Is an o licence needed?

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

we are thinking of buying a 7.5 ton for our new wash mobile vehicle, it will solely be used for mobile truck washing. can we run on a restricted o licence? does anyone know what this entails? thanks

2

As far as I understand you’ll only need a restricted licence as you only moving you own equipment.
You’ll need to fill out form GV79 and provide the information they require about Operating Centre, Maintainance regime, Financial Standing. And also place an advert in the Local paper saying you intend to use a premises as an operating Centre.

You should find most of the info here and the forms which you can download.

3

wagon wash:
we are thinking of buying a 7.5 ton for our new wash mobile vehicle, it will solely be used for mobile truck washing. can we run on a restricted o licence? does anyone know what this entails? thanks

I should say so, you are not carrying goods for hire or reward, you are just carrying tools, machinery and chemicals to use in your main business.

Although it does beg another question, where are you going to dispose of the waste water or do you use a closed loop?

4

I could be way off target here but isn’t there scope to class the vehicle as mobile plant and be o-licence exempt?

Paul

5

repton:
I could be way off target here but isn’t there scope to class the vehicle as mobile plant and be o-licence exempt?

Paul

I was wondering that too …

6

Denis F:

repton:
I could be way off target here but isn’t there scope to class the vehicle as mobile plant and be o-licence exempt?

Paul

I was wondering that too …

Hmm, interesting…

This from GVLOA 1995 s.58 might help…

“goods” includes goods or burden of any description;

“goods vehicle” means a motor vehicle constructed or adapted for
use for the carriage of goods, or a trailer so constructed or adapted,

I think the operator of a bog-standard 7.5t vehicle used as described in the OP would probably need a restricted ‘O’ licence unless the vehicle were modified in some way so as to avoid the above definitions.

Playing safe, I’d say that geebee45 is yer man for this question. :smiley:

7

dieseldave:
Playing safe, I’d say that geebee45 is yer man for this question. :smiley:

He will know :wink:

I would be asking about this :-

However, certain vehicles may be exempt from operator licensing requirements. They include:

  • gully sucking vehicles
  • vehicles with water jetting or shot blasting equipment
  • cherry pickers - also classed as ‘tower wagons’
  • road sweepers

or :-

Vehicles with permanent ‘fixed equipment’ such as a winch or generator.

from BusinessLink

8

i think you will get round the O licence,and If you go about it the right way you could get it exempt from testing to!
what will the cargo consist of ?..steam cleaner,ibc full of water, tfr, that sort of thing?

9

I had exactly those things in mind Denis. :wink:

I think it’s achievable, but not simply by bunging a few bits of kit in a bog-standard 7.5t, because of the definition of “goods” and the fact that it’s going to be used in connection with a trade or business.

I also think that a mobile vehicle wash might not count as jetting equipment.

For all round ease, I think a 3.5t vehicle would be best, but IMHO Malc has asked a very good question that’s still an outstanding issue because the EA don’t like the run-off from vehicle washing to go straight down a normal surface water drain. It’s not my field, but IIRC there’s a requirement for some kind of interceptor to catch the run-off from vehicle washing first.

10

we run a 3.5t transit jumbo at the moment, and with 1000lts of water onboard its weighing in on its max limit. we also carry an empty water storage tank to collect the dirty water and contaminents. so as one empties the other fills up, so we always seem to stay on the right side of wieght issues. but as business is picking up with owner drivers needing washes(their trucks that is :laughing: ) we have to make extra return trips to the yard to fill up with clean water, which not only wastes about an hour each time but with the extortionate fuel prices we need to keep that down as well. if we can run a 7.5 we can carry a full days clean water and save time and fuel. securing an o licence seems a real headache and a long time to obtain, so if there is a way around it,that would better, thanks

11

wagon wash:
we run a 3.5t transit jumbo at the moment, and with 1000lts of water onboard its weighing in on its max limit. we also carry an empty water storage tank to collect the dirty water and contaminents. so as one empties the other fills up, so we always seem to stay on the right side of wieght issues. but as business is picking up with owner drivers needing washes(their trucks that is :laughing: ) we have to make extra return trips to the yard to fill up with clean water, which not only wastes about an hour each time but with the extortionate fuel prices we need to keep that down as well. if we can run a 7.5 we can carry a full days clean water and save time and fuel. securing an o licence seems a real headache and a long time to obtain, so if there is a way around it,that would better, thanks

If you’re going down the ‘O’ licence route as a solution to your problem, you’d only need a restricted ‘O’ licence, known as ‘own account,’ which are relatively easy to obtain.

Just out of interest, how do you catch the run-off water?