Driving a Minibus
Discussion
Hi All
Hopefully somebody can shed some light on this situation, as the more I seem to read on the Direct Gov website, the less I appear to know!
I passed my test after the cut off date (not until 2006), but need to drive a small minibus. The vehicle in question is a Ford Torneou with 8 passenger seats (9 including the driver). I will not be driving it for hire or reward, nor as part of my job. I will simply be fetching it form one place and taking it to another. This will at no point involve carrying any passengers.
Hopefully a simple question, but, is this allowed under my current licence entitlements (B, B1, F, K, P)?
Thanks!
Hopefully somebody can shed some light on this situation, as the more I seem to read on the Direct Gov website, the less I appear to know!
I passed my test after the cut off date (not until 2006), but need to drive a small minibus. The vehicle in question is a Ford Torneou with 8 passenger seats (9 including the driver). I will not be driving it for hire or reward, nor as part of my job. I will simply be fetching it form one place and taking it to another. This will at no point involve carrying any passengers.
Hopefully a simple question, but, is this allowed under my current licence entitlements (B, B1, F, K, P)?
Thanks!
Does this help:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_...
It seems that cat D1 is described as :
Minibuses
Vehicles with a minimum of nine and a maximum of 16 passenger seats, with or without a trailer - weighing no more than 750kg
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_...
It seems that cat D1 is described as :
Minibuses
Vehicles with a minimum of nine and a maximum of 16 passenger seats, with or without a trailer - weighing no more than 750kg
Yes, there are a few 9-seat cars- the old Defender 110 with the troop seats is the most famous one, but the big American station wagons (Buick Roadmaster etc) also used to seat nine.
Not to mention that a friend who passed his test post-1997 has been able to hire a 9-seat LDV Maxus crew-van on a cat. B licence.
A couple of related questions- is it still nine seats including the driver for a congestion charge exemption? I think it is, but not sure.
Also, if a minibus did have a few too many seats and you only needed to move it from one place to another, would you be able to drive it on a car licence by dismantling the extras? Would it matter if the extra seats were still there but unusable (stacked up in the back)?
Not to mention that a friend who passed his test post-1997 has been able to hire a 9-seat LDV Maxus crew-van on a cat. B licence.
A couple of related questions- is it still nine seats including the driver for a congestion charge exemption? I think it is, but not sure.
Also, if a minibus did have a few too many seats and you only needed to move it from one place to another, would you be able to drive it on a car licence by dismantling the extras? Would it matter if the extra seats were still there but unusable (stacked up in the back)?
AlexiusG55 said:
Yes, there are a few 9-seat cars- the old Defender 110 with the troop seats is the most famous one, but the big American station wagons (Buick Roadmaster etc) also used to seat nine.
Not to mention that a friend who passed his test post-1997 has been able to hire a 9-seat LDV Maxus crew-van on a cat. B licence.
A couple of related questions- is it still nine seats including the driver for a congestion charge exemption? I think it is, but not sure.
Also, if a minibus did have a few too many seats and you only needed to move it from one place to another, would you be able to drive it on a car licence by dismantling the extras? Would it matter if the extra seats were still there but unusable (stacked up in the back)?
Our Personnel carriers had this issue. They switched from Sprinters to transits but in the transit, they made one of the seats unbolt quickly with a couple of screws.Not to mention that a friend who passed his test post-1997 has been able to hire a 9-seat LDV Maxus crew-van on a cat. B licence.
A couple of related questions- is it still nine seats including the driver for a congestion charge exemption? I think it is, but not sure.
Also, if a minibus did have a few too many seats and you only needed to move it from one place to another, would you be able to drive it on a car licence by dismantling the extras? Would it matter if the extra seats were still there but unusable (stacked up in the back)?
Then they realised that the vehicle still exceeded the weight limit so it didn't matter anyway
I think you're thinking too outside the box mate. It's only a mini bus when used for purpose. As you are driving it from one place to another with no passengers and only you as a driver . you are driving a van full of seats.
Standard car licence will suffice...shimples.
Knowledge from : working for a coachworks fits out vans all the time and drive them miles ...company went through driving licence assessment and a lad who passed his test in 2010 was fine to drive the mini buses.
Standard car licence will suffice...shimples.
Knowledge from : working for a coachworks fits out vans all the time and drive them miles ...company went through driving licence assessment and a lad who passed his test in 2010 was fine to drive the mini buses.
AlexiusG55 said:
Also, if a minibus did have a few too many seats and you only needed to move it from one place to another, would you be able to drive it on a car licence by dismantling the extras? Would it matter if the extra seats were still there but unusable (stacked up in the back)?
We had a 12 seat Vivaro with a removable rear row, we looked into making it more flexible (i.e. allowing those with only a B to drive) but because it is insured and registered as a 12 seater it isn't allowed. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff