Grand-dad Rights

[terambulan]

Is there such a thing with the DVLA for rights to drive truck & motorbike for those who pensioners who passed their d.tests in their youth?

[gouldc]

I remember when I used to deal with showman insurance policies (ie gypsies with fairgrounds), that they did not necessarily have HGV licences, etc, as they were ''gifted'' to them - beats the hell out of me why though, but then again the government is all for rewarding the shirkers and scumbags in this country that I'm tempted to buy a manky caravan and flea bitten dog- sod political correctness!

[sddsddean]

When the HGV licence as a seperate entity was introduced (in the 70's I think) all professional drivers were given a licence under grandfather rights. Since that time you must have kept a valid licence up to date. If you are a pensioner you would have had to renew your licence every 5 years from the age of 45, so if you haven't got one now the only way to get it is take the test...and pass of course!

[terambulan]

Have kept my licence up to date. Do I have G.dad's rights?

[thedesktop]

If you have not claimed your G.dads rights, you have lost them. i.e. if your licience states that you have the correct class to drive whichever vehicle type you are talking about then you can drive. if not you have lost the right.

[LoftyLottie]

Yes, my husband has them!!

[sddsddean]

I meant you have got to keep the HGV portion of your licence up to date, not just the car bit. If your HGV licence has lapsed, you have to take the test again.

[Paul22118]

When the govt introduced the separate licence for large goods vehicles, (I think it was the 1968 regs) they said that if a driver was able to prove that they were regularly driving HGVs they would be issued with an HGV licence appropriate to that vehicle. BUT. To achieve that the Company one worked for, usually the MD or senior transport manager, had to certify in writing that you had been so employed regularly for I think 12 or 18 months. This first issue dealt with the potential problem of thousands of truckers being without a licence. In the main it was successful as responsible Companies would not certify non users. However, many years ago I came across a guy who used to sweep up the yard, literally, and he obtained a licence this way.
Whilst grandfathers rights tdo eature in DVLA doings it does not apply in the cas e of this question.

However, if you look at the rules covering the certification of prof competance for HGV and PCV drivers there is a grandfathers grace. That is to say if you currently hold a full HGV licence, even though there is a requirement to achieve the CPC, there is a five year gap where you are exempted. So if you are thirty yrs old - get it. If like me you are nearly sixty, it probably is not worth it.