Those who drive heavy vehicles such astrucks require proper documentation covering the driver, the vehicle and the goods in order to drive on the road.
On-board truck documents are mandatory; their absence or improper renewal results in heavy penalties.
In detail, in order to drive atruck, according toArticle 180 of the Highway Code, you must have:
- C / CE / C1 / C1E driver’s license
- CQC freight transport (if required)
- any other qualifications
- Tachograph card and record sheets (if required)
- vehicle registration certificate
- certificate of insurance
- Documents concerning the goods transported
The documents
Among the mandatory truck documents is the freight CQC, which is required if the driver is employed as a driver or if driving the vehicle is his or her main job.
The tachograph card must be present if there is a digital tachograph on board, regardless of whether the driver is using it or not, whereas if the tachograph is analog, you must also have record sheets from at least the previous 28 days.
In addition, there are special conditions under which transportation require additional mandatory documents such as:
- Traffic authorization for exceptional transport
- ATP certificate for transportation of perishable goods
- Authorization from the ASL for the transport of live animals
- Declaration of milk transport stockpile
Own account transport
For own-account transport, in addition to the documents we have listed, an own-account freight license is required if the vehicle has a total mass of more than 6 tons.
In addition, if goods weighing more than 3 tons are transported, a document certifying that the things being transported are the property of the license holder, as well as a list of everything being transported, must also be on the truck.
Freight forwarding
The situation is a bit more complex when it comes tothird-party trucking, in which case more documents are required.
The driver must have a copy of his or her employment contract or last pay stub showing that he or she is legally employed.
As for the goods, there must be the contract of carriage or a summary document that clearly shows who the shipper, carrier and consignee are.
If the driver is found to be missing one or more documents at the time of the roadside check, a request shall be sent to the enterprise by registered mail to provide the competent office to which the officer belongs, with proof of the employment relationship between it and the driver, within 30 days of receipt of the invitation.
In the event that the enterprise fails to respond, it is reported to the labor inspectorate, which carries out verifications, and if the violation is confirmed, a report is made to the provincial committee for the register in which it is registered and the prescribed penalties are applied.
In the transport for third parties documents on board there is a difference that is made in case the transport takes place beyond the national territory, the distinction is on the EU and non-EU trip.
If the transports take place in the European Community, you must have on board the copy of the community license and the certificate of the driver of the vehicle if the latter is from outside the European Community.
In Extra-EU travel, different authorizations and documentation are required depending on the countries crossed, so one should always inquire about the bureaucratic requirements of a particular place before transporting.
