Goods Vehicle Operators License

[HelsB]

OMG I have been asked to look into obtaining one of these and it's so complicated! (or so the VOSA website will have me believe with it's 62 page document!)

Does anyone on here with a yard, transporting horses to competitions for themselves and others hold one of these who would let me know basically what taking your CPC and obtaining the licence involves and costs?

 

[Shipley]

My husband holds his CPC, He did a weeks training course to get it and believes he could not have done it without and he has worked in the transport industry for years.

 

[HelsB]

Yes, my friend is aware that she will need the training course as she knows nothing on transport law!

I have a basic idea of what sort of things she will need to learn as I used to work in a transport dept but have never done my CPC or had anything to do with applying for the "O" license.

Just wondered if anyone on here had got theirs for their equestrian business, which 'level' of licence they have, how much the CPC cost etc

Thanks

 

[Shipley]

Hubby sdsaid exam about £1000 at the moment and would be worth trying to find a friend who has experience to help with the learning!

 

[HelsB]

[ QUOTE ]
Hubby sdsaid exam about £1000 at the moment and would be worth trying to find a friend who has experience to help with the learning!

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks Ship, that is a LOT of money for just an exam, did that not include the training??

 

[Shipley]

there are 7 sections to the exam so it depends on what she needs but yes it did apparently.

here are the fees from novadata (very good and high pass rate)

Freight National:
Unit 1 £12.50
Unit 2 £21.00
Unit 4 £36.50
Freight International:
Unit 6 £30.00

Passenger National:
Unit 1 £12.50
Unit 3 £21.00
Unit 5 £36.50


Passenger International:
Unit 7 £30.00

 

[HelsB]

Thanks Ship

Can anyone on here translate that into horsey use speak?

 

[LCM]

You have to pass modules 1,2 & 4 for a national license exmas, take place about 4 times per year and training compaines run 5 day courses with 4 days training and on the 5th day you sit the exams, cost for training and exams around £500 shop arround for best deal in your area (search on cpc training).
If you want to transport international you must pass also module 6 this is taken seperate to national training as you need to have a national licence first.
Results take about 3 months to come through, you then have to apply for license to local traffic office. You have to provide proof of a service contract with garage that carries out your maint ( format for this is in vosa book), and the biggie, provide proof of finaical resource (at the moment it is around £6000 for the first vehicle and £2500 for each other vehicle), this has to be shown on bank statements for 3 months (first 3 months after taking out your licence or last 3 months if renewing licence) This is seperate to licence fee. once you have provided the statements you can take the money out but it must be back in as stated 3 months before renewal, (every 5 years) you also have to place ad in local paper (format for this is also in vosa book) detailing operating centre (where you park) if you do not own the land you also must provide a letter of permission from owner. hope this helps understand the vosa book.

 

[miketdt]

Welcome LCM excellent info, it was a long time ago that I had an operators license but I do remember falling foul of the powers that be over not getting planning permission to operator lorries from a farm site that I rented. They come and check that its safe and suitable for lorries to enter and leave and write to any neighbours etc. Also they are keen to see you do not pollute water coarses etc with washing trucks etc.

 

[Vixxy]

I have my CPC and have worked extensively within the transport industry before having my two kids.

I went on a residential course and can honestly say it was hard even though I was already knowledgable and worked in the industry. A photographic memory will help as you get a thick lever arch to 'learn' basically remember to sit the exam. The exam includes evrything from accounting (relevant to transport industry), drivers hours, even how far apart reflector should be on a trailer, it really is very in depth!

The course is not cheap, my ex employer paid for mine and there is a lot of red tape and high criteria to gain an O license.

If I can help in anyway just PM and I will help anyway I can.

 

[HelsB]

Thanks for all your answers everyone!

OMG I'm not sure that my friend is going to be up for all of this!

Do you really need to go to this level just to run a horsebox for the occasional transport of horses 'in connection with economic activity' ???

I am sure that most yards do not hold an O licence, are they 'operating' illegally or is there a loophole where you don't need one?

 

[Shipley]

There are exemptions to requiring one I will try to find out for you. What some people do is pay a CPC holder a fee to be the company's appointed CPC even thought they don’t work for them on a day to day basis.

 

[irishdraught]

My husband and myself have both been through these exams over the last 12 months, there are 3 parts to the National exam, 1&2 are multi-choice question papers whilst 4 is a case study where you have to write the answers of the questions based on real-life type scenarios. That is the most difficult.

As already stated, the exams are held quarterly, some centres insist that you do their course first, others allow you to sit the exams only after self-study. We went for the self study option. the next exams will be held in December.

Topics in the exam include:

Civil & commercial Law
Social Law (tribunals, drivers hours, health & safety)
Fiscal Law (VAT, road tolls, income tax)
Business & financial management
Access to the market (admin, customs, OL)
Technical standards & aspects of operation (vehicle spec, weights, dimensions, con & use, carriage of goods)
Road Safety

I would certainly recommend the books written by David Lowe. it doesn't matter if you are 1 person, driving for yourself or transport manager for a fleet of 250, the exams and qualification is the same!!

Once the exam is passed, that gives you the CPC qualification, from there you will need to apply for the OL.
You have to prove that you are a competent person, that you are financially viable and some types of convictions are relevant.
You have to put a legal ad in a local paper stating you are applying for an OL and then any neighbours who may be affected can object. Highways are also made aware to ensure your vehicle/s have a safe exit point from your yard.

All very complex and expensive but a cracking qualification to have. All the fees are on the VOSA website for the OL. Exams follow OCR sylabus.

Feel free to PM if you have any other queries.

 

[HelsB]

[ QUOTE ]
There are exemptions to requiring one I will try to find out for you. What some people do is pay a CPC holder a fee to be the company's appointed CPC even thought they don’t work for them on a day to day basis.

[/ QUOTE ]

This sounds to be a good plan if it is possible and legal!

Where would we look to find a CPC/O licence holder to pay?

It also sounds as if we could get that up & running a lot faster than going thriugh the CPC and applying for an O licence.

How do all the other yards cope, are there so many operating illegally?