Visit Leaders should refer to their Employer’s policy or consult the transport manager if appropriate.
Drivers of any vehicle must ensure that they have the correct entitlement on their licence. The law on driver licensing no longer permits car drivers who pass their test after 1 January 1997 to drive vehicles with more than 8 passenger seats without passing a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) driving test. test after 1 January 1997 to drive vehicles with more than 8 passenger seats without passing a Passenger Carrying Vehicle.
Some local authorities or Employers allow establishments to apply for a section 19 permit. This permit allows drivers who passed their test after 1997 to drive a minibus under the following conditions:
- The driver must be 21 or over
- The driver must have held a category B (car) licence for at least 2 years
- The driver receives no payment or consideration for driving the vehicle other than out-of-pocket expenses
- The minibus has a Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) not exceeding 3.5 tonnes (4.25 tonnes including any specialised equipment for the carriage of disabled passengers)
The driver must have the D1 category on their licence for minibuses that have a MAM of over 3.5 tonnes.
With a D1 category, a trailer up to 750kg can be towed but a D1+E is required for anything over 750kg MAM. The combined MAM of both trailer and minibus cannot exceed 12 tonnes.
