More information on all the following is available on the RHA website here.

Driver medicals.

On 17 April 2020 the Department for Transport announced temporary changes for applying for renewing vocational licenses. The changes apply to HGV drivers over 45 whose licences are due to expire, or have expired, since 1 January 2020.

Under this scheme, HGV drivers aged over 45 will be able to apply for a temporary 1-year licence, providing they do not have any medical conditions that affect their driving.

For HGV drivers over 45 years old & whose licence is about to expire, DVLA should have sent the D47 application form to renew the licence. 

Temporary relaxation of driver hours rules

The information about this is on the Government website here.

The drivers’ hours relaxations apply from 00:01 on Monday 23 March 2020 and will run until 23:59 on Sunday 31 May 2020.

Anyone driving under the EU drivers’ hours rules or the GB drivers’ hours rules and undertaking carriage of goods by road can use the relaxations where necessary. The relaxations are not limited to specific sectors or journeys.

Operator licence renewals

RHA is reminding hauliers that they still need to renew their licences despite the lockdown if they are still working, but it can be done online. See this link: https://www.rha.uk.net/news/coronavirus-updates/operator-licence-renewal

The RHA has also written to the Government to stress that many hauliers have been affected by the lockdown and urging it to provide some help.

It calculates that nearly50% of lorries are now parked up, especially those hauliers whose businesses depend on work in the construction, removals, waste recycling, car transporting, retail, manufacturing, events and fuel sectors.