Your Obligations to Maintain Safety Standards as an HCV Operator

Oct 31

At Argent Equipment, we offer a wide range of commercial vehicle testing from our Dublin workshops, and we regularly bring you blogs like this one to keep our customers informed of what to expect when using our services. Today, we look at the obligations that you have as an HCV operator in Ireland - information that will help your HCV test go more smoothly.

So, What are the Obligations of a Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) Operator?

The HCV CVRT in Ireland applies to a selection of different vehicles that have a design gross vehicle weight (DGVW) of more than 3,500kg. These include large vans, rigid trucks and articulated trucks, and as the operator of these types of vehicles, you have a number of obligations to ensure road safety.

They include keeping your HCV in a roadworthy condition, which can be achieved by ensuring that the following are adhered to:

Daily walkaround checks carried out
Swift repair of any discovered defects
Annual self-declaration with the RSA

When your vehicle is kept in good condition, there are a number of benefits to the owner/driver. In addition to the road safety advantages, they also minimise the likelihood of unscheduled downtime, as well as delays and impounded vehicles after roadside inspections.

Other Obligations for HCV drivers include:

Making sure high visibility/conspicuity markings are used when required by law (Yellow/white side marketings for goods vehicles with DGVW over 3,500kg or when vehicle + trailer forms a combination that exceeds 11 metres in length).
Ensuring your vehicle is not overloaded.
Class VI mirrors are used when required.

Ensuring Your HCV CVRT Passes Smoothly

The Argent team will always do what's necessary to ensure your heavy commercial vehicle test goes as smoothly as possible, and by following the guidelines as laid out here, you'll do your part too. To find directions to our Dublin workshops or see our full range of commercial vehicle testing services, visit us at www.argent.ie.
Alternatively, to speak with a member of our team about anything else, call 01 572 6500 or fill out our contact form. Upon receipt of your enquiry, we'll strive to get back to you asap.