Last week I had to collect a 14m rear steer trailer (refrigeration with 3 axles - looks like a standard trailer the rear axle not being widely spaced from the others) for another depot in my firms group. I arrived at the depot reversed onto a bay no shunt… quite frankly didn’t notice any difference to a standard trailer other than when going round roundabouts when it followed better. I did a 90 deg curve reverse and presumably rear axle locked automatically as I was straight when starting the manoeuvre.
When I got to the depot I was told I shouldn’t have collected the trailer as I did not have the certificate for rear steer trailers. Apparently one should have training and be issued with a qualification certificate - Police and DVSA do checks apparently. I have tried googling and can’t find if this is the case.
I started with a firm that used rear steer trailers but the 3rd axel was spaced slightly further away from the middle one. Was shown how to lock the axel when reversing to make it easier as it didn’t do it automatically.
There was no mention of a certificate or anything you had to get.
Is it just a company policy for your company maybe to say you have been trained on it?
18_shunts_later:
I started with a firm that used rear steer trailers but the 3rd axel was spaced slightly further away from the middle one. Was shown how to lock the axel when reversing to make it easier as it didn’t do it automatically.
There was no mention of a certificate or anything you had to get.
Is it just a company policy for your company maybe to say you have been trained on it?
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Not as I understand it… hence the post.
I have just phoned the depot and was told - it is in house training one should receive and a certificate to show DVSA or Police. Had I been stopped I would have had a PG9 (points and fine), vehicle immobilised and impact on ‘O’ licence. He said it was severe almost like driving an artic without C+E.
I’d be grateful to know what the level of severity is. (trying to go through the 300 odd pages of the enforcement doc this afternoon).
Generally sounds like usual office bollox otherwise CO-OP would be constantly getting pulled by the ministry. They had loads of them and they were a pain to reverse (didn’t auto lock), but no training required.
If a cert was required, why not have them for extender trailers (the 60’ ones) which are much worse to drive forwards and backwards. Bet you get blank looks from office bods if you mention them.
On the other hand, if you want a nice cert, send the SAE with a £20 check to …
jessejazza:
Last week I had to collect a 14m rear steer trailer (refrigeration with 3 axles - looks like a standard trailer the rear axle not being widely spaced from the others) for another depot in my firms group. I arrived at the depot reversed onto a bay no shunt… quite frankly didn’t notice any difference to a standard trailer other than when going round roundabouts when it followed better. I did a 90 deg curve reverse and presumably rear axle locked automatically as I was straight when starting the manoeuvre.
When I got to the depot I was told I shouldn’t have collected the trailer as I did not have the certificate for rear steer trailers. Apparently one should have training and be issued with a qualification certificate - Police and DVSA do checks apparently. I have tried googling and can’t find if this is the case.
Um. New one on me. Been towing them on and off since 2012. Never been asked for a certificate of training or anything.
Had a vosa stop but they were more interested in seeing the trailer turn than anything.
Sounds like company rules or a muppet transport manager.
There is no additional certificate/training/licence requirement for a rear-steer trailer.
I wonder if the company in question is getting it mixed up with the LST (Longer Semi Trailer) long-term trials. There is no additional licence/certificate required for these either - although in the case of LSTs the operator has to have a VSO to run them.
Is it no wonder we think nowt of transport planners and managers, when this drivel is chucked out there? someone trying to justify his job, I did two days Agency for Morrisons in March, turned up first day, given 2 drops here’s the paperwork, here’s the trailer number, off you go, second day, turns up, the guy behind the desk hands me the paperwork, says “you ok with a 52 ft trailer”, I said yes, how hard can it be, off you go then. must admit it was a joy to drive, just had to watch the cut when reversing in a tight yard, but followed me everywhere just right, don’t see what the fuss is about.
Roymondo:
There is no additional certificate/training/licence requirement for a rear-steer trailer.
I wonder if the company in question is getting it mixed up with the LST (Longer Semi Trailer) long-term trials. There is no additional licence/certificate required for these either - although in the case of LSTs the operator has to have a VSO to run them.
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If you check up on here: vehicle-certification-agenc … ailers.asp
The OP says a 14m trailer so it says you have to notify persons/organisations and O licence numbers. It is possible that the OP’s depot do not qualify.
The trailer, albeit being rear steering, is the E part of C+E, assuming you have a C+E license i can’t see what the problem is, these pointy shoes are numpties, when picking my keys up heard a good discussion, one of them turned away a kimberly clark lorry at B and M for being an hour late when all the panic buying was on, other pointy shoe says to him ‘‘you had better get it back’’…trailer full of bog roll
jessejazza:
Last week I had to collect a 14m rear steer trailer (refrigeration with 3 axles - looks like a standard trailer the rear axle not being widely spaced from the others) for another depot in my firms group. I arrived at the depot reversed onto a bay no shunt… quite frankly didn’t notice any difference to a standard trailer other than when going round roundabouts when it followed better. I did a 90 deg curve reverse and presumably rear axle locked automatically as I was straight when starting the manoeuvre.
When I got to the depot I was told I shouldn’t have collected the trailer as I did not have the certificate for rear steer trailers. Apparently one should have training and be issued with a qualification certificate - Police and DVSA do checks apparently. I have tried googling and can’t find if this is the case.
Sounds exactly like where I work. We have the same 14.6m long fridge trailers and we are not allowed to use them unless you’ve been trained on them. Not even allowed to move it around the yard without training either! Like what you said, we get issued with a copy of a letter from the Vehicle Certification Agency stating that our company is authorised to use LST’s on the road, and we have to carry it with us if pulling one. The letter contains a list of the legal do’s and dont’s regarding using the trailers on public highways. Never been stopped by anyone so never had to produce the letter yet.
I was pulling DFDS reefers through a subcontractor. I did it for 18 months, usually on nights and weekdays. I had a few days training from a colleague but no other systems in place. I didn’t have to carry any registration documents or additional licences. I just got on and did the job.
I can see why you would need additional training, maneuvering them in the yard generated issues with those unfamiliar with the way the trailers swung but we certainly didn’t have additional paperwork to carry. I have other friends that also regularly drive these for big companies (Stobart, McVitties, Coop, Sainsburys, Mondelez, Schweppes) and none of them have heard of such a scheme and regularly drive their long and short rear steer trailers. Double deck rear steers are getting quite common now it seems too.
You could also contact DVSA for their input but they may well be as confused as you are. Can you get your managers to point out this requirement in official DVSA documents?
There is a licence to operate those trailers, but that is between the licencing authority and the companies that hold the licences. The drivers don’t need to carry certification.
So any old Tom ■■■■ or Harry can pull a 30 metre long rear steer with a big lump of windfarm on it but you need a special certificate to pull a 14.6 metre fridge trailer ? The worlds gone mad
jessejazza:
Last week I had to collect a 14m rear steer trailer (refrigeration with 3 axles - looks like a standard trailer the rear axle not being widely spaced from the others) for another depot in my firms group. I arrived at the depot reversed onto a bay no shunt… quite frankly didn’t notice any difference to a standard trailer other than when going round roundabouts when it followed better. I did a 90 deg curve reverse and presumably rear axle locked automatically as I was straight when starting the manoeuvre.
When I got to the depot I was told I shouldn’t have collected the trailer as I did not have the certificate for rear steer trailers. Apparently one should have training and be issued with a qualification certificate - Police and DVSA do checks apparently. I have tried googling and can’t find if this is the case.
Sounds exactly like where I work. We have the same 14.6m long fridge trailers and we are not allowed to use them unless you’ve been trained on them. Not even allowed to move it around the yard without training either! Like what you said, we get issued with a copy of a letter from the Vehicle Certification Agency stating that our company is authorised to use LST’s on the road, and we have to carry it with us if pulling one. The letter contains a list of the legal do’s and dont’s regarding using the trailers on public highways. Never been stopped by anyone so never had to produce the letter yet.
Thank you all for your responses. This response would indicate to me that there is some truth in the other depots concerns. 14.6m assume is what they call the ‘15’ rather than the ‘14’. The 15 I think is the one where the rear steer is about two foot from the other two axles and thus tail swing is more of an issue. As for reversing if one starts on a straight then the rear axle locks. Where there is more of an issue is with going forwards around tight roundabouts in London where motorcyclists will be close and likely to be hit by the rear… the driver’s the problem!
jessejazza:
Last week I had to collect a 14m rear steer trailer (refrigeration with 3 axles - looks like a standard trailer the rear axle not being widely spaced from the others) for another depot in my firms group. I arrived at the depot reversed onto a bay no shunt… quite frankly didn’t notice any difference to a standard trailer other than when going round roundabouts when it followed better. I did a 90 deg curve reverse and presumably rear axle locked automatically as I was straight when starting the manoeuvre.
When I got to the depot I was told I shouldn’t have collected the trailer as I did not have the certificate for rear steer trailers. Apparently one should have training and be issued with a qualification certificate - Police and DVSA do checks apparently. I have tried googling and can’t find if this is the case.
Sounds exactly like where I work. We have the same 14.6m long fridge trailers and we are not allowed to use them unless you’ve been trained on them. Not even allowed to move it around the yard without training either! Like what you said, we get issued with a copy of a letter from the Vehicle Certification Agency stating that our company is authorised to use LST’s on the road, and we have to carry it with us if pulling one. The letter contains a list of the legal do’s and dont’s regarding using the trailers on public highways. Never been stopped by anyone so never had to produce the letter yet.
Thank you all for your responses. This response would indicate to me that there is some truth in the other depots concerns. 14.6m assume is what they call the ‘15’ rather than the ‘14’. The 15 I think is the one where the rear steer is about two foot from the other two axles and thus tail swing is more of an issue. As for reversing if one starts on a straight then the rear axle locks. Where there is more of an issue is with going forwards around tight roundabouts in London where motorcyclists will be close and likely to be hit by the rear… the driver’s the problem!
Standard 45ft trailers are 13.6m.
The 2 variations of the LSTs are 14.6m, and the one with the big gap between the middle and rear axle you are on about is a 15.6m trailer.
I’ve never driven a 15.6m trailer yet but can imagine they will be more of a handful when turning due the the space between the axles, but the 14.6 ones are a doddle.
As far as I’m aware, you don’t need to be trained on using either of them, and I don’t think you are required to carry a copy of the certificate. I think it sounds like it’s just something yours and my company insist on.
chaversdad:
So any old Tom ■■■■ or Harry can pull a 30 metre long rear steer with a big lump of windfarm on it but you need a special certificate to pull a 14.6 metre fridge trailer ? The worlds gone mad
This sounds more like something ■■■■ Denby dreamt up to protect his investment. Teeside Police tried it on with the intermodal locomotives when 44tonne was first allowed with railheads and ports
