Taxi Driver Online

I know there are people on here that can help me or point me in the right direction. I need to know what legal requirements there are for 9 to 16 seat minibuses primarily for school runs and nights out etc. I need to know what licence the driver needs and obviously what hoops we have to get the minibus through. All help is appreciated

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

You can get a special PSV license, which I believe allows a person to license two of those buses, and work without doing all the fancy PSV drivers and management tests.

Grandad or The bus man will confirm.

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IDFIMH

Must have a full D1 on there licence and take a test, and possible a ccp course what ever the letters are

You can apply for a restricted PCV operators license but this usually means that the carriage of passengers is not your main business. If granted, you can run up to 2 vehicles with a seating capacity up to 16 passengers. The vehicle must conform to the required legislation for the use that it is being put to. Ours has a COIF and a tachometer. The vehicle will have to undergo a strict regime of inspections at an approved garage, ours are every 10 weeks. The driver will need at least a D! license without the 101 restriction and will have to complete 35 hours training every 5 years to keep the license. If i have missed something I am sure that roy will fill in the gaps.

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Grandad,

Your spot on Grandad..some folk think a Restricted license relaxes the rules for drivers etc, it Doesn't, it just means you do not require a responsible Transport Manager.

It's all In here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/194259/PSV_Operator_Licensing_Guide.pdf

Register it as a charity bus and then you can have as many seats as you want. That's what they're doing round here on normal car licences.

Section 19 permits
Not-for-profit groups concerned with education, religion, social welfare, recreation (standard permits only) or other activities of benefit to the community can get permits. The standard permit is for a vehicle that can carry up to 16 passengers. These permits are issued either by traffic commissioners or designated bodies (local authorities, various national charities or church organisations etc). They allow the holder of the permit to carry members of the group (e.g. Scouts) or people whom the group aims to help (e.g. disabled people).The permit gives details of those who may use the vehicle but it must not be the general public.

If you charge fares then its:

Community bus permits
Community bus permits are meant for a different purpose. They are issued to groups that want to run a local bus service on a non-profit making basis.
Unlike section 19 permit vehicles, community buses can carry the general public, and their main use is to give the public a local bus service (which must be registered with the traffic commissioner). Permits are issued by the traffic commissioner who can, at their discretion, allow the operator to use the vehicle for non-local services (e.g. contract hire) that help to give financial backing to the local operation. Community bus operators have to run their local services just as reliably as professional operators. The traffic commissioner must also be satisfied that their maintenance facilities or arrangements are adequate. The traffic commissioner can revoke the permit if standards are not maintained.

Thanks guys. I intend to keep it all above board so providing I don't have more than 2 vehicles I don't need a transport manager but if I do have more than 2 vehicles I need a transport manager. So if I employ drivers for only school runs and occasional nights out can I do that on a self employed basis or a mixture of both?

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I think thats a minefield, the driver will need a D1 licence and a Driver CPC (£300) and DBS check surely?

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

I've already got a driver with all those just need the minibus

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Is the plural of Minibus, Minibi?





See you at the bar then.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

why not then find an O licence holder with a spare slot who would trust you too use it without the need for a restricted licence? they will have a CPC holder (not to be confused with a DCPC)

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

You'll find that no respecting O licence holder would hire his vehicles out like that; enough operators have been in front of the Traffic Commissioner for such offences.

Get a restricted O licence, you can, as others have said, run up to 2 16 seaters providing they are not the main part of your business. The minbuses will need a Certificate of Initial Fitness, class 6 annual test, regular safety checks, tachographs which must be used (except on regular contracts), drivers with D1 without 101, and they must also have the Driver CPC (don't have one = £1000 fine for driver and operator). Drivers MUST obey EU driving hours, and that includes driving a taxi as "other work" during the working week, self-employed or not!

The "charity minibus" won't work for a commercial operator. Current EU legislation is being reinforced in the UK to make sure of that.

i meabt Toots own the bus, run on a spare O licence slot, or she employs a CPC holding "consultant"..


BTW, is still the case that if a companies CPC holder/traffic manager gets sacked VOSA allow a year for you to replace them before cancelling the O licence?

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most