Minibus Club Article Archive

Are you a care home that owns or operates a minibus? If you are then you will know that obtaining the right type of minibus insurance is an important part of this process. Selecting a minibus insurance policy that properly covers you can be more complex especially if you are to carry passengers in connection with your business. For this reason you may find it helpful to speak to a minibus insurance specialist such as the Minibus Club.

Did you know that in some situations you may need a Public Service Vehicle Operators Licence (commonly called an Operators licence) to legally carry passengers in your vehicle? In the majority of cases you will be operating for “hire or reward” even where your minibus users do not pay a direct fee to use your vehicle. Where your minibus has nine to sixteen passenger seats including the driver and you are a private, commercially run care home you are likely to need an Operators Licence to drive legally. More information on this subject can be obtained from VOSA either by visiting their website or by calling them on 0300 123 9000.

If you are a charity or a not for profit body you will be able to circumvent these requirements by obtaining a Section 19 Standard Permit (which was previously known as a small bus permit) or if you operate in Northern Ireland a Section 10B permit.

It is possible to avoid the need for either of these permits completely if you operate a smaller vehicle such as a multi purpose vehicle (“MPV”) which has no more than eight passenger seats. These smaller vehicles fall outside the licensing remit of VOSA and as such can be operated without their involvement.

Once you have identified whether you need additional licences to operate your minibus you should also consider who is likely to drive you vehicle. The Minibus Club can (depending on your circumstances) offer you cover for as few as one driver or an unlimited number of drivers with our any driver policies. The type of driving licence your drivers will need will again be dictated by the number of seats fitted in your vehicle.

• If your vehicle is an MPV with no more than eight passenger seats your drivers will need a car (category B) driving licence.
• For care homes operating under a PSV Operators Licence your drivers will need a full, unrestricted minibus (D1) entitlement. This is obtained by taking a second driving test in a minibus.
• For care homes operating under a Section 19 or Section 10B permit your drivers will normally need a minibus (D1) entitlement. However in some situations a driver may be able to legally drive your vehicle with only a car (category B) driving licence. If you think your drivers may be able to use this exemption they should seek advice from either the DVLA or (in Northern Ireland) the DVA.

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Buying the right type of minibus insurance for your vehicle can be a challenge, especially if you use your minibus for hire and reward. At the Minibus Club we are specialists in offering hire and reward minibus insurance.

A minibus driven for hire and reward is licensed by one of a number of organisations depending on where your business is located and how many seats your vehicle has. If your minibus has eight or less passenger seats then the vehicle is in effect a minicab and will be licensed by your local authority or if you operate in the Greater London area by Transport for London (“TfL”). Where this is the case you will also need to obtain a private hire driver’s licence or a hackney carriage licence to drive your minibus, these can be obtained either from TfL or your local authority.

If however your minibus is designed or adapted to carry nine or more passengers and does so for hire and reward it is a public service vehicle. This type of minibus requires a different licence which is called a Public Service Vehicle Operators licence and is sometimes abbreviated to PSV-O or PSV. These licences are issued by VOSA the national government agency responsible for licensing larger commercial vehicles.

VOSA define hire or reward as “When an operator or owner driver takes payment which gives a passenger a right to be carried on the vehicle regardless of whether a profit is made or not. The payment may be made by the passenger, or on the passenger’s behalf. It may be (a) a direct payment (e.g. a fare) or (b) an indirect payment (this could be an exchange for services such as a membership subscription to a club, payment for a bed in a hotel, school fees or payment for concert tickets where travel is included; the payment does not have to be money and the right to travel does not need to be taken up).”

The above definition takes in a wide range of minibus operators who may not think that they operate vehicle for hire and reward when in fact they do. Even if you do not take cash from passengers in your minibus you could still be operating a public service vehicle and if you don’t have hire and reward minibus insurance you could be driving illegally. This means that it is important to check whether your vehicle needs to be licensed by speaking to the appropriate agency. You should also explain exactly how your vehicle will be used when getting quotes for your minibus insurance.

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This article was brought to you by The Minibus Club. For more information about Minibus insurance visit www.minibusclub.co.uk

Driving your vehicle on a road or in a public place without minibus insurance is an offence, so it is important to ensure your vehicle is insured. In this article we would like to explain why this is important and how you can stay on the right side of the law.

It is estimated that there are two million motorists on our roads driving without insurance. These uninsured drivers cause £380 million damage each year which results in large numbers of claims to the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). Uninsured driving increases the cost of everybody’s insurance adding approximately £30 to each policy, including your minibus insurance.

To try and cut the number of uninsured drivers on UK roads the government recently introduced a package of measures which will crack down on those driving without insurance which means it is more important than ever that you make sure you have a valid minibus insurance policy.

This is called Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) and it means that it is now a legal requirement for you to insure your minibus at all times.

It is now a legal offence to keep a minibus without insurance unless you have notified the DVLA that your vehicle is being kept off the road and have a valid Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). You don’t have to be driving to be caught, simply owning the minibus and not having insurance can lead to you being prosecuted.

If you fail to keep your vehicle insured the DVLA will write and tell you that you must either buy a minibus insurance policy or declare your minibus off road.

If you should ever receive one of these letters it is important that you deal with it immediately. You will not receive another warning before more formal action is taken.

Some of the punishments introduced for failing to have minibus insurance include:
• Being issued a fixed penalty of £100
• Your minibus could be clamped, or even seized and disposed of.
• You can receive a court prosecution with a maximum fine of £1,000.

When you buy a minibus insurance policy your insurer will automatically send details of insurance to the proper database automatically so if your vehicle is already taxed you will not need to do anything else.

However if your vehicle is not already insured you must:
• buy a minibus insurance policy immediately;
• make a SORN, if the vehicle is not used on the road; or
• notify DVLA if you are no longer the registered keeper.

If you own a minibus it’s easy to ensure that these new rules don’t catch you out. If you still need to buy your minibus insurance don’t put it off call us at the Minibus Club where our helpful staff will be pleased to assist you.

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As a minibus driver you already know that having a larger vehicle is more complex than owning other types of vehicle. Even after you have bought a minibus insurance policy there are other legal issues to consider.

Did you know that from 3rd January 2012 anyone driving a diesel minibus with more than 9 seats in the borders of the Greater London Authority will have to pay a daily charge or risk being fined? This area is called the Low Emission Zone (LEZ); it operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year and was introduced to encourage diesel vehicles driving within Greater London to become cleaner.

The aim of the LEZ is to improve the health and quality of life of everyone in London by limiting the amount of particulate matter (pollution) that comes from the exhausts of diesel vehicles. Particulate matter is a type of pollution which can contribute to asthma, heart and lung disease, other respiratory illnesses and even early death.

If your minibus has more than 9 seats, was first registered before 1 January 2002 and is powered by a diesel engine it will be affected by the Low Emission Zone (LEZ). It doesn’t matter whether your minibus is used for commercial or private purposes - it will still need to meet the new standards. So if you own or drive this type of minibus, and do not want to pay the daily charge you will need to take action now to ensure you can continue to use your minibus.

The quickest way to check if your vehicle meets the current or new standards is to enter your registration plate into the Transport for London vehicle checker

If after checking with Transport for London you find that your minibus does not meet the new standards you will have to pay £100 for each day your vehicle is in the LEZ or risk being fined £500.

It is possible to avoid paying the daily charge if you take action now to modify your minibus. There are a number of options available that include fitting a particulate filter to your vehicle or having your minibus converted to run on pure gas. Transport for London offer a lot of useful information on their website on how you can modify your vehicle to meet the new requirements of the LEZ.

Don’t forget though that any modification to your vehicle can affect your minibus insurance, so please remember to notify your minibus insurance company of any changes you make to your vehicle.

The Minibus Club are working in partnership with Transport for London to bring you this information. Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London. For advice the Low Emission Zone visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/lezlondon or call 0845 607 0009.

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Some minibus owners, especially first-timers, become more than a little worried when the need for an MOT test comes round. The following explains what will happen at test time and shows why there is no real need for concern.

A minibus MOT test is very like the equivalent test for a car. The difference lies in three aspects: timing, classification and scale. A car has to have its first Class IV test on its third birthday, and then at yearly intervals. A minibus needs a Class V when it becomes one year old and yearly thereafter. Whilst there is a special, one-off Class Va test for a minibus newly fitted with seatbelts, the only real difference is that the MOT tester must have the hardware – and the experience – to test the physically larger and heavier minibuses.

So, what is tested? Just as in a car test, the tester will look at the tyres, brakes, steering suspension and exhaust. He’ll also look for damage, corrosion, wear and tear, and leaks. The latter can pose a fire risk and all these aspects must meet the relevant minimum standards.

Inside the minibus, the controls and instruments are examined, as are the seats and their mountings, and the position, operation and condition of all seat belts. The vehicle must be fitted with a working ‘audible means of warning’, i.e. a horn. It must also have functional windscreen wipers and washers.

Working to a strict set of rules, the MOT tester must examine the minibus’s lighting system. Each and every light must be properly fixed, working and in the required condition. The minibus’s registration plates and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate must be present and meet all legal requirements. Also, the driver must have an uninterrupted view of the road and the vehicle’s rear view mirrors must be present and undamaged. Among the dynamic tests involved are measurements of the vehicle’s exhaust emissions, service brake and parking brake efficiency. Modern MOT stations are equipped to cope with modern vehicles, so aspects including ABS and power steering are subject to testing.

Though most minibuses need a Class V test, not all of them do. The two exceptions have different venues. For a minibus with up to 12 passenger seats (not including the driver’s seat) a Class IV test applies and can be carried out at any appointed garage. A Public Service Vehicle (PSV) needs a Class VI test, which must be carried out at a government testing station. Although a Permit Minibus doesn’t need anything higher than a Class V test, its operator can opt for a Class VI test on a voluntary basis, provided the vehicle, when new, was given a certificate of Initial Fitness.

So as you can see, the minibus MOT test holds nothing to fear, it’s just like a car test with subtle additions. The one part that doesn’t change is what the Americans call ‘Murphy’s Law’. Just like a car, a minibus can fail its MOT test for an obvious reason, such as a blown bulb or a thinning tyre. Many garages offer pre-MOT tests to spot such things (or worse). Alternatively, you could look out for the more obvious aspects yourself, and fix them pre-test.

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Do you drive a minibus? If you do, you have a number of responsibilities as a result. Not least of these responsibilities is the matter of maintaining the minibus. The following details the responsibilities and to whom they apply.

The driver of a minibus is responsible for its condition when it is used on the road. The operator may also bear responsibility if he permits the minibus to be used in a defective state. However, even when the minibus has just been serviced, the driver and the operator may share the responsibility for it. Generally speaking, the relevant regulations, The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, impose absolute liability.

Should a minibus be used in a defective condition, it may break down. This can cause difficulties for the organisation using the minibus, be it a business, charity, school, college, community or private minibus service. More importantly, using a minibus in a defective state can invalidate the terms of the minibus insurance policy.

When a minibus is used by a larger organisation, it is customary for a designated person or persons to have overall responsibility for the minibus’s maintenance and MOT tests. In a smaller organisation, it may be that one person, in addition to bearing this responsibility has myriad other duties. Regardless of the size of the organisation involved, it is essential that at least one person knows about the legal and practical requirements that apply to the use of a minibus, and has the ability and authority to act as required.

As the above makes clear, minibus maintenance is about both safety and reliability. Daily maintenance, or pre-trip maintenance at least, should be carried out with unfailing attention. In addition, manufacturer’s services and MOT tests should be carried out as required; the passage of time and the covering of mileage dictate the intervals. Note that in some instances, these two dictates can go out of sequence. This underlines the necessity for good record keeping and it is accepted practice that documentation pertaining to inspection, servicing, MOT tests and repairs should be retained for at least 15 months.

When it comes to servicing and maintenance, there are guidelines concerning the intervals between the appropriate inspections. Traffic Area Office guidelines recommended that the interval should be…

Ten weeks where the minibus covers 12,500 miles per year.
Nine weeks where the minibus covers between 12,500 and 20,000 miles per year.
Eight weeks where the minibus covers between 20,000 and 40,000 miles per year.

Straightforward? Yes, but some Traffic Area offices recommend intervals of between six and eight weeks.

This brings us to the bottom line. The matter of responsibility for a minibus is a potential minefield, of legal and practical necessities. However, it need not be. Any organisation, or even a sole operator can keep on top of the requirements with a simple plan…

* Establish what the minibus needs, as regards inspection, servicing maintenance and repair.

* Establish when these needs will apply.

* Establish who is responsible for fulfilling these needs.

* Ensure he or she accepts responsibility; appoint a deputy if necessary.

* Ensure that the responsible person arranges all the required tasks.

* Ensure that a record is kept when these tasks are carried out.

So, we have six boxes to be ticked. When they’re ticked regularly and reliably, the solution exists.

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When buying a secondhand minibus, you can bag yourself a bargain or burden yourself with an expensive liability. The former, happy outcome isn’t difficult to achieve and these tips will help you make the right choice. Remember that the costs don’t end with buying the vehicle alone. Budget for essentials such as minibus insurance.

The first tip is to know what you’re looking for. You can save a lot of time, effort and money by seeing only minibuses that fulfill your needs. Most advertisements give you enough information to rule out those vehicles that aren’t suitable.

Once you’ve made a short list of likely buys, treat them all in the same way, by examining the candidates using these guidelines.

Has the vehicle been the subject of a minibus insurance claim? Look very closely at the bodywork, for ripples, mismatches in the paint colour and poorly fitting body panels. Stray patches of paint under the wheel arches or beneath the bonnet are a dead giveaway. Rust is far less of a problem than it used to be but can be present on older or maltreated minibuses. Look out for poor rust repairs.

Has the minibus been neglected? Dip the engine oil, which should be a clear, golden-brown colour. Tarry black oil has been in the sump a long time and is a cue to look elsewhere. Other mechanical problems can be betrayed by the presence of leaks beneath the vehicle. Remember that oil, water and brake fluid can all leak: they shouldn’t.

While near ground level, examine the minibus’s tyres. They must have a minimum of 3mm of tread and no cracking, crazing, splits or lumps in the sidewalls. Remember that a full set of tyres is a costly investment. Look out for strange wear patterns in the treads; these can indicate suspension or steering problems.

The inside of a minibus can tell you a lot about the vehicle’s history. Modern trim materials are tough so if you see wear, cuts and splits, be wary. These suggest the minibus has had a hard life and/or is a high-mileage example. If the steering wheel rim and pedal rubbers are (a) worn smooth or (b) look suspiciously new, look at the mileometer. If its figures aren’t aligned properly, or if the instrument panel has scratches or damaged fastenings, there’s every chance the minibus has been clocked…the mileage has been wound back.

When test driving, use a vehicle as you mean to use it – a five-minute trip around the block isn’t enough. Make sure the minibus’s engine is fully warmed and establish that everything works to your expectations.

If you find yourself seriously considering buying a particular minibus, carefully check its documentation. Are the claimed service records there and do they look genuine? Does the VIN number on the registration tally with that on the vehicle? Motor dealers usually offer an HPI check but if buying privately, think carefully about having one carried out. This will reveal any questionable history.

Using the above and a little care, you’ll be able to make an informed purchase. Then, all you need do is inform a good minibus insurance provider of your purchase.

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If you’d like to save money on your minibus insurance look no further than The Minibus Club. Why not visit their website to receive a free online quote for minibus insurance.

There’s a distressingly easy way to turn an asset into a liability. All you need to do is neglect it. This is especially relevant now we are about to enjoy the benefits of Spring. Yes, the season officially begins on the 20th March. You may have ‘bomb-proof ‘minibus insurance, and your minibus may seem to be perfectly fit for its allotted task. However, when we look a little more closely, you will begin to see why that asset – your minibus – might need some attention to stop it from becoming a liability.

The central issue here is that machines object to two things – idleness and neglect. If your minibus has had a restful time over the winter, it could prove sulky when you put it back into service. Equally, if it has served you frequently through the ravages of winter, it may require some tender loving care so it can continue to serve you for the rest of the year. Think of your caring for the vehicle as a form of minibus insurance, in that you will be insuring against breakdowns and/or mechanical failures.

The first step is to think of what your minibus has just been through, even if it was little used. Repeated or enduring spells of freezing or near-freezing temperatures take their toll on any machine. Your minibus’s battery and electrical system will have suffered from increased loads, and its mechanical and structural parts will have paid a price.

Matters are worse still if your minibus has been in use throughout the winter. The local authority will certainly have kept the roads (or most of them) open for you. To do this, they’ll have used an aggressive mix of chemicals on the roads’ surfaces. This melts the ice but it also accelerates corrosion, as you might expect compounds such as Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride – or a mixture of all three – to do. These materials, and of course, ice and snow, can also give your windscreen wipers a hard time. Moreover, the minibus’s electrical components will have worked much harder. Why? How often did you use your lights, rear windscreen heater, cab heater and so on?

The practical overture to this kind of minibus insurance is a really thorough wash. It makes sense to use a jet wash, if there is one available; some offer hot water, which is a bonus. Give your minibus a comprehensive external spring clean with one of these devices. It’s best to pay for two washing sessions, rather than just one. Use one to clean the bodywork, wheels and windows with soap and water, as usual. Them use wash number two for your minibus’s wheel arches and underside. Road salt sometimes has a sugary compound added to help it stick to tarmac, so it sticks to vehicles as well.

Similar practices apply to the inside of your minibus, particularly if it has been used through the winter months. The compounds mentioned above will have been trodden into your vehicle, to the detriment of its floor coverings and trim. Should your minibus have had little use recently, a comprehensive Hoovering may do the trick, with washing and polishing of the hard plastic trim. If the vehicle has been heavily used, it may be wise to pay for a professional valeting.

The next stage might be called a Spring service. That is another story and such treatment is best left until it’s reasonably certain that the snow and ice have gone for the year.

To answer questions about specific minibus insurance policies, you need to speak to a specialist insurance provider. However, since forewarned and forearmed are one and the same thing, knowing the basics will allow you ask intelligent questions about the minibus insurance you are seeking.

Three Levels

Minibus insurance, like just about any other kind of vehicle insurance comes in one of three levels. Let’s look at them in order.

Third Party Only cover is the minimum level of minibus insurance you can buy. It is often called ‘T.P.O.’ and it covers you against damaging other peoples’ property or injuring somebody with your minibus.

The next level up the scale is called Third Party, Fire and Theft insurance. This, called ‘T. P. F. & T.’, offers the same level of protection as the above type of minibus insurance. In addition, it covers your minibus if it is stolen or is damaged as a result of fire.

Comprehensive minibus insurance, sometimes called ‘Fully Comprehensive’ insurance is the top of the range, as it were. Comprehensive policies generally guard against most risks; many include a consideration against legal fees.

It’s usually possible to enhance your minibus insurance with additional elements tailored to your needs. A good specialist provider will be able to provide you with information about all the relevant options.

Staying Legal

UK law stipulates that the abovementioned Third Party Only insurance is the legal minimum type of minibus insurance. Should you wish to use your minibus as a taxi, your insurance needs additional elements. One of these is insurance, ‘for the carriage of persons for hire or reward’. Public liability insurance will probably have to be added too, so that you comply with local government regulations. Moreover, anyone operating a taxi service using a minibus must have an indemnity limit of at least five million pounds.

Type of Insurance

There are five types of minibus insurance and it’s important to know which you need. They are as follows…

MPV – This type of insurance is the one chosen by commercial concerns such as educational establishments and nursing homes. Larger firms operating more than one vehicle tend to plump for fleet insurance.

Taxi – the need for this type of insurance is obvious. ‘Staying Legal’ (above) described a specific, essential part of it.

Charity – this is the type of minibus insurance selected by charitable organisations. Sometimes, the price is more competitive for operators such as these.

Family – some owners choose a minibus to use as a family car. This can be more than convenient but as a minibus isn’t a car, the insurance requirements can differ. A good specialist insurance provider will offer attractive family minibus insurance packages.

Fleet – often, it makes economic sense to use fleet minibus insurance when more than one vehicle is involved.

Whatever use your vehicle is put to, it is sensible to ensure you have the right level and kind of minibus insurance. This means that, apart from meeting legal requirements, you have the security offered by a good insurance policy. You therefore enjoy peace of mind, which is always worth having.

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If you’d like to save money on your minibus insurance look no further than The Minibus Club. Why not visit their website to receive a free online quote for minibus insurance.

When we get down to basics, a minibus is just like any other machine. Machines don’t like to lie idle and they don’t appreciate neglect. At best, an untended machine will cease to function. At worst, it can damage itself or someone in or near to it. These unfortunate outcomes are reason enough to keep a regular weather eye on a minibus’s health. Check it on a weekly basis and especially when a long trip is upcoming. It makes sense to start with the grubby bits, as they work the hardest and therefore need more attention. So, pop the bonnet, eyes down and look in.

The first item to use in the dark recesses of the underbonnet is the oil dipstick. Check the oil with the engine cold. The oil should be clean and at the correct level. If it is filthy, black and sticky, it’s time for a change. If it’s low, add some more. Consulting the handbook will reveal how much oil is needed, but don’t overfill the engine. The oil should be at the correct level and the engine will thank you for this, by running reliably.

Your minibus’s underbonnet has five more levels to be checked. Plain water is old hat these days, an engine’s cooling system will be full of coolant. You can see if it’s full by consulting the translucent header tank. If the coolant level is low, rectify this by adding the correct mixture of water and antifreeze/anticorrosive agent. Remember that you can only carry out this check on a cold engine. In fact, you can carry it out once on a hot engine. If you do, be nice to the staff in the burns unit - suddenly releasing the pressure in a hot cooling system can unleash a startlingly potent geyser.

Next up, under the bonnet of a modern minibus, are two fluids. Brake fluid works really well, provided it’s there and it’s wise to ensure the level is correct. Like the coolant header tank, the brake master cylinder has a see-though reservoir. You may also need to top up the clutch master cylinder, if you minibus has one, rather than a cable-operated clutch. The second fluid is that serving the power steering. This is often checked using a tiny dipstick that lives under the cap of the power steering reservoir. Finally, you may need to check the level of the electrolyte in the battery. Or you may not, as some batteries need no maintenance. The handbook will tell you which kind of battery is involved. Finish off your engine bay tasks by checking the screen wash fluid reservoir.

The remaining checks can be carried out in better-illuminated areas, starting with those other hardworking items, the tyres. Checking that these are at the right pressure is as easy as it is worthwhile. However, it pays to look closely at the rubberware. You can find out about any odd wear patterns, cuts, cracks or other tyre misdemeanors while the vehicle is stationary. Or you can find out something’s awry the hard way, at speed on a dual carriageway or motorway. This choice stands as the ultimate no-brainer!

Finally, a touch of glass. Cleaning all the minibus’s glassware is an obvious requirement, as is giving the lights and indicators a wipe. Moreover, with the help of an assistant, you can check that every bulb on board is in prime order.

There, that wasn’t difficult, was it? Now you can carry on, feeling virtuous at having done your duty. You’ve protected your vehicle, yourself, your passengers and perhaps innocent bystanders. What more could be asked of anyone?

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If you’d like to save money on your minibus insurance, look no further than The Minibus Club. Request a FREE quote now by calling our hotline on 0845 609 0323 or visit our website at www.minibusclub.co.uk.