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Coronavirus (COVID-19): MOTs for lorries, buses and trailers.


DonPeffers

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20 mar 2020  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-mots-for-lorries-buses-and-trailers

 

"Your lorry, bus or trailer will be exempt from needing an MOT for 3 months from 21 March 2020. You might need to apply for this, depending on your vehicle."

 

So lorries and buses which might do very high mileages will have a 3 month pass but low yearly mileage vehicles like westies won't.

 

Any thoughts?

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Isn't it a more extensive MOT for PSV HGV types etc.

So fewer test stations equipped for these and maybe involves traveling longer distances with the consequence of passing the bug on ?

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Maybe soon if all non-essential work to cease! But why do you need an MOT if you can't go anywhere.

 

Ireland had to issue exemptions to private cars for sometime since the end of last year due to problems with their MOT scheme.

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Testing stations for HGV/PSV vehicles are out of necessity much bigger affairs and have a range of more intensive inspections including the frightening "wobble plate". Additionally they take a lot longer to complete and are like a mini IVA. The test centres are quite a distance apart and often your closest station will not be available when required so travelling longer are quite usual. With this said they are also minimally staffed like the IVA centres so any absences will be greatly noticed and this is why they will be closing on top of personal contact problems, therefore the risks for virus contagion is escalated.

Part of running these type of vehicles is a requirement to have them officially serviced in regimented intervals normally 10 to 12 weeks where they have to maintain vehicle to MOT standards. A lot of service centres operate 24 hours to allow minimal down time for the vehicle so that deliveries can continue, so extending MOT period is not such a risky operation as it would be in private vehicles.

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2 hours ago, Martyn Vann - Joint Warwickshire AO said:

Maybe soon if all non-essential work to cease! But why do you need an MOT if you can't go anywhere.

 

Ireland had to issue exemptions to private cars for sometime since the end of last year due to problems with their MOT scheme.

But you can go places. Find a nice country road, field, woods and go for a walk. Just avoid all the popular areas such as beaches, local parks, national trust places etc

 

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You do have to wonder what would happen if a hgv had a fatal accident down to a defect that would have been picked up at an mot test. 

 

Although I do accept they don't have much choice at present.

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1 hour ago, Steve (sdh2903) said:

You do have to wonder what would happen if a hgv had a fatal accident down to a defect that would have been picked up at an mot test. 

As a Transport Manager, which you are required by law to have, you have a personal responsibility to ensure the vehicles under your charge are safe and roadworthy. Any offences, however minor, get recorded on that persons records and this is looked at very stringently by the local transport authority. The authority has the ability to enter premises without permission (only the Custom and Excise people has this power) and stop any operation they consider unworthy, even if it breaks them.

When you apply to run each and every vehicle you have to state when they are to be serviced (can be as little as 6 weeks for high risk vehicles) and have to show this together with the tacho readings which since my ceasing of being a TM have got incredibly more stringent. Also on a driver shift basis the TM or assistant must see a comprehensive report on the vehicle about to be driven. 

There are many more controls but be assured, even without MOT certificates, apart from illegal operators all will be running safe vehicles far in excess of all but a few private vehicle operators. MOT is just confirmation that the regulations are being adhered.

I suffered a black mark against my name for having a van not HGV operate with illegal tyres just because my driver had falsified his daily reports, this stayed on my record, some 12 years until I finished with TM classification. This affected insurance premiums for my own private vehicle which shows how important HGV rules are.

Most if not all of the accidents are caused by the driver, high on the list being overtired through falsifying the tacho, or my own pet hate using a mobile device either hand held or dash mounted.

Sorry to be over stating but I have immense respect for our delivery drivers and the responsibility they carry.

.

Edited by Snags
error
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Oh I know the stringent rules, I grew up around the haulage industry and worked part time in a hgv workshop for 3 or 4 years before I started my apprenticeship. But I also know (as in all walks of life) there are less scrupulous company's out there.

 

I'm not trying to insinuate anything it was more a ponderous thought.

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I know there are unscrupulous operators out there but most don't survive long. Also I don't know how well the foreign operations are controlled.

I do know that the drivers are the biggest risk in any vehicle operation so ideally this need to be removed or better controlled - robot drivers.

On the reverse I have seen what a lot of private drivers/owners do or rather don't do and are more worried about these vehicles. I've seen your threads and know you are doing a wonderful and responsible job on your vehicle so know your not insinuating anything but I needed to set the record straight - I worked hard to run a company and TM was the most onerous of all the tasks.

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I run the UK supply chain and logistics for a large multi national retailer and operate a large fleet of LGV's. I'm a CPC holder and have held a few Operators Licenses over the years. 

 

The DVSA have done 2 things this week, relaxing both the driver hours rules and this latest change to the MOT testing. Both of which are almost unheard of. 

 

LGV's are maintained to an incredibly high standard. Each operator is scored on the OCRS system (operators compliance risk score) and then treated accordingly by the DVSA. Any MOT failure (even if it passes on retest), any drivers hour infringement or a fault on a vehicle at a roadside check will impact your score and flag your vehicles to be stopped more often. Every operator will therefore be paying for a pre-MOT inspection to ensure the highest pass rate possible. If more issues are found you will lose the your Operators License, suicide to any business! 

 

The companies doing the servicing are also rated by the DVSA on the MOT pass rate of the vehicles they service. If the pass rate is poor they can lose their license too. 

 

Servicing is heavily regulated and has to be done every 42 days. If you have a good OCRS score, this can normally be extended to 56 days but this privilege can be removed at any time. This can have a huge impact on costs so every operator wants a good OCRS score. Every driver has to do a pre-operation check that has to be documented and kept on file for over 12 months. 

 

Each transport operator (for each operating site) has to nominate at least one responsible person and name it's directors to hold an Operators License. They must be of good repute and hold a Certificate of Professional Competency, the test for which is higher than A level standard. It's a tough exam, only 35% of people pass. The O License application has to be published in the local press and online (including the names of the CPC holder and company directors) before the license is granted. The O License can be revoked or restricted at any time.

 

In short, running LGV's is very complex, very expensive and highly regulated but means they are generally the safest vehicles on the road! 

 

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12 hours ago, RobH72 said:

I run the UK supply chain and logistics for a large multi national retailer and operate a large fleet of LGV's. I'm a CPC holder and have held a few Operators Licenses over the years. 

 

The DVSA have done 2 things this week, relaxing both the driver hours rules and this latest change to the MOT testing. Both of which are almost unheard of. 

 

LGV's are maintained to an incredibly high standard. Each operator is scored on the OCRS system (operators compliance risk score) and then treated accordingly by the DVSA. Any MOT failure (even if it passes on retest), any drivers hour infringement or a fault on a vehicle at a roadside check will impact your score and flag your vehicles to be stopped more often. Every operator will therefore be paying for a pre-MOT inspection to ensure the highest pass rate possible. If more issues are found you will lose the your Operators License, suicide to any business! 

 

The companies doing the servicing are also rated by the DVSA on the MOT pass rate of the vehicles they service. If the pass rate is poor they can lose their license too. 

 

Servicing is heavily regulated and has to be done every 42 days. If you have a good OCRS score, this can normally be extended to 56 days but this privilege can be removed at any time. This can have a huge impact on costs so every operator wants a good OCRS score. Every driver has to do a pre-operation check that has to be documented and kept on file for over 12 months. 

 

Each transport operator (for each operating site) has to nominate at least one responsible person and name it's directors to hold an Operators License. They must be of good repute and hold a Certificate of Professional Competency, the test for which is higher than A level standard. It's a tough exam, only 35% of people pass. The O License application has to be published in the local press and online (including the names of the CPC holder and company directors) before the license is granted. The O License can be revoked or restricted at any time.

 

In short, running LGV's is very complex, very expensive and highly regulated but means they are generally the safest vehicles on the road! 

 

Exactly.

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On 22/03/2020 at 13:56, Martyn Vann - Joint Warwickshire AO said:

Maybe soon if all non-essential work to cease! But why do you need an MOT if you can't go anywhere.

Imagine how busy MOT garages would be when “normal” service resumed, if they were made to close (Could happen yet).  We’d struggle to get an MOT for weeks! 🤞Crossing my fingers, I have one this Saturday. 
 

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@LukeW not that you can get out any time soon ......................

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