• Hundreds of truck mechanics and salesmen may have taken
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the full artic driving test unaware that a little-publicised rule change allows them to drive tractors on a Category-C licence.
The loophole came to the attention of Jim Thompson of Creative Training in Portsmouth when a fitter from a rental company approached him about training to drive tractors. In line with common practice in the industry. Thompson advised the mechanic that he would need to pass a full C+E test. But when the fitter came to take his test, he was told by the examiner that he had been wasting his time as he could drive tractive units on a class-C licence, This dates back to 1991 when an EC directive changed the licensing arrangements for all HGVs, but Thompson says the relaxed requirements are news to him, and to other instructors.
He believes there will be a lot of frustrated people out there who have wasted five days and the best part of £500 getting a licence they don't need.
Prior to 1991 any tractor with a fifth wheel coupling could only be driven by the holder of a Class-1 HGV licence. Under current definitions, only a tractor drawing a trailer weighing more than 750kg requires a Category C+E licence.
A DVLA spokesman says that the rule change was publicised at the time and bodies such as the Road Haulage Association were notified.