a couple of van/lorry/trailer questions

A

atot

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Which do you prefer driving out of the above 3...and why?

Also, is there a website on the rules and regulations of driving vans and lorries etc?

I just want to do some research, as mum and I are thinking of getting one of the above, seeing as Chloe and I are getting out and about more often now.

Forgive me...am pretty clueless on the subject of horse transport! I've heard about the tests you have to take for lorries...do you have to take tests to drive a horse van...if so, is there a website with information on that, aswell?

Thank you - sorry for the millions of questions!
 
If you took your driving test after 1997 (I think), you will need to o another test to either drive a lorry or van over 3.5 tonn or pull a trailer. You can however dirve a lorry or van upto 3.5 tonn on a post 1997 car license.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Do you mean before 1997 you have to take a test...

Thanks for your help

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope before 1997 you can dive upto 7.5 ton, without doing a extra test.
wink.gif
 
Thank you for the link - I would much rather a box too - But that is way out of my price range, and seeing as we know very little about lorries etc...it would probably be quite risky getting a very cheap one, incase there were some hidden horrors or something!
Is this 1k for the box...? thanks again.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Do you mean before 1997 you have to take a test...

Thanks for your help

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope before 1997 you can dive upto 7.5 ton, without doing a extra test.
wink.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

So if you have a license from before 1997..you can drive up to 7.5tonnes...and if it's after, you have to take a test to drive anything from a trailer, upwards?

blush.gif
 
It works out at about
190 road tax
40 MOT
300-400 full insurance and breakdown cover
200 routine servicing
then alllow for the odd battery, tyre, spare parts
woudl be simialr for a smalll 3.5 tonner van

But thats £20 a week, which we save by driving small econmical cars. We would use that much in extra fuel commuting in a big vehcile.

If you don;t drive much during the week, a 4x4 and trailer woudl be cheaper
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Do you mean before 1997 you have to take a test...

Thanks for your help

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope before 1997 you can dive upto 7.5 ton, without doing a extra test.
wink.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

So if you have a license from before 1997..you can drive up to 7.5tonnes...and if it's after, you have to take a test to drive anything from a trailer, upwards?

blush.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Yep pre 1997 = No addition test required to tow or drive upto 7.5ton.

Post 1997= Need to do a test to tow or to drive anything over 3.5 ton.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Do you mean before 1997 you have to take a test...

Thanks for your help

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope before 1997 you can dive upto 7.5 ton, without doing a extra test.
wink.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

So if you have a license from before 1997..you can drive up to 7.5tonnes...and if it's after, you have to take a test to drive anything from a trailer, upwards?

blush.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Yep pre 1997 = No addition test required to tow or drive upto 7.5ton.

Post 1997= Need to do a test to tow or to drive anything over 3.5 ton.

[/ QUOTE ]

*lightbulb moment*
grin.gif
Thanks, got it!
 
[ QUOTE ]
It works out at about
190 road tax
40 MOT
300-400 full insurance and breakdown cover
200 routine servicing
then alllow for the odd battery, tyre, spare parts
woudl be simialr for a smalll 3.5 tonner van

But thats £20 a week, which we save by driving small econmical cars. We would use that much in extra fuel commuting in a big vehcile.

If you don;t drive much during the week, a 4x4 and trailer woudl be cheaper

[/ QUOTE ]

I am 16 - so haven't even started driving yet! But, if I took my test when I was 17/18...would I be able to drive anything up to 3.5tonnes, if I took the required tests etc...

and, *sorry for all these questions* how often should you have an MOT?

thank you!
 
MOT is every year
Yes, standrd licence is 3.5 tonnes, but you may find the insurance very expensive whislt a new driver and or under 21
 
[ QUOTE ]
Just out of curiousity what is it your gonna carry??

Size of horse(s), rough weight, tack? trap? etc

[/ QUOTE ]

15hh cob, preferably with space for another horse - normal tack, nothing particularly heavy!
 
Ok - Space for another horse rules out the van conversion immediately!!!

1 horse and tack a trailer would be no problem,
to be honest - I'd would seriously suggest if you want to carry two horses - even just the odd occassion - for safety I would go with a box.

There's plenty out there that are between 3.5 and 7.5t or those plated straight to 7.5t.

Depending on what your driver has on the license, if you need to consider the trailer test - you'd be just as well going for the 7.5t test. Costs for using this type of vehicle are going to be higher - but the overall safety factor makes up for it - as well as having the extra room for longer journeys - being far more stable - more reliable than a trailer - etc etc.

Should you consider a trailer or a box conversion - be sure to pay extra special attention to the floor, condition/thickness/material/safety. It's surprising how easy a horse can put it's leg thru a wood floor!!!
 
You may find the DVLA website of help
It takes some exploring to get where you need to be and find the relevant information!!

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers.aspx

Another good information source is the VOSA website, mainly for commercial operators, but it will give you an insight to some problems encountered with certain boxes and heavy vehicles
http://www.vosa.gov.uk/
 
[ QUOTE ]
It works out at about
190 road tax
40 MOT
300-400 full insurance and breakdown cover
200 routine servicing
then alllow for the odd battery, tyre, spare parts
woudl be simialr for a smalll 3.5 tonner van

[/ QUOTE ]

But thats £20 a week, which we save by driving small econmical cars. We would use that much in extra fuel commuting in a big vehcile.

If you don;t drive much during the week, a 4x4 and trailer woudl be cheaper

[/ QUOTE ]

That doesn't include the loss of interest on the money you've just spent on the box - say 5% at £12k = £600 and the depreciation on the box which is going to be higher in the earlier years but of the order of £500 - £1500 a year

so total cost to you of having a box is more like £2k - £2.5k - which is harder to make up with having a smaller car. Mind you - the depreciation on a 4x4 is also not insignificant and the carbon load is less - so a box is kinder on your carbon footprint. Mind you, not having a horse is kinder still, but I'm not quite ready to go there...

E
 
[ QUOTE ]
Ok - Space for another horse rules out the van conversion immediately!!!

1 horse and tack a trailer would be no problem,
to be honest - I'd would seriously suggest if you want to carry two horses - even just the odd occassion - for safety I would go with a box.

There's plenty out there that are between 3.5 and 7.5t or those plated straight to 7.5t.

Depending on what your driver has on the license, if you need to consider the trailer test - you'd be just as well going for the 7.5t test. Costs for using this type of vehicle are going to be higher - but the overall safety factor makes up for it - as well as having the extra room for longer journeys - being far more stable - more reliable than a trailer - etc etc.

Should you consider a trailer or a box conversion - be sure to pay extra special attention to the floor, condition/thickness/material/safety. It's surprising how easy a horse can put it's leg thru a wood floor!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

In that case, it will probs be a trailer then!! It would be an extra luxury to be able to carry two horses, but a trailer would still be fantastic.

Am just worried about stability of trailers, as you said we wouldn't need to worry about that in a lorry - I must say, if I was a horse I really wouldn't want to be in a trailer on the motorway in terrible weather.
crazy.gif
 
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