i know there was a significant reason some years ago for uk hauliers to flag out their trucks to holland but does anybody know why so many east europeans have all their trailers registered in holland?
like willi betz for example. there’s no tax on a trailer as far as i know and considering holland only has 6 figures on its number plates they will surely run out of combinations for registrations soon?
There is a road tax on trailers in Holland that is exactly why they all have registration numbers.
As to why they are so in fashion no idea, it may be that they are on long lease contracts or something.
Vascoingles:
There is a road tax on trailers in Holland that is exactly why they all have registration numbers.
As to why they are so in fashion no idea, it may be that they are on long lease contracts or something.
you would think then that as there is a tax on trailers in holland it would be financially more viable for the big boys like betz to register all trailers in spain or portugal or somewhere in the east
p.s. thanks for the information on the other place more down to earth 
welshboyinspain:
…considering holland only has 6 figures on its number plates they will surely run out of combinations for registrations soon?
They have changed the format of their plates, instead of 3 sets of 2 figures with dashes between, ■■-■■-■■ they now have a ■■-■■■-X or X-■■■-■■ format so plenty of new combinations available.
Coffeeholic:
welshboyinspain:
…considering holland only has 6 figures on its number plates they will surely run out of combinations for registrations soon?They have changed the format of their plates, instead of 3 sets of 2 figures with dashes between, ■■-■■-■■ they now have a ■■-■■■-X or X-■■■-■■ format so plenty of new combinations available.
I find it difficult to guess 6 numbers out of 49
I reckon the reason is that the lease companies in Holland have just made it easier with the language. Not so long ago everyman and his dog had a tractor unit or trailer from PEMA Leasing in the East of Germany in the Kassel Triangle
Betz had all his UK motors on Dutch Plates but now runs them on UK reg since VOSA had a word.
welshboyinspain:
Vascoingles:
There is a road tax on trailers in Holland that is exactly why they all have registration numbers.
As to why they are so in fashion no idea, it may be that they are on long lease contracts or something.you would think then that as there is a tax on trailers in holland it would be financially more viable for the big boys like betz to register all trailers in spain or portugal or somewhere in the east
p.s. thanks for the information on the other place more down to earth
Any saving on road tax is off set by the higher insurance costs in both Spain and Portugal
same thing as austrian companies use the irish trailer reg numbers plate - Trawoger and Transbrittania - they use the hungarian trucks reg plate and irish reg plate trailers
It may also have something to do with the fact that the Dutch trailers are owned by Betz NL BV, Brit trailers owned by Betz UK Ltd, French trailers owned by Betz FR S.a., German trailers owned by Betz GMBH etc etc etc… See a pattern emerging?
pugwash:
It may also have something to do with the fact that the Dutch trailers are owned by Betz NL BV, Brit trailers owned by Betz UK Ltd, French trailers owned by Betz FR S.a., German trailers owned by Betz GMBH etc etc etc… See a pattern emerging?
so why do the BG reg trucks not pull BG trailers? and the CZ and RO as well? i see quite a few of the spanish ones out of barcelona with NL trailers as well as spanish ones.
i get yout point but its not just betz there are loads of east european hauliers with their own countries reg on truck but NL trailers so i thought maybe there was some reason behind it but as previously posted there is a tax on NL trailers so it can’t be for a financial benefit
Another possibility can be contract work, one company with trucks provides traction to another with trailers. Quite a few Blomquist SK-registered tractors pull N-registered Nor-Cargo curtainsiders for example.
welshboyinspain:
pugwash:
It may also have something to do with the fact that the Dutch trailers are owned by Betz NL BV, Brit trailers owned by Betz UK Ltd, French trailers owned by Betz FR S.a., German trailers owned by Betz GMBH etc etc etc… See a pattern emerging?so why do the BG reg trucks not pull BG trailers? and the CZ and RO as well? i see quite a few of the spanish ones out of barcelona with NL trailers as well as spanish ones.
i get yout point but its not just betz there are loads of east european hauliers with their own countries reg on truck but NL trailers so i thought maybe there was some reason behind it but as previously posted there is a tax on NL trailers so it can’t be for a financial benefit
They are ‘owned’ by their respective companies in their respective countries but an empty NL trailer may get dropped in D to be loaded and a loaded SK trailer taken to B. Once the SK trailer has been dropped in B to be tipped another NL trailer may be collected and took to D.
Basically, a pool of trailers floating all round Europe that at some point will end up back at its country of origin eventually for service, MOT etc.
Despite the fact that Betz is a big company, all of the subiduaries tie in with a central Euro planning dept in Germany that keep track of this kind of thing .
pugwash:
all of the subiduaries tie in with a central Euro planning dept in Germany that keep track of this kind of thing .
same system that Ewals used, the same company that paid me 250 euros for telling them where one of their trailers had been forgotten for more than 6 months 
, speaking to the man this was a regular occurence
pugwash:
welshboyinspain:
pugwash:
It may also have something to do with the fact that the Dutch trailers are owned by Betz NL BV, Brit trailers owned by Betz UK Ltd, French trailers owned by Betz FR S.a., German trailers owned by Betz GMBH etc etc etc… See a pattern emerging?so why do the BG reg trucks not pull BG trailers? and the CZ and RO as well? i see quite a few of the spanish ones out of barcelona with NL trailers as well as spanish ones.
i get yout point but its not just betz there are loads of east european hauliers with their own countries reg on truck but NL trailers so i thought maybe there was some reason behind it but as previously posted there is a tax on NL trailers so it can’t be for a financial benefitThey are ‘owned’ by their respective companies in their respective countries but an empty NL trailer may get dropped in D to be loaded and a loaded SK trailer taken to B. Once the SK trailer has been dropped in B to be tipped another NL trailer may be collected and took to D.
Basically, a pool of trailers floating all round Europe that at some point will end up back at its country of origin eventually for service, MOT etc.
Despite the fact that Betz is a big company, all of the subiduaries tie in with a central Euro planning dept in Germany that keep track of this kind of thing .
i understand the dropping and reusing of other depots trailers, its not rocket science and i’m afraid i’ve been driving too many years to be classed as a newbie but my basic question is, you don’t see hundreds of betz with NL reg but you do see MORE NL plated trailers in comparison to the trucks.i reckon if he’s got 3000 trucks of all different reg’s then at least 40% of the trailers are NL but not 40% of the trucks and considering he’s officially german i wondered why that might be?
You asked this-
so why do the BG reg trucks not pull BG trailers? and the CZ and RO as well?
And i answered this-
They are ‘owned’ by their respective companies in their respective countries but an empty NL trailer may get dropped in D to be loaded and a loaded SK trailer taken to B. Once the SK trailer has been dropped in B to be tipped another NL trailer may be collected and took to D.
Basically, a pool of trailers floating all round Europe that at some point will end up back at its country of origin eventually for service, MOT etc.
In answer to this-
but you do see MORE NL plated trailers in comparison to the trucks.i reckon if he’s got 3000 trucks of all different reg’s then at least 40% of the trailers are NL but not 40% of the trucks
Perhaps its the Dutch contracts using Dutch trailers and being pulled by any other countries tractor unit that is available. Maybe you would see lots of BG trailers being pulled by RO, B and NL units if you were around the areas that have ex SOMAT contracts but dont nessesarilly (sp) have BG tractor units around to pull them at the time.
I would say there are probabilly a lot more BG trailers than NL and its just coincidence that your seeing so many NL’s.
Not saying that this is definately the case but it could be. I believe KW used to work for Betz NL so he may be able to enlighten us both.
I was not refering to you as a newby and neither was i trying to explain the complexities of drop 'n swap, i was trying to take a guess as to why one countries units pulled different countries trailers in general and not just Dutch.
is not just betz though, i see a lot more NL trailers than i do trucks. in fact probably more NL than any other reg and i wondered why NL? as vasco pointed out there is a tax on NL trailers so there must be another reason why so many NL trailers in europe in general not just betz.
i don’t think i’ve ever seen a betz BG with a BG trailer they are the ones who nearly always have NL trailers.
i wonder if its anything to do with cabotage rules where RO and BG are still banned or restricted from FREE TRADE movements so does the trailer or truck qualify when loading in europe?
I know this is about Dutch, but France has a huge glut of trucks and trailers registered in Department 51 around Reims / Chalons sur Marne although the companies are based in many other parts of France. That was explained to me as “the administration is easier in the 51 department”