Circus/Carnival Trucks

Stephen15

This something I have been wondering for quite some time but why do nearly all trucks involved in this industry have UK reg plates rather than ROI ones. They also use trucks like ERF, Atkinson and Foden which you don't see so often in this country rather than the usual Scania, Volvo or Mercedes. I assume these are from the six counties or are they from Britain. Why?

colm_mcm

ERFs and Fodens were very easy to work on and reliable. I'd imagine that plays a part.

bladebrew

If I remember right they don't have to obey any tachograph laws, and I'm pretty sure they are exempt from testing every year so they can run ancient trucks that no haulier could afford to run!

goochy

Pretty certain fossetts have an irish ERf . Love those british trucks.

Atlantic Dawn

I'd say the UK plates were down to the motor tax on larger trucks being multiples of the UK amount in the past, in the last budget though that was fixed to be competitive.

coylemj

I recall one year listening to someone from Fosset's on the (RTE talk) radio and they were bemoaning the fact that they were not getting any recognition as an Irish cultural entity - this despite the fact that at the time they had the circus parked in Booterstown where the majority of their trucks had UK registration plates and not one of their trucks with a 26 county registration number had a current tax disc on the windscreen.

parishsavings

Noticed this myself, ERF very popular in particular. In fairness some of those outfits have great trucks, very well turned out. Big generators on the back of the units and everything.
I suppose the trucks have an easier life as they wouldn't be on the road everyday, probably move once a week during the main peak season.

GM228

Circus vehicles have exemptions for driving hours and driver cards/tachographs. They are also exempt from the requirements to have a merchandise licence, a vehicle plate, an import licence or a restricted road freight licence.

hi5

And generous length restrictions too...