Horse Lorry

SanNJay

Hi just wanted advice on this.

with regard to driving a two horse lorry on a car licence. i know the maximum weight in 3500kg however if you are stopped is it the weight of the vehicle plus its contents or is it just the weight on the DOE cert?

i was looking at a lorry recently and the man selling it said its only the weight on the cert that matters..

also do you know anything about partial insurance of lorries/boxes i.e insured only on the weekend and is it worthwhile?

i'd appreciate everyones experiences.

thanks

Sandra

fits

The man was talking bull. If you have two horses aboard and you are stopped and taken to a weighbridge and you're over 3.5T you are breaking the law. The total weight has to be less than 3.5T. I think very few two horse lorries can comply with this tbh. Alright for ponies probably.

Why dont you get the lorry weighed unladen so you know how much capacity you have?

Wishbone Ash

If you are utilising a category B Driving Licence (on a public road), the gross weight of your vehicle (i.e. vehicle+horses+driver+passengers) must not exceed 3,500kgs.

I know nothing about horses - how much would 2 weigh - ballpark figure?

MDFM

fits wrote: »

The man was talking bull. If you have two horses aboard and you are stopped and taken to a weighbridge and you're over 3.5T you are breaking the law. The total weight has to be less than 3.5T. I think very few two horse lorries can comply with this tbh. Alright for ponies probably.

Why dont you get the lorry weighed unladen so you know how much capacity you have?

AFAIK i think you are ok up once total weight laden + unladen doesnt exceed 7.5t - but again you'd need to to have the lorry weighed or just check whats on its doe cert. either that ring up your vehicle taxation/licencing office and they'll confirm it for you.

also, not sure about partial insurance if it exists? in any case, why would you only partially insure a vehicle/trailer for the weekend? what do you do for the other 5 days, if it was stolen for example or you needed it in the case of emergency??

fits

MDFM wrote: »

AFAIK i think you are ok up once total weight laden + unladen doesnt exceed 7.5t - but again you'd need to to have the lorry weighed or just check whats on its doe cert. either that ring up your vehicle taxation/licencing office and they'll confirm it for you.

That is definitely incorrect. The lorry with horses aboard must weigh less than 3.5T.
Most of them are fine with one horse aboard but are overweight with two.

Wishbone, it depends on the animal, but 600kg would be a ballpark figure.

OP, dont take our word for it. Why dont you call the driver licensing people?

MDFM

fits wrote: »

That is definitely incorrect. The lorry with horses aboard must weigh less than 3.5T.
Most of them are fine with one horse aboard but are overweight with two.

Wishbone, it depends on the animal, but 600kg would be a ballpark figure.

OP, dont take our word for it. Why dont you call the driver licensing people?

Like i said, it was afaik, i was basing it on my own experience as my OH does haulage for a company locally and was driving a 3 horse lorry on his car licence, the owner couldnt allow him on the larger rigid trucks up until he did his rigid licence test which he has now completed.

Wishbone Ash

MDFM wrote: »

AFAIK i think you are ok up once total weight laden + unladen doesnt exceed 7.5t

To drive a vehicle weighing up to 7,500 kgs on a public road requires a category C1 licence at a minimum.

You may be confusing it with the older licence system whereby when one passed a driving test in category B, categories C1 and B+E were added automatically.

If the OP did a test many years ago, it is possible that he/she may also have a C1.

fits wrote:

Wishbone, it depends on the animal, but 600kg would be a ballpark figure.

That's interesting as I was doing a bit of Googling and it appears that some 2 horse light rigid trucks (i.e. heavy vans) allow a payload of 1,200kgs and still stay within the 3,500kg limit.

It's possible that the OP may just make it!

MDFM

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

To drive a vehicle weighing up to 7,500 kgs on a public road requires a category C1 licence at a minimum.

You may be confusing it with the older licence system whereby when one passed a driving test in category B, categories C1 and B+E were added automatically.

If the OP did a test many years ago, it is possible that he/she may also have a C1.

That's interesting as I was doing a bit of Googling and it appears that some 2 horse light rigid trucks (i.e. heavy vans) allow a payload of 1,200kgs and still stay within the 3,500kg limit.

It's possible that the OP may just make it!

yes thats probably it as my OH has his licence nearly 17 years now and has the above categories on his licence, but only did cate B test, as did his boss (the haulage company owner). Actually, my late father was the same, and he had his his own livestock haulage company, drove a big cattle truck. mind you i have my licence 12 years and i'm only licenced to drive car & tractor!!!

fits

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

That's interesting as I was doing a bit of Googling and it appears that some 2 horse light rigid trucks (i.e. heavy vans) allow a payload of 1,200kgs and still stay within the 3,500kg limit.

It's possible that the OP may just make it!

Thats what they say on the websites anyway. Theres been a lot of problems in the UK with people going over 3.5T on such lorries advertised as capable of carrying two horses.

hmm theres an old thread here on it, I'll dig it up.

Wishbone Ash

MDFM wrote: »

yes thats probably it as my OH has his licence nearly 17 years now and has the above categories on his licence, but only did cate B test

As I suspected.

MDFM wrote:

my late father was the same, and he had his his own livestock haulage company, drove a big cattle truck.

If you father was driving prior to 1964 he probably didn't do any test. In those days all one had to do was buy the licence in the local Post Office with the necessary categories ticked off. :eek:

MDFM wrote:

mind you i have my licence 12 years and i'm only licenced to drive car & tractor!!!

You would also be automatically entitled to have category M (mopeds) added to you licence.

fits

Heres that old thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055173988

MDFM

You would also be automatically entitled to have category M (mopeds) added to you licence


Lucky me!!! Just have to get a moped strong enough now to pull the box!!!

Yea Dad i don't think even had to do a test in his day, just got the licence as you said above.

Wishbone Ash

fits wrote: »

Heres that old thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055173988

Interesting reading, especially the bit about the impact of a shifting load on an ordinary van!

In relation to the licence issue, if anyone is thinking of doing a C1 test/lessons, it may be a lot more useful to go the whole hog and do a C test. You would them be covered to drive practically any size/weight of rigid truck.

MDFM

do you not have to do the rigid test 1st before you can do the HGV?

Wishbone Ash

MDFM wrote: »

do you not have to do the rigid test 1st before you can do the HGV?

The C would cover you for all rigid trucks.

For an articulated truck a C+E is required and one must have a full C before applying for a Learner Permit in a C+E.

MDFM

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The C would cover you for all rigid truckd.

For an articulated truck a C+E is required.

Yea sorry dat's what i thought as my OH had to do his C recently as he wants to drive HGV's from now on.

Wishbone Ash

MDFM wrote: »

he wants to drive HGV's from now on.

Any goods vehicle over 7,500kgs is a HGV although most people seem to think it relates to 'artics' only.

SanNJay

hi, sorry i'm only posting again now.

the doe cert has 3400T so i think its not an option.

however i have seen one that is 2000 unladen so i'd say you could pass on that.

there hard to come by. I only have a B licence so it would have to be under 3.5T

interesting posting thou.

Sandra