In Commercial Motor some time ago it was reported that,
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due to a loophole in the law, a person who held a car licence could drive a 7.5truck while towing a trailer of any weight. Is that still the case ?
We build trailers and have plans to produce a semi-trailer which will have a payload of 6,30014. It will have tandem axles and is intended to operate at 10,900kg GTW.
What licence would be needed by the vehicle driver ?
I A The loopholes reported in CM in June 1991 were removed in January this year when the regulations were amended.
The category of driving licence required to drive an articulated vehicle is determined by reference to the tractor unit's plated maximum train weight.
If the tractor unit which tows the trailer you intend to produce has a plated train weight of more than 7.5 tonnes—which it must have to operate at the planned gtw—the driver will require a category C+E licence to drive it when coupled to the trailer in question.
If the trailer had a single axle and its gross weight did not exceed 5 tonnes the artic could be driven on a Category C licence.