due to the amount of telehandler (been operating one for last 20years and am cpcs blue carded) work that i’ve been doing (only recently picked up again after a long downturn) and the amount of work that i’ve had enquiries about for the future. i’m looking at getting a 8x4 rigid lowloader for carting my all singing, all dancing, (got more extras than a scania catalogue) JCB 535/95 telehandler about.
i was looking at running a rig on boxes/tauts etc… for other people with their stuff (which is why i put the other post up last month) but there’s not enough in it for me as the rates i’m seeing are way too low for me to consider at this time.
i’ve read most of the stuff that’s been published and some of the stuff in the ocpc pack that i got sent and for what i want the o lic for it seems that a restricted o lic would be best way to go cos the truck doesn’t earn anything it’s just merely a means of taking my telehandler to the job and back again - i found some possible rigs that i could convert to what i want and my telehandler would more than pay for the rig, as well as me and themselves.
question is this would it be a wise move to ask a TM to stand on my o lic so that my records can be accurately checked or get a TM to go through my records every week/month to make sure that i’m doing things by the book - i just don’t want to get pulled only to find out that i should have done something and didn’t and then lose everything cos of it etc… ■■?
it’s the one thing that i’m not sure about.
i got my own yard (bought it in the financial crash a few years back), i’ve got more than enough in the bank, i got an accountant that’s being doing my books for last 18years, i own my telehandler outright and i’ll own the rig outright as and when i get that, my license is pristine and my insurers said that they’d just include the rig on my current insurance which is no problem for me, as for maintenance that’ll be done by the same people that look after my telehandler cos they do trucks as well.
can you tell me if i’m in the right in what i’d like to do please.
You’d need a restricted O licence if you were only moving your own Telehandler, you wouldn’t be required to nominate a TM on the GV69, all you need to ensure is that you try your best to operate legally. Of course you could give somebody £200 a month for something you don’t need, it’s a free country!
If you were inadvertently doing something wrong then VOSA wouldn’t close you down, in the first instance any action they took would be advisory; they do tend to get fed up with operators who think that laws don’t apply to them but they don’t take draconian action against a new-start who is making minor mistakes.
A VOSA guy phoned me today to arrange a site visit at the end of February, he was very friendly and just wants to look through my documents, inspect the truck and the maintenance records etc. He was so helpful that when I explained that I did tramping and it would be difficult to get back to my yard in the week, he was happy to arrange an appointment for 0830 on a Monday morning so I could have as little downtime as possible. I’ve always found them to be reasonable.
If you are looking for somebody to tell you that you should buy a truck, then I can help.
some members in here will know the other post and that i struggled with all the things that went with the o lic issue and i have leant a lot from that experience.
i’m currently on a big bellway job getting £12 an hour and the class I jobs i was getting offered were around £9 an hour so it’s not worth getting behind the wheel of an artic at the moment - if wages pick up then i might be tempted to switch back. the reason for getting the truck is that my next bellway job is 15miles from here and that starts in about 4/5 months but i went to see the new site and they’re still doing site demo/reclaim on there so that’s going to be a seriously tight squeeze on bellways deadlines
i’d never move anyone else’s gear for them purely cos often it just isn’t clean enough — i’ve seen some kit and used a lot other peoples kit over the years and it gets flogged to within an inch of it’s life and then some, covered in mortor and mud and such things but never gets cleaned, the interiors don’t even get brushed out - it’s just expected to work…so unprofessional…
unlike mine - it’s mint, it gets washed and scrubbed down, it’s gets the mr sheen and shown the hoover and my ■■■■■■■■■■■ gets taken out and shown the leather polish, even the guy from Gunn JCB (place where i bought it from) wants it to have it back on his books - but he’s never getting it - i paid the best part of £40k including the extras i got for it and to say i love it is an understatement, so the rig i get has to be amazing compared to my telehandler n e rig ideas (i’m looking at 8x4 rigids cos of the weight issue - she weighs about 15tons) ■■?
it was the VOSA issue that was causing me some concern - thankyou for the help
i can drive it on the road (it’s got full t&t&i) but it’s not designed to be driven all the time on the road
the power it has (mines been uprated to 150bhp by Gunn JCB) is mainly to cope with the hydraulics cos i run allsorts of extras like 3rd and 4th line front hydraulics for sweeping kit and multi boom and basket combinations plus i run a pto as well as having the hydraulic connections for a bogey connected semi trailer on the back, i also have a remote hydraulic genny for cutting gear that runs straight off the rear hydraulic setup, nothings ever gone wrong in all the years that i’ve had it and if it did it’s prolly be cheaper to get a new and start again lol .
on top of this telehandlers weren’t designed to be driven any sort of distance on the road at all — if you’ve ever driven one on the road then you’ll know how scary it really is — they are designed to be transported to the job on a lowloader and then driven round the site at site at low speed cos of the health and safety regualtions regarding site speed limits…
i considered getting a rig a few years ago but then everything went t.i.t.s. up with the financial crash and the work dried up for a bit so i didn’t bother.
the contract that i’ve got now is for another 4 months finishing what’s left and then shutting this job down then i move onto the new job for prolly first 6 months setting everything up and then i go somewhere else and help shut that down and then go back to the new job and do some more on there until somewhere else either needs starting up or shutting down…so the rig i get wouldn’t be used everyday so it’d be pristine when i needed it it would only be used when i go site swapping but it’s whole heap cheaper than getting someone else to move it for me — my biggest expense every year
if you thought that health and safety was nuts for trucks then try a health and safety course for building sites…nuff sed…
dependent on your budget its either keep an eye out for a ready made outfit turning up in the trade press or auctions of firms going bust sad i know but stuff happens or price up a body and keep mincers peeled for suitable chassis the first option might be a better bet as some of the bigger outfits tend to replace thier fleets and you dnt want something new and shiny sat in your yard gathering dust
I view you with a bit of scepticism based on previous posts so apologise if you’re on the level.
Frankly, you’d be better spending the time ringing round everyone in the vicinity with a low loader as I can’t possibly see how running a 32 tonner on a restricted licence for the exclusive purpose of ferrying a telehandler around sporadically can make any sort of commercial sense.
If you’re actually serious and not travelling too far or often I would consider a single axle low loader trailer, and possibly a dolly, you can then get anyone with a unit (or tractor to shift) about (there’s plenty of tidy old single axle low loaders around without ABS and other more modern complex systems).
Another option, if you really feel you want total control of the operation, would be to buy a flat rack and then self-drive hire an 8 wheeler hook loader which are pretty readily available. Make sure you chain the telehandler to the rack well though.
WelshKnight:
£12 hr for you and your telehander?.. Or Have i read wrong?
The 8x4 would just ferry your Telehandler around?..
I’d be looking at a Fastrac or a Tractor with a 50k box to shift it then in between put that to work aswell.
Think £12/hr is about going rate for self employed driver,only.
Machine’s about 5m long weighs about 8t I think 535/95,540/170 the big un’s bout 12t?,so would go on something smaller than 8x4,if your only going to move it 15 miles,used to drive a Manitou telehandler from Johnstone station to Hillington n back every night,including m8 ,or via Paisley,this was bout 20 mile round trip,so if you were just doing occasional journey,just stop bout half way have a cuppa then bash on,best do it when traffic light,can’t really see need/expense if your on long term hire,can firm your working for not move it■■?
foxy stars:
i can drive it on the road (it’s got full t&t&i) but it’s not designed to be driven all the time on the road
the power it has (mines been uprated to 150bhp by Gunn JCB) is mainly to cope with the hydraulics cos i run allsorts of extras like 3rd and 4th line front hydraulics for sweeping kit and multi boom and basket combinations plus i run a pto as well as having the hydraulic connections for a bogey connected semi trailer on the back, i also have a remote hydraulic genny for cutting gear that runs straight off the rear hydraulic setup, nothings ever gone wrong in all the years that i’ve had it and if it did it’s prolly be cheaper to get a new and start again lol .
on top of this telehandlers weren’t designed to be driven any sort of distance on the road at all — if you’ve ever driven one on the road then you’ll know how scary it really is — they are designed to be transported to the job on a lowloader and then driven round the site at site at low speed cos of the health and safety regualtions regarding site speed limits…
i considered getting a rig a few years ago but then everything went t.i.t.s. up with the financial crash and the work dried up for a bit so i didn’t bother.
the contract that i’ve got now is for another 4 months finishing what’s left and then shutting this job down then i move onto the new job for prolly first 6 months setting everything up and then i go somewhere else and help shut that down and then go back to the new job and do some more on there until somewhere else either needs starting up or shutting down…so the rig i get wouldn’t be used everyday so it’d be pristine when i needed it it would only be used when i go site swapping but it’s whole heap cheaper than getting someone else to move it for me — my biggest expense every year
if you thought that health and safety was nuts for trucks then try a health and safety course for building sites…nuff sed…
Ive run loading shovels and telehandlers for 20 years, down here they haul 15 ton loaded straw trailers with telehandlers hauling 20 miles or so.
lynchy - i didn’t and won’t put the rates for the telehandler on here cos i don’t want to be undercut - the QS knows what i get and that’s about it…the £12p/h is for me to operate the forks, i also invoice for things like punctured tyres and cherryade.
the rig issue came about a long time ago cos the prices from the guys that i was going through were rising too much for my liking - i know that everything costs more but having my own rig i’d be able to control my expenses more easily from the point of knowing what everything costs before i do anything.
own account driver - yep this is serious, this o lic is for the other option i was considering at the same time — first option being running gear for someone else (own rig and trl) needing a std o lic for which i got the books etc… but cos of the way that rates are it’s almost pointless pursuing further, this is the second option and it’s been in the frame for a good 10years now - i drove forks long before i passed class II/I so for me forks comes first. the option of having a rig sat there ready would give me more flexibility when it comes to new contracts - at the moment am having to stay local cos of the transport costs on top of everything else.
i like the hook loader idea, had some thoughts about using the system that some of the scaffolding companies use - 8x4 body and a RoRo flat bed with wires running down each side of it and a winch on the back of the truck. love that scanny though prolly costs too much for me
i only got about £30k to get a half decent rig with and am not going down the finance route cos i own everything else outright so for me it’s not a neccesity that the rig earns it’s keep - it’ll do that just getting my gear to the job, i know it prolly sounds a bit not right but if you take into account the cost difference between running your own kit to move the tele and getting someone else to move my tele in the long run it’ll be more than worth it — even my bank manager agrees with me and he doesn’t like me spending money.
i like the fasttrack idea - think it’s time to talk to the guys and gals at Gunn again and see what’s what they’re not exactly economical with the cherryade though.
n e ideas on the best auction houses to look for something as per sort of described ■■?
thankyou for your help that trailer looks real tidy, it’d look even better after a respray and before you say anything - i said earlier that whatever i got would have to be more amazing than my tele and that had a respray cos i hate yellow lol
i like the fasttrack idea but am unsure cos i don’t know where the future contracts are going to be (i gotta think long term that’s all) pricewise the ones you’ve put in your post are comparable with some of the 8x4s i’ve seen and i’m not totally sure but i think that the 8x4 might be more economical to run given that the fasttrack would have to run on lime instead of cherry …i’m still keeping all options open though.
i know that they’ve gotta build more houses like the ones on the sites am servicing now and that 15miles is just to the next job who knows where the one after that is and that is my dilemma now that we’ve established that i should apply for a restricted o lic. this is why i was looking at 8x4s as well as everything else.
gotta make some space in my yard for it as well cos…hmmmm…do i really have to…put kettle on methinks…hmmmmm…
Buy something odd that no one wants and is therefore cheaper but which is still good looking and imposing for your purposes…for example a Renault Magnum rigid with beavertail/ramps…they do exist and are unpopular but still good trucks. Buy one with a long enough body and it would take the telehandler with your car/van on the back end as well, then you could leave the truck onsite until the job is completed. Good motor to bling up as well with a big in-yer-face look and half the price of the equivalent Scanny or ■■■■■.
Scanny must admit that i like your suggestion summat reet in your face and you don’t get much more in your face than a magnum never even knew that they did one as a rigid let alone as a beavertail…
like the idea of taking the car as well but as for leaving the truck anywhere i’d have to be convinced it was in a secure place cos half of the sites that i’ve been on have had yob damage to house walls and kit goes missing…swings nad roundabouts methinks…
love the idea that you put forward though am going to check it out
harry’s going to be well happy with this suggestion
foxy stars:
thankyou for your help that trailer looks real tidy, it’d look even better after a respray and before you say anything - i said earlier that whatever i got would have to be more amazing than my tele and that had a respray cos i hate yellow lol
i like the fasttrack idea but am unsure cos i don’t know where the future contracts are going to be (i gotta think long term that’s all) pricewise the ones you’ve put in your post are comparable with some of the 8x4s i’ve seen and i’m not totally sure but i think that the 8x4 might be more economical to run given that the fasttrack would have to run on lime instead of cherry …i’m still keeping all options open though.
i know that they’ve gotta build more houses like the ones on the sites am servicing now and that 15miles is just to the next job who knows where the one after that is and that is my dilemma now that we’ve established that i should apply for a restricted o lic. this is why i was looking at 8x4s as well as everything else.
gotta make some space in my yard for it as well cos…hmmmm…do i really have to…put kettle on methinks…hmmmmm…
The fastrac would be illegal for the work you are thinking of.
I agree own account driver.
i’m going looking for an 8x4 i think cos the costs of getting someone else to shift my trailer are just not a sensible proposition based on the quotes that i’ve had and getting someone to keep shifting it as i have been doing in the past just doesn’t make any sense either
so it’s a rig…of some description…
foxy stars:
puntabrava thankyou for the clarification
i’m going looking for an 8x4 i think cos the costs of getting someone else to shift my trailer are just not a sensible proposition based on the quotes that i’ve had and getting someone to keep shifting it as i have been doing in the past just doesn’t make any sense either
so it’s a rig…of some description…
Keep on taking the pi33, im enjoying your posts ‘‘■■■■■■■■■■■ in the jcb’’
found a flat ro-ro no price as yet though — it’s on gileskips.co.uk and it’s the right colour.
the ■■■■■■■■■■■ came out of my old fiesta it’s a recaro - i damaged my back a long time ago and had problems with the standard seat and when i put it in it fit on the jcb rails and it doesn’t get in the way of the controls and i find it mega comfy — might not be your idea of what should be there but hell i customised my tele myself with some help from the boys and girls at Gunn, it’s soooo far from being standard but then again it’s mine bought and paid for so…
just gotta find this magnum ro-ro truck so a can have a butchers — hoping that i can find one in black just so it’ll match the flatbed and my forks
but that scanny looks really sweeeeet
decisions…decisions…time to put the kettle back on again methinks…
,or via Paisley,this was bout 20 mile round trip,so if you were just doing occasional journey,just stop bout half way have a cuppa then bash on,best do it when traffic light,can’t really see need/expense if your on long term hire,can firm your working for not move it■■?
‘‘■■■■■■■■■■■ in the jcb’’