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

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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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.