounds like your scrimping around with the last few hundred kilos. I’ve no idea what costs were involved or what your finances are, but with a bigger truck you would carry everything more safely and not have to sacrifice any luxury kit/space etc.
Tarrman:
Sounds like your scrimping around with the last few hundred kilos. I’ve no idea what costs were involved or what your finances are, but with a bigger truck you would carry everything more safely and not have to sacrifice any luxury kit/space etc.
Downside with any combination over 7.5 tonnes is that it will come under EU regs whether private or commercial
As the combination in the first post will come under full EU regs then it might as well be a LGV C truck unless the OP needs the exemption when not towing the trailer
Yes, we’re having to run that combination with a tacho and observe working time regs as the combination is over the 7.5t cut-off for private LGV use.
Axle weight is something we ought to look at, too - thanks for the advice.
It would be nice to have two carriages, a horse and a living section in one 7.5 package (and thereby avoid tacho regs and - indeed - avoid the Sunday driving bans in Germany/France should we ever decide to compete abroad! ), but sadly you can either have space or weight capacity with 7.5 tonners.
BarnetEngineer:
Yes, we’re having to run that combination with a tacho and observe working time regs as the combination is over the 7.5t cut-off for private LGV use.
There’s your answer to your original question then! A C1 licence will be a waste of time so Category C it is!
ROG:
LGV supervising law
Any person supervising a LGV learner MUST have passed a DSA LGV test which covers that category and they MUST have held that for 3+ years
Those with just the free pre 1997 C1 and C1+E cannot supervise
What about if they hold a pre 1997 and a recent c or ce ?
ROG:
LGV supervising law
Any person supervising a LGV learner MUST have passed a DSA LGV test which covers that category and they MUST have held that for 3+ years
Those with just the free pre 1997 C1 and C1+E cannot supervise
What about if they hold a pre 1997 and a recent c or ce ?
The 3 years rule for the recent C or CE will kick in even for the C1
ROG:
LGV supervising law
Any person supervising a LGV learner MUST have passed a DSA LGV test which covers that category and they MUST have held that for 3+ years
Those with just the free pre 1997 C1 and C1+E cannot supervise
What about if they hold a pre 1997 and a recent c or ce ?
The 3 years rule for the recent C or CE will kick in even for the C1
.
), but sadly you can either have space or weight capacity with 7.5 tonners.