Rosco wrote:

Cant help with your question, and I'm sure your aware, but just be mindful your licence might be restricted to vehicles under 3.5t, but most modern minibuses exceed this.

The Transit for instance is approx 4.2t.

blackwolf wrote:

I don't think weight restrictions are relevant for minibuses, but the number of seats is. For a 17 seat vehicle I'm pretty sure you need to be over 21 and hold cat D or D1. If you passed your test before 01/01/1997 you'll have D1.

Sorry I can't help at all with the original question.

thank you BW

v8bob wrote:

The village I live in, has a “community bus” that is used for school runs and morning runs to the shops for the villagers (no shops in the village).
But additionally they offer the mini bus with a driver for social nights.
Might be something to check out around your area?

Assuming it isn’t a far flung outing you are considering!

It is - thank you all the same.
we're organising a 3 peaks challenge so its going to be a 72 hours (approx) hire. Leave Birmingham Friday afternoon. Drive to Carlisle. Carlisle to Ben Nevis Saturday. Saturday night drive to the Lakes. Sunday am over to Snowdon. thats the plan at least.

blackwolf wrote:

I don't think weight restrictions are relevant for minibuses, but the number of seats is. For a 17 seat vehicle I'm pretty sure you need to be over 21 and hold cat D or D1. If you passed your test before 01/01/1997 you'll have D1.

BW, it does unfortunately for those who gained a licence after 97.

Whilst those of us young enough not to have a D1 permit, as long as its not for hire/reward, under 3.5t and no more than 17 seats we can drive them.

As a Scout volunteer (we aren't called leaders any more ) we relied on that privilege to save us spending a fortune on achieving a licence to take kids out places, but as modern vehicles have progressively got heavier its left us with fewer and fewer choices.

As a group we got caught out when we moved from a low roof LDV to a high roof LDV, which took us over the 3.5t limit, and left us reliant on one driver.

There is a loop hole using disability access, but it then relies on a "specialist conversion" which the converters charge a premium for.

There are also lightweight minibuses out there, which are essentially aftermarket conversions on vans, but the payload is so small it would be overweight when loaded with full with the average teenager.

I believe the DVLA are considering reversing this and reinstating the old grandfather rights similarly to what they have done with the towing of trailers, which will be a great benefit to many groups.

Sorry for going off piste on your thread Wayne, but having come very close personally to having my fingers burnt by a very naive mistake and assuming the new is the same as the old bus, its something I'm now very aware of and would hate others to fall foul of the law themselves. 2007 - Stornoway Grey 90 XS SW - Gone
2002 - Black Discovery II - Gone
2014 - Montalcino Red 110 XS SW

blackwolf wrote:

...
BW, it does unfortunately for those who gained a licence after 97.

Whilst those of us young enough not to have a D1 permit, as long as its not for hire/reward, under 3.5t and no more than 17 seats we can drive them.
...