New year , new idea

I’ve been toying with the idea of starting up a small business, the idea is to use my freelander to tow trailers, boats , caravans & small loads around my local area & a bit further afield if there is a need, i know that there are some people offering such a service in other parts of the country… I know what I can legally tow with my licence & vehicle , what is confusing after reading different things on the net is if an operators licence is required for such a business, this would not be my fulltime occupation , I’m thinking of testing the water nearer the summertime, moving boats for driveways to boat yards for people, caravan sites are big business round here & after talking to some people, it seems they would pay to have their van towed from the main road to some of the more off beat sites , also some farmers have expressed an interest in having things moved, what’s peoples views on this , I work full time as a driver through the week, no nights out, this would be a weekend thing to begin…

You cant be a Hgv driver through the week though and then do this on a weekend, wheres your weekly rest ?

The good news is that if you are towing behind a multi purpose vehicle such as a Freelander you are exempt from needing a operators licence. The bad news is that you must have a tachograph fitted. DVSA (VOSA) and the police are getting very hot on 4x4s & vans towing commercially recently and you will get impounded and heavily fined if found without a tacho.

You will need hire & reward insurance on your vehicle (c£2000), goods in transit insurance (c£2000) and public liability insurance (c£500) ie £4500 total. These will be invalidated if you operating illegally eg no tacho fitted.

As has been previously mentioned, you won’t be able to do it as a weekend addition to your normal job as it will interrupt your weekly rest. The 4x4 and trailer market is extremely competitive, so expect to get screwed down to the bone on your rates. I doubt it will be viable with the tacho, insurance costs etc unless you were doing it full time.

chaversdad:
You cant be a Hgv driver through the week though and then do this on a weekend, wheres your weekly rest ?

Too many rules & regs to even consider.

I can get home at 5 on a Friday , hook up the boat or caravan & drive the length and breadth of the country , doing what I like until say , 11pm Sunday then get back in the cab 6am Monday morning, but if somebody wants to pay me for a service doing a small job I hit a brick wall of trouble …

kemaro:

chaversdad:
You cant be a Hgv driver through the week though and then do this on a weekend, wheres your weekly rest ?

Too many rules & regs to even consider.

I can get home at 5 on a Friday , hook up the boat or caravan & drive the length and breadth of the country , doing what I like until say , 11pm Sunday then get back in the cab 6am Monday morning, but if somebody wants to pay me for a service doing a small job I hit a brick wall of trouble …

delboys rule 1.cash is king. whos to say who owns the boat,box,caravan etc. try shiply for quotes and you will see that the only people who could do it for the rates they will quote you,are scallywags running on Ribena doing the double on the dole.theres a lot of them about.hence busy poor men.

Definitive answer from dvsa regarding towing for hire or reward , as long as the combination weight of vehicle, trailer & load does not exceed 3.5t then no requirements for either tachograph to be fitted or o licence required …

Tacho or not you still couldnt do it for hire and reward on a weekend after driving a truck during the week

chaversdad:
Tacho or not you still couldnt do it for hire and reward on a weekend after driving a truck during the week

I know, but its nice to have an answer …

Don’t tell 'em Pike.

Do you think all big players started out by telling our collective mummy about every single thing they did, or paid every ha’penny religiously for our leaders to give to third world dictators or benefit scroungers.

kemaro:
Definitive answer from dvsa regarding towing for hire or reward , as long as the combination weight of vehicle, trailer & load does not exceed 3.5t then no requirements for either tachograph to be fitted or o licence required …

If I understand the legislation properly (and I stand ready to be corrected - feel free to!); the 3.5tn rule - combination weight - is the total weight capable of being carried. So, for example, even if you’re pulling an empty trailer and your total weight is under 3.5tn, if you are capable of (legally) carrying above 3.5tn, then you are subject to tacho regs and driver’s hours.

This all falls out from the Selby Rail Crash in 2001 if I recall?

I’d be cautious about being too complacent with cash in hand jobs etc. Believe me, being puled by the police, cautioned and interviewed for driving offences, when you’re job is …driving…it concentrates the mind.