Hi, I have a stupid question

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi there chaps, wonder if you can help me out. I guess that some of you will probably feel like pointing and laughing, but that’s fine.

Because I’m old, I passed my car test in 1986 at age 18, and my rigid class 2 test as was then in 1989 at age 21. I’ve got trailer rights through passing my car test before 1997.

I’ve not really done any trucking since, and what I have has been in small stuff up to 3.5 tonne with a trailer on the back as well, so I’ve never felt the need to particularly look in to LGV stuff.

However, does the above combination of test passes at the time I did them before 1997 now allow me to drive an artic? I was labouring under the impression that having passed a rigid class 2 test that was the limit of my allowance, but I’ve been looking at this again and it seems like being able to drive a rigid and having a grandfather right to trailers is effectively the same categorisation now as an artic.

This has come up because I’m going to turn 45 next month so I have to send my licence back in, and I’ve been wondering what the classes allow me to do.

Hope the question is clear. If it turns out I can actually drive artics I’ll be well chuffed.

2

What makes you think you can drive an artic ?

3

No you have to take an artic test (class 1) the trailer rights to your car are on grandfather rights because you passed pre 97 , but only to the b category, to drive an artic you have to pass the c+e (class 1 test) :slight_smile:

4

The fact that I can drive a vehicle of any weight, and I can drive a trailer over 750kg. That seems to describe an artic set up to me, but I realise I’m probably wrong somewhere.

5

Jennie:
No you have to take an artic test (class 1) the trailer rights to your car are on grandfather rights because you passed pre 97 , but only to the b category, to drive an artic you have to pass the c+e (class 1 test) :slight_smile:

Thanks. My licence is showing class C, and also class C1E. What does that entitle me to drive then?

6

Any rigid is c
7.5 t with trailer is c1 though you probably have a restriction code after it relating to max weight

7

Just an after thought as well , you say you havent driven hgv since passing you will now also need full dcpc by sept 2014 as the requirements now are to have periodic training of 35 hours every 5 years , so having passed your hgv pre 97 you will have grandfather rights on your dcpc until sept 2014 but you will need to have that training in place (full 35 hrs ) to carry on after that ,

so you can drive at the moment commercially until sept 2014 , but if you have not had 35 hrs dcpc training by then you will not be able to continue to drive commercially after said date , so if you are looking to get back into driving for a living you need to be looking at courses to get your cpc card .

8

Thanks, I knew about cpc and am going to get it.

Another obvious question - I’m also looking in to getting an operators licence, and I need a transport managers cpc for that. If I pass that, does that count for any of the driver’s cpc requirements or do I still need to do a separate 35 hours in addition to it.

9

And while I’m throwing questions out…

I had a heart attack 18 months ago. I’m now fully fit again and taking a shed load of tablets for the rest of my days. Is that liable to affect the re-issue of my hgv licence next month?

Also, if I didn’t do the cpc before Sep 2014, can I just stop driving and then take it any time after that and still be ok without having to resit an HGV test or anything?

Thanks very much for this, it’s much appreciated. I’ve had some different opinions and a lot of head shaking and don’t knows, but I thought you guys would have the answers.

10

Did dvla get notified of heart attack at the time, if so did they restrict licence at all ?

11

Noworries:
Did dvla get notified of heart attack at the time, if so did they restrict licence at all ?

No, doctor just told me not to drive for a month but there was no official notification. I wasn’t using my HGV so it never even occurred to me to mention it to anyone.

However my doctor has to fill in the medical assessment form so it’s going to be in that.

12

Pendaric:
And while I’m throwing questions out…

I had a heart attack 18 months ago. I’m now fully fit again and taking a shed load of tablets for the rest of my days. Is that liable to affect the re-issue of my hgv licence next month?

Also, if I didn’t do the cpc before Sep 2014, can I just stop driving and then take it any time after that and still be ok without having to resit an HGV test or anything?

Thanks very much for this, it’s much appreciated. I’ve had some different opinions and a lot of head shaking and don’t knows, but I thought you guys would have the answers.

Can you pass the medical…I doubt it if you are on a heap of tablets, you should of informed them of the condition when it started, if you didn’t and dont intend to thats up to you !!!, but if you have an accident and they find out you will be eating porridge for a long time. You are on very risky ground…i have lost my licences on medical grounds and cannot even drive a 7.5 ton now with my heart condition.
Forgetting the above you can not drive an artic, others will be along that know the new rules better. Look at the silly numbers on your paper licence in the end column and find them on the web as to what they mean.

13

I’d expect to be able to pass the medical - the only reason I know I’ve had a heart attack is because I still have to take these tablets for blood pressure and cholestorol and so on. I don’t look like an obvious heart attack candidate - I don’t smoke, I don’t drink and I’m not overweight.

Obviously depends how tough the medical is, but provided you don’t have to run marathons then I would have thought I’d be alright.

It’s not the end of the world if I don’t get it - as said I don’t use it at the minute - but I don’t want to lose anything if I can help it.

I won’t be lying to anyone about it, and doctor will fill out the form honestly and in full.

14

Your licence should show something like C & C+E categories.
However on the C+E it should show restriction code 102 which means “Drwabar trailers only”. This means you can drive a wagon and drag but not a artic.

Silly thing is, you can drive a wagon and drag and can take a test in the same combination to gain FULL entitlement to C+E - bonkers but true.

15

Why would he have drawbar entitlement if he only took test in a rigid :unamused:

16

Pendaric:
Hi there chaps, wonder if you can help me out. I guess that some of you will probably feel like pointing and laughing, but that’s fine.

Because I’m old, I passed my car test in 1986 at age 18, and my rigid class 2 test as was then in 1989 at age 21. I’ve got trailer rights through passing my car test before 1997.

I’ve not really done any trucking since, and what I have has been in small stuff up to 3.5 tonne with a trailer on the back as well, so I’ve never felt the need to particularly look in to LGV stuff.

However, does the above combination of test passes at the time I did them before 1997 now allow me to drive an artic? I was labouring under the impression that having passed a rigid class 2 test that was the limit of my allowance, but I’ve been looking at this again and it seems like being able to drive a rigid and having a grandfather right to trailers is effectively the same categorisation now as an artic.

This has come up because I’m going to turn 45 next month so I have to send my licence back in, and I’ve been wondering what the classes allow me to do.

Hope the question is clear. If it turns out I can actually drive artics I’ll be well chuffed.

Hi Pendaric,

I think you might find that you have a restriction called “102” on your licence.

If I’m right, it means that you can drive the present driving licence Category C+E, but not an artic.

Back in ‘the day,’ if you had old HGV II or HGV III, it came with free drawbar trailer entitlement, but that can’t relate to artics, because they are old HGV I and have a semi-trailer.

Your present Cat C licence trumps C1, because Cat C1 (7.5t) is a sub-category of C.

Pendaric:
The fact that I can drive a vehicle of any weight, and I can drive a trailer over 750kg. That seems to describe an artic set up to me, but I realise I’m probably wrong somewhere.

Or to put it another way, your Cat E entitlement is restricted (by the “102”) to drawbar trailers only, but it does mean that these aren’t limited to 750Kg in your case.

Pendaric:
Another obvious question - I’m also looking in to getting an operators licence, and I need a transport managers cpc for that. If I pass that, does that count for any of the driver’s cpc requirements or do I still need to do a separate 35 hours in addition to it.

It’s quite rare, but there are some Operator CPC training providers who have got periodic DCPC hours accredited to their Operator CPC courses. Please ask the right questions at the time you make a booking.

17

Noworries:
Why would he have drawbar entitlement if he only took test in a rigid :unamused:

That’ll be to do with the date of passing the old HGV II or old HGV III test because back then, drawbar trailer entitlement came for free when you passed the driving test.

It’s all here:

:arrow_right: Compare old and new driving licence categories - GOV.UK

Strange, but true!! :grimacing:

18

Noworries:
Why would he have drawbar entitlement if he only took test in a rigid :unamused:

If he took the test in a class2 rigid (3 axles or more) then he will have a C+E with a 102 drawbar restriction :smiley:

19

Thanks guys, you’re a friendly, helpful lot.

What I’ve been doing for the past 4 years is delivering cars, using a 3.5 tonne single car transporter and a 3.5 tonne trailer behind that. Then the government buggered that up by making it need an operators licence if you want to use the trailer, so just for the time being I’m just using the single car transporter and the trailer got sold.

That’s where an operator CPC comes in - I want to get back to what I was doing, and probably get a 7.5 tonne wagon instead if I’m going to have an operators licence anyway.

Seems bloody ridiculous that I have to go to all this effort and expense for just one small vehicle and trailer, but there you go. I’ve got to spend money and time on the training, get the money together for the financial requirements, and then spend a load more in the application process.

I don’t suppose I’ve got this wrong as well and there is some kind of less hassle way of doing it is there? It seems daft that I’ve got to get the same qualification as a big company employing a fleet of artics when it’s just me with one relatively small set up. I know about restricted licences, but they don’t apply because I’m delivering customer vehicles rather than my own stuff.

20

Pendaric:
I know about restricted licences, but they don’t apply because I’m delivering customer vehicles rather than my own stuff.

Hi Pendaric,

As far as I can tell from what you’ve written, you could get yourself a small rigid (not necessarily a 7.5t) and the trailer of the type (or bigger) than the one you used to have.
Remember that, because of your present entitlements, you’re not restricted to a 750Kg trailer so I don’t think you’ll need to pass any other driving test for your car moving venture.

As you’ve pointed out, you will need an ‘O’ licence (the one you need is called ‘Standard National,’ unless you wish to run abroad) and that requires an Operator CPC qualification. If you wish to get moving quite soon, there is the possibility of ‘hiring-in’ a qualified Transport Manager until such time as you complete your own Operator CPC qualification. Please be aware that there is usually a 12 week delay from making your application until the grant of the ‘O’ licence. I say usually because 12 weeks is provided that you have jumped through all the necessary hoops correctly AND in the correct order AND with all supporting paperwork supplied to the Traffic Commissioner .