# LGV PCV



## Snelly (Aug 20, 2005)

Here's one to develop some discussion.

My crew mate at work has PCV licence... can he drive my RV? or does it have to be LGV.


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## 100734 (Aug 28, 2006)

> My crew mate at work has PCV licence can he drive my RV


No



> or does it have to be LGV.


Yes

Dave


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi snelly according to the DVLA its LGV. Crazy I know, he can drive a coach of any weight, but not an RV over 7.5tonnes if hes got grandfather rights, if not I would assume its 3.5tonnes max.

Thats why GT used to insist that you didn't need anything more than a car licence to drive any type of RV. because an RV is not an LGV.

Olley

PS. I would think if the DVLA ever took him to court they would have a very hard job convincing the judge he wasn't qualified to drive one.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*LCV*

Hello

No.

However, take an RV and make sure it has "X" number of seats in it. It could potentially be reclassified as a coach/bus/passenger carrying vehicle and then the answer would be yes.

In all fairness, and my opinion only, I think an RV is more like a coach/bus than a HGV anyway. It physically looks similar and you are likely to be carrying the same cargo - ie people.

Russell


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## Malc (May 9, 2005)

Hi Russell,
The suggestion you made would lead to further complications, the `coach` would then be subject to PCV testing annually even from new, an operators license and CPC for the owner, extensive record keeping of safety services etc. Then parking would have to be on a registered site with operators license.......Traffic Commisioners (VOSA)...need we go on?
Malc


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## klubnomad (Mar 6, 2006)

Not an LGV but he could drive a Sherman tank, in fact ANY tank, as can anyone with a full driving license

Dave

656


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*PCV HGV*



Malc said:


> Hi Russell,
> The suggestion you made would lead to further complications, the `coach` would then be subject to PCV testing annually even from new, an operators license and CPC for the owner, extensive record keeping of safety services etc. Then parking would have to be on a registered site with operators license.......Traffic Commisioners (VOSA)...need we go on?
> Malc


Malc

No need to go on - but there are certain ways round certain things that I dare n't post on here - and they are legal! LOL

The onle thing that really puzzles me - if the RV needs a HCV licence, why can't you take your test in the RV? I do not want to start the licence debate etc as it has been done to the death, but it seems a nonsence to me.

Russell


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## foxbat (Oct 2, 2005)

An interesting discussion this, because prior to buying my Allegro I was going to do my own thing. My intention had been to buy a highline long haul coach and do a conversion myself. Then I read that re registering such a vehicle in Spain would be nigh on impossible cos the steering wheel is on the wrong side, I thought OK buy a Spanish coach. They are in far better condition than most of the Brit coaches on the second hand market and a fraction of the price as well. 

I spoke to DVLA about the necessity for an HGV licence to drive such a vehicle, given that I already hold a full PCV; they said HGV required. I argued, just for the sake of arguing that there is no way that a coach is anything like an HGV, for a start there is generally between 8 and 10 feet of bus betweent the front of the vehicle and the front wheels, that the intended purchace was rear engined, that the handling characteristics of a coach are totally different from those of a ten ton rigid truch used for carting aggregate around.

Tough they said, once you take the seats out of a coach it becomes an HGV. 
Argumentative to the last I said, how many seats do I have to leave in for it still to be a coach?

They said...err we'll get back to you on that; needless to say they never did

However,and this is the catch 22 that makes a mockery of the whole thing...I asked them if I could take the HGV test in my stripped out coach...they came back and said NO cos its not an HGV.. Isaid ''err... scuse me you just said it was an HGV and they replied 'its not an HGV for test purposes.' This despite the fact that at 64 its the only HGV I am ever likely to drive.

Incidentally and I am quite prepared to be shot down on this one, there may be a loophole in their own argument. If you look up the definition of minibus all it says is a vehicle constructed to carry between 9 and 16 passengers...it gives no mention of weight or length so in theory you could take a former 55 seater coach leave 9 seats in and call it a minibus and drive it on a D1 licence. 

A coach converted in the UK and carrying UK plates can be re-registered as PLG and be exempt the PCV tests. You could however run into problems in that with regard to fare paying passengers money does not have to change hands...payment can be in kind, so last nights nookie could be construed as payment, or that delightful meal that your wife cooked last night could also be classified as payment in kind.

Having purposely undergone training as a bus driver, prior to getting involved in the coach conversion or purchase of a large RV I really do wish that DVLA wold get their act together, if it looks like a bus, drives like a bus and has side windows like a bus, the chances are pretty good that what you are looking at is a bus not a ten ton truck! (but not if you work for DVLA)


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Nookie*

Hi

I totally agree with your comments and especially like the bit about nookie in return for a go in the motorhome.

Russell


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## 101776 (Nov 13, 2006)

Yep, I'll go along with the nookie theory.....if only I could get another like minded person in my M/H !!!


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## foggyparrot (Aug 28, 2006)

Hi Snelly,

Sorry to disagree with the majority vote but, YES is the answer. After a long and heated debate with the DVLA, I have in my possesion a letter (from the DVLA) confirming that an RV (exceeding 7.5 tonnes) fulfills all of the criteria to allow it to be driven on a PCV license. The letter states quite clearly that because most RV's are a) rigid, b) have more than 6 passenger seats, they cannot be differntiated from a traditional coach as the expression 'fare paying' has been dropped from the public service vehicle definition.

We'll have a chat when we come back from holiday.

Mike


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## foxbat (Oct 2, 2005)

foggyparrot 
Is there any way that you could scan/copy that letter and post it on this site?
I only ask because I have a letter saying quite categorically that a converted bus is quite definitely an hgv and as such requires a Class c licence.
I still have a dream of converting a Spanish registered Highline coach into a MH. 
The whole problem seems to revolve around the fact that there is no definitve law on the subject and DVLA just interpret the closest match they can find. 
As Ive said elsewhere if it looks like bus, drives like a bus and has side windows, chances are its a bus!
If you take the case of the luxury tour buses used by Bands around the world they are essentially mobile hotels and the licence requirement is quite definitely PCV.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

foxbat said:


> foggyparrot, Is there any way that you could scan/copy that letter and post it on this site?


Nudge. I'd like to see it too, genuinely. Any chance?

Dougie.


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