Q I have a long-wheelbase Land-Rover which I intend to use
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for transvort ing sacks of fertilizer to farmers in my area on behalf of a local seed merchant. Till now I have used the vehicle only for my own personal use but as I now propose to use it for hire and reward I need to know about the Regulations. Must it be plated and tested, do I need an operator's
licence and will I be required to keg) records of hours of work?
A Your vehicle could be described as
a dual-purpose vehicle. This is defined, briefly, in the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1973 as a vehicle constructed or adapted for the carriage both of passengers of goods or burden of any description with an unladen weight not exceeding 2030kg (about 2 tons) and which has a four-wheel drive. There are alternative construction conditions but as your vehicle fulfils the conditions already outlined they need not concern you.
Exemption from plating and testing requirements for dual-purpose vehicles is contained in Schedule 2, paragraph 1, of the Goods Vehicle (Plating and Testing) Regulations 1968. Therefore your vehicle need not be plated and tested.
Part V of the Transport Act 1968 deals with operators' licences. Section 60(1) says no person shall use a goods vehicle on a road for hire and reward or in connection with any trade or business carried on hire by him unless licensed to do so. Sub-section (2) exempts small vehicles described in Subsection (4) as goods vehicles not forming part of a vehicle combination and having a plated weight not exceeding 3+ tons or (not having a plated weight) an unladen weight of more than 30cwt, therefore you will have to have an operator's licence if your vehicle is more than 30cwt unladen.
If your vehicle requires an operator's licence then you must provide yourself with a log-book and keep a record of work performed in accordance with the Driver's Hours (Goods Vehicles) (Keeping of Records) Regulations 1970.