Hi everyone been a while since I posted but I have a question that no one at work can asnwer. As part of my job I am going to have to tow a trailer of equipment with one of the company vehicles (Merc V280). The trailer weight is upto 1.5 tonnes and the vehicle weight is about 2.5 tonnes so I am told. I am going to have to take a towing test as I passe my test in 2002 but I have no idea about what class of vehicle/ licence etc as most talk about a combine weight of upto 3.5 tonnes. Any ideas or suggestions on how to proceed or findd out what the heck to do are greatly appreciated.
many thanks
Cub Leader
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Aerospace graduate, flying high, no longer a student!
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Sorry, I can't answer your question.
>>Aerospace graduate, flying high, no longer a student!
Good good!
Are you now employed by the firm you did your work experience for?, or are SAAS, and DAW acronyms that you won't hear again?
Number_Cruncher
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Just read DVLA's website - its complicated...
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You'll have to pass a towing test (that's the easy bit out of the way !)
Is it the below...:-
Combinations of vehicles consisting of a vehicle in category B and a trailer, where the combination does not come within category B
B+E
17
I wish they'd write these things in English.
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 09/01/2008 at 20:29
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Driving Licences
A full (not provisional) driving licence is required to tow a trailer. From 1 January 1997, new category B (generally held as 'normal' car entitlement) vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kg Maximum Authorised Mass allowing a combined weight of up to 4.25 tonnes MAM OR a trailer (for example a tourer) over 750kg MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.
This would mean that many drivers who possess only a category B on their licence would be able to tow a trailer provided it was not heavier than their car, and that car and caravan combined, does not weigh more than 3.5 tonnes.
New drivers of outfits over these limits must take a category B + E test.
Further information from: Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA)
www.dvla.gov.uk
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I was right !
tinyurl.com/2gb5hl
The specific page in DVLA's site
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 09/01/2008 at 20:32
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Yes; B+E for that combo.
Unless the usage falls into an exempt category; you'll also need to fit and use a tachograph.
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Nope the place of SAAS and DAW had no work for me so moved south to play with rotorcraft. Thanks
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In the course of business (ie not private), if a towed outfit exceeds 3500kg then a tachometer must be fitted, and used.
I think that the 3500kg limit is calculated as the sum of the towing vehicle's GVW plus the trailer's GVW, regardless of whether the actual train weight is under 3500kg.
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Seem to have opened a real can of worms
Is the vehicle fitted with a tacho? Can't imagine your employer is the sort of organisation which will ignore the rules and hope it doesn't get found out.
If no tacho is fitted, double check the weights rather than relying on what colleagues tell you
I think the weight should be displayed on the vehicle somewhere, if the combination is over 3.5 tonnes pass the problem back to management to sort out, even companies in Yeovil will have a legal department who will be able to check that sort of thing.
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2.5 Tonnes Kerb weight for a V280 sounded too high to me so I did a quick Google and came up with 2030Kg which sounds more like it, and would put your combo right on the limit. Is the 3.5 tonne rule for the Gross train weight including all passengers ?
Edited by *Gongfarmer* on 10/01/2008 at 11:25
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Kerb weights don't apply here. The licensing and tacho regs are based on the MAM [maximum authorized mass] of the vehicle and trailer combination.
Even if both are empty and weigh far less than the limits, it's the allowable maximum that applies.
Both the vehicle and trailer will have weight plates that give the legal maximum weight [MAM/GVW/MVW/GVM/......] of each and the vehicle will also have a maximum train weight [GTW/MTW] that must not be exceeded.
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