# Is a tacho now necessary for private owner/drivers on 7.5 tonner?



## kerilli (4 April 2008)

Help, Miller told me last night that the law's changed, and private owners now need to use a tachograph on 7.5 tonne horseboxes... please can someone tell me if this is true? I'm going to call my garage and the DVLA too, just wanted a quick answer if pos?! thanks.


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## JM07 (4 April 2008)

yep, it needs to be calibrated.


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## kerilli (4 April 2008)

eek, better get it sorted then, thankyou!


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## PaddyMonty (4 April 2008)

NO.  Private below 7.5t are stil exempt for tacho requirements.


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## ecrozier (4 April 2008)

Agree with Time Faulter, I checked with my HGV garage who do all the work on my lorry and they said that I definately DON'T need one.


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## JM07 (4 April 2008)

only if the lorry was registered before 2001


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## ecrozier (4 April 2008)

Ha, 2001! Mine was registered in 1986 so thats probably why they told me that.  Blimey thats a pain if you now have to do all that tacho stuff.


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## Thistle (4 April 2008)

Only newer lorries need it


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## kerilli (4 April 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
only if the lorry was registered before 2001 

[/ QUOTE ]

umm, JM07, do you mean that they're exempt if they were first registered before 2001, or that they need it if they were? mine's about 12 yrs old...
thankyou.


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## zoesophie (4 April 2008)

Im confused too  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 my mate was talking about this this morning and I said Id print her off some info but cant seem to get anything on the DVLA - any ideas anyone, just to clarify please


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## LCobby (4 April 2008)

http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/lorryandvanoperators/lorryandvanoperators.htm

it VOSA who deal with operators liccnes, tachos eetc.


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## LCobby (4 April 2008)

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/repository/GV262%20Jan%202008.pdf

Dowloadable  leaflet covering the rulse and exemptions


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## kerilli (4 April 2008)

excellent, thankyou.
according to that, anything under 7.5 tonnes and "used for the non-commercial carriage of goods" is exempt. (p14)


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## zoesophie (4 April 2008)

Ah fantastic - thanks!


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## kerilli (4 April 2008)

I've rung about 8 different Govt offices and finally spoken to my local enforcement officer, who confirmed that if it is for Private use only, it is definitely exempt. HA!


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## lisan (4 April 2008)

Thank goodness for that!  Thanks for clarifying Kerilli


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## miller (4 April 2008)

Good to know - I was told by 2 haulage companies the rules had changed! Thank god for that


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## pathelschoice (4 April 2008)

the rules have only changed on the calibration of the odometer (spedo) to be "set" at 56 MPH all lorries newer that 2001 registration to come in line with european legislation, the tacho regs still stay the same , ie for private useage the tacho should still be operational ( VOSA like to see it operational for annual MOT ) but you are exempt of tacho for private livestock carrier useage.


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## miketdt (4 April 2008)

Whilst you are exempt from EC tachogragh rules when driving a private horsebox under 7.5 ton MaM you are subject to domestic driving rules ie: max 10 hours driving per day or max 11 hours duty.


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## miller (4 April 2008)

But how would they know how long you have been driving? Not that I'm likely to drive for that long


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## JM07 (4 April 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
only if the lorry was registered before 2001 

[/ QUOTE ]

umm, JM07, do you mean that they're exempt if they were first registered before 2001, or that they need it if they were? mine's about 12 yrs old...
thankyou. 

[/ QUOTE ]

if your lorry was regd BEFORE 2001..NO it doesnt need calibrating.............


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## miketdt (4 April 2008)

Goods vehicle drivers hours are controlled in the interest of road safety for all road users.Domestic rules require all drivers of goods carrying vehicles to keep a written record of when you started driving and where from on that day. how long you have driven and how long your rest breaks were.
Imagine the case where 18 year old johnny or janet have just passed their C1 and take dads 7.5 ton horsebox with younger bothers or sister and friends plus horses and decide to leave Cornwall or Devon 7.00am to travel to Oxfordshire for a days event, decide not to stay overnight and return late in the evening. Sadly they are involved in an accident where someone is killed.  Well I am sure you know what happens next! Police check CCTV cameras on the M5 M4 A34 to determine how long driver was driving.


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## miketdt (4 April 2008)

Goods drivers hours of work are controlled in the interest of road safety for all road users.whilst driving a horsebox under 7.5 tons for private use is excempt from EC tachograph rules uk domestic rules apply. Read The Official DSA guide to Driving Goods Vehicles pages from 107 it explains about tacho rules and exemptions and domestic  rules. Imagine the case where a young 18 year old driver passes a C1 test and decides to drive dads horsebox from devon or cornwall at 7.0am on a saturday morning loaded with 2 or 3 horses plus brothers or sisters and friends and travels to newbury or oxfordshire for a 1 day event. They decide to drive home instead of staying over night and are involved in an accident in which someone is killed. it happens.Then the police and department of transport would check for a written drivers records of that days history ie; where did the drivers day start and at what time ,what rest periods were taken etc. CCtv images would be checked from M5 M4 A34 etc to check on the driver of the vehicle and to check he wasn't to tired to drive. Domestic driving records need to be kept  for 2 years thats the law, sorry.


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## Boltonrider (5 April 2008)

Set by previous case in law courts - now statute

This does not apply to persons using a 7.5t or lower GVM horsebox (vehicle designed and adapted for the sole carriage of equine livestock)....for PRIVATE carriage of equines owned by said person.
Exemption is disregarded if person carries for hire or reward.

** Carriage of equine livestock for personal use...is NOT classed or viewed as carriage of goods, equines in law cannot be described as 'goods' under any road traffic law.

The official DSA guide cannot be used as a statement of fact when viewed in conjunction with the carriage of equines within the above described vehicle.


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