9 With reference to your article regarding drivers' licences (CM
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July 28 for gross weight of vehicles from November 1973, I have been in contact with two local testing station managers on this subject and can get no information or satisfaction with regard to same.
I wonder if you can give me some further information on this situation, as to whether it is to become law, that an 18-year-old cannot drive a vehicle weighing 2 tons 14 cwt unladen weight.
I am at present running a Commer VC4 medium-duty, two-axle rigid model plated at 7.9 tons gross vehicle weight. I understand that Karrier has a similar vehicle plated 7.1 tons gross vehicle, the only difference being in the tyre sizes.
My vehicles are at present on 750 x 15 twelve-ply tyres. Would it be possible to reduce the tyre sizes to bring this vehicle down to the 7.38 tons that you speak of in the article to allow an 18-year-old to drive? to drive?
AAt present you may, provided you inform the DoE, fit smaller tyres to your vehicle to be re-plated at a lower gross weight.
So if the driving licence proposals become law you will be able to down-plate your vehicle below 7.38 tons after fitting smaller tyres.
However, the selection of suitable tyres will have to be made carefully if you want to maintain some degree of weight distribution tolerance on the axles.
We would suggest that you contact Chrysler UK Ltd and supply them with the relevant details and ask for the company's recommendations.
Should the proposals be ratified, it is likely that truck manufacturers will. introduce models of the appropriate gross weight to cater for this section of the market.