Hello once again...
The latest "challenge" is the need to have a tacho. if I am towing for business. Or so it seems.
It appears from a number of sources on the web that if I have a gross train weight of over 3500kgs or I am towing for hire and reward "long distance", then I need a tacho. arrgh.
Am I reading this correctly?
This potentially puts a huge cost burden on me if I have to retro-fit a tacho to the Trooper, which I suspect I can't anyway.
Has anyone fitted a tacho to a similar vehicle? They all seem to be of around 6" dash aperture size. No good for my vehicle....
And are they cable-driven, or can an electronic sensor be fitted on, say, the prop shaft to give a signal, and then have the speedo element caliburated?
Or even better, can one run off a GPS and calculate speed that way?
This is barminess. How do farmers taking livestock to more distant markets handle this? More in the breach than in the observance?
Comments welcome. The "4x4 and trailer" solution was so good for me, but it looks like I need to find an alternative. I can't even hire a 7.5 tonne boxvan now as I would need an operators license. And a Luton only has a 1 tonne payload.
The response "buy a lorry" not really helpful!
Cheers
rg
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Try the following link to the Road Haulage Association, to get some contact details, a very helpful organisation:
www.rha.net/
As far as my knowledge extends I don't see why you should fit a tacho for personal use, but hire and reward may provide a different answer.
New vehicles now come with electronic tachos, so presumably if needed you would be able to source one and get it fitted. I'd not like to try fitting an older manual type to a car, may be a bit awkward.
Hope this helps
Paul
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Thanks very much,
Just for the record and for the archive, the full data on this restriction/regulation is at:
www.ntta.co.uk/law/Safe&LegalTowingShort.pdf
Just beware anyone taking/collecting vehicles from anywhere for hire and reward. In theory, you need a tacho...
rg
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try this site, they have a "free drivers hours help line"
www.tachodisc.co.uk/index.html
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Tacho units are available that fit in the radio aperture these days.
PP
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rg
Not one of my favourite subjects as the legislation bounces between EEC Regs and home Law to such an extent it makes Solitors rich and able to keep a fleet of BMW, Mini 1 and Defender, nevertheless some thoughts:
EEC Reg 3821/85 as amended principle EEC Reg:
See www.tinyurl.com/lyca
Basically a Tachograph must be installed and used in vehicles registered in State of EU for carriage of goods or passengers by road. Offence to use without. Sect 97 Transport Act 1968.
If I recall applies to Goods vehicle max permissable weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes (Merc van without trailer OK with trailer needs one) also passengers vehicles which in construction are suitable for carrying more than 9 persons including driver (Landrover 110 was in question over this - cannot recall the outcome)
You asked the position re Farmers. Again if I recall there is an exemption for vehicles used in agriculture within 50 km of base and for those taking livestock to farms, marts and slaughterhouses.
Department of Transport Traffic Commissioners (V.I) used to have handy little booklets on this subject (Free) and as they are now the principle enforceing authority any queries should be referred to them for an expert answer.
Nearest VI Office to you at Leeds, top end of A.64.
DVD
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Thanks, all,
A result?
Paul Barton Tachographs near Nottingham fit to Troopers, Range Rovers, Discoveries, and other vehicles, tapping into the feed to the speedo.
www.tachographs.sagenet.co.uk
£595.00+VAT
As per Mr Perfect above, it fits the radio aperture. On the Trooper there is a spare space on the dash just above the gear stick "bellows" area.
Phew...
At least it can be done.
Apparently someone has been prosecuted recently for not having a tacho when towing a compressor.
Anyone who has a knowledge of the East Midlands stretching back to the 'Seventies will recall Barton Buses. A truly wacky fleet of vehicles, including some "workshop specials". Yes, it's a member of that dynasty.
Thanks again
rg
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Folks,
All just for the record...
As I tow a flatbed trailer for business purposes and the total maximum premissable gross weight exceeds 3500kgs, it appears that I need a tachograph. (Not a lot of people know that, and the police are getting keen on stopping likely offenders.)
This was duly fitted by Paul Barton Tachographs in Nottingham.
The original speedo appears to read 10-15% fast when checked against the tach (which is fixed in the centre console of the Vauxhall Monterey.) So indicated 67 is 60 by the tacho.
rg
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You must also remember to change the mode switch when you change from work to rest.It is an offence not to.
Also it must be inspected every 2 years and re-calibrated every 6 years.And it must be within a tolerence of +/- 6kph at all speeds.(About 4mph)
You must also keep your completed charts for 12 months.And if a fault develops,you must have it repaired within 1 week of the fault occuring.
Make sure that you fill all the fields in on the centre,thus:
Surname,christian name.
Journey depart from.
Journey end.
Date.
Registration.
Kms out.
Kms in.
Total kms.
And DO NOT allow anything to come into contact with these fields once completed.It's an offence to do so.
The one thing that,because you have a small vehicle,I'm unsure about is the amount of days you would be able to drive consecutively.But I should imagine that if your not using it for H&R all the time,there shouldn't be a problem.
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Quinny,
Thanks for the reminder.
Just to clarify, by "kms out/in" I take it that youmean outbound and return total kms?
And if i am dismantling and loading at a destination, should I leave the machine on "duty", "rest" or what? Not clear from the documentation.
rg
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Rest means any uninterupted period during which the driver may freely dispose of his/her time. To freely dispose of his /her time means that the employer cannot direct the driver to engage in doing some other type of work.
But as you are the employer/owner ion a nutshell then any period where you do not have any responsibility for the vehicle /load. If you are dismantling/loading then you are still 'ON Duty" which should be the mode selected.
You have entered a field covered both by Community Legislation/Transport Act 1968 involving Tachograph records and Drivers Hours.
Your easy solution is to have a word with your D of T Local Vehicle Inspectorate (or its new name that escapes me at the moment).
They used to have a little booklet then explained all requirements in simple terms and I feel sure that this still exists.You will find it a great help.
DVD
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DVD,
Thanks for your advice. I need to get hold of the booklet from the D of T to sort this out.
(BTW The Silver Monterey towing a 16ft flatbed trailer in the Stokesley area may well be me..)
Apparently the police are particularly keen on vans with trailers rather than what appears to be a private vehicle -not- towing for hire or reward...
rg
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rq
In my days there used to be an offence of using a goods vehicle to which a higher rate of Excise Licence was applicable.Without research it used to be Section 10 of the old vehicles Excise Act IIRC.
Favourite for this were the Tranny vans of builders towing a trailer carrying goods. Extra tax was due because of the towed Goods trailers. Bit like the heavies, the bigger they are the more they pay.
May well be prudent to EMail DVLA to check you liability. Address is on their site on the WEB.
DVD
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Thanks again,
Perhaps my final observation on the whole issue is that the onus seems heavily on the owner/driver to find these things out. However, this is difficult when the O/D does not realise that there is legislation affecting him! And I don't think that the police/courts would take ignorance as an acceptable plea. This seems like a gaping legal liability hole that others could fall into unawares. The only point of information would be via the trailer hire company and their hire agreement wording.
rg
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If you need to ask further on this subject,may I suggest you subscribe to the site below,which I am a member of,and ask some of my fellow truck drivers.
Ken.
trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/index.php
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