Hiring a truck

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS OWNER AND FLEET OPERATORS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

A friend runs a business and needs some goods moving via truck. He has asked me to drive for him as I have my Class 1 licence.

I need to know if he will need an operators licence if he hires a truck for me to drive? A fellow driver told me that it may be possible to drive on the hire company’s operators licence, is this true?

Also, does anyone know of any good hire companies in the Birmingham or Staffordshire areas? He will be requiring either a 26-ton rigid or a tractor unit and trailer. Thanks for any help you can give me

2

if it is getting used for hire and reward

eg your getting paid to drive this truck for him then im pretty sure it needs one

if your not getting paid then i think you dont need one but im not 100%on this.

3

jay110:
A friend runs a business and needs some goods moving via truck.

I’m fairly certain he’d need his own restricted licence.

4

If it’s a LGV, there are very few hire companies if any that will a hire a vehicle if the hirer doesn’t have an operators licence. This is in case the vehicle is operated illegally and could be seized and disposed of.

Also you cannot run legally on someone elses operator licence.

5

As the good are being moved for a business he’ll need an O-Licence. If the goods are the property of his business a restricted one will suffice. You’ll also need to get insurance for the truck, and you’ll probably need to show proof of the O-Licence and insurance before they’ll rent you it.

To be honest it’s going to be a lot easier just to pay a haulier to do it I would think.

Paul

6

There’s no ambiguity here, you will need an ‘O’ licence to carry goods and any hire company with vehicles over 3.5 tons gross WILL need to see proof of cover under an operators licence and comprehensive insurance, too many hire companies have had to go before TC’s to get their trucks back to allow one out of their compounds without all the relevant paperwork.

Ross.