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• / have been told that if I have driven
Page 89
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a big artic for one day a week from August 4 1969 and continue to do so until February 2 1970 I will become eligible for the h.g.v. driver's licence without taking the driving test. But I believe that this is incorrect and that one has to have six months' driving experience between February 1969 and February 1970. However, several transport firms in my area are putting drivers on big attics for a day a week and saying this is perfectly in order. Could you please let me know about this?
AThe answers to your questions revolve
very much around the phrase—"in the habit of"—used in the "Heavy Goods Vehicle Drivers' Licence" booklet. The booklet, obtainable from the Ministry of Transport, says on page 5 that if in the six months' experience required to obtain exemption you were in the habit of driving a Class 1 vehicle and other classes of heavy goods vehicle you will be able to claim s Class 1 licence.
The period of time during which the six months' experience must be obtained is between February 2 1969 and February 11970. However, if a full six months' driving was done on the class of vehicle for which you want a licence in the period August 2 1969 to February 1 1970, this would be acceptable.
The difficulty still remains with the question of one day per week driving on the Class 1 vehicle. A great deal is left to the Licensing Authority to decide and it would be rash to anticipate his interpretation of "in the habit of". We would be inclined to think that if he was aware that this one-day arrangement was carried out solely to qualify for a class of licence which otherwise would not be appropriate, he would not grant the Class 1 licence.
Our advice would be to endeavour to obtain at least two or three days per week driving on the Class 1 vehicle, or alternatively write to the Licensing Authority in your area and put your case to him in order to obtain his reaction.