Q Our organization is contemplating the introduction of a free company
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bus service in order to run employees to and from their work.
Before we take a final decision, could you advise us on likely problem areas, such as type of licence, insurance and anything else which you consider relevant?
Is it possible to buy a second-hand coach for 0£500 to £600?
Ai As you do not propose to charge your employees for the service, the passenger vehicle will not be classed as a public service vehicle. Therefore, it can be operated as a private vehicle taxed at £25 a year and the driver will neither need to have a psv licence nor need keep driver's records.
The insurance is something which is between yourself and the insurer but need not be effected for anything more than a private vehicle.
You do not say what size of vehicle you contemplate buying and the price will depend very much on the size, age and condition.
n 1 obtained a full (double-deck) psv
X driving licence at my own expense in London in 1967.1 later moved to Lancashire and renewed the licence in 1970 without ' any difficulty even though I had not been employed as a psv driver during the period 1967-70.
1 have just been sent the renewal form and there is a note with it to say that unle I can produce evidence that I have driv a psv during the past three years, I i. have to take another test. During the pe three years I have not been employed a psi, driver, although through my emplt meat with a motor manufacturer I he driven a variety of buses and heavy goo vehicles.
Could you explain the legal position the importance of experience in maintaini a psv driving licence? I am anxious to ova the expense and probably difficulty of hiri a suitable vehicle for another private test.
A The law concerning the issue of p driving licences is contained in Pl HI of the Road Traffic Act 1960. Secti, 144(5) states that a licence to drive a pub service vehicle may at any time be suspend or revoked by the authority by whom was granted upon the ground that by reas of his conduct or physical disability 1 holder is not a lit person to hold such
licence. , This appears to have been interpret by the Traffic Commissioners to mean tl they should ensure that psv driving Licen holders are fit persons to hold such a ken' They feel that continuing experience necessary to make such a driver a fit pers and, we are told by the Traffic Comm sioners of at least two traffic areas, tl they require proof of such continui experience before a renewal is granted.
However, in your case you will real that provided a passenger vehicle is not us for hire and reward it is not a psv as defin in Section 117 of the Road Traffic Act 19( It can, therefore, be driven on an ordinal driving licence issued under Part III of t Road Traffic Act 1972 (previously part of the Road Traffic Act 1960).
In that case you do not need to ht a psv driving licence unless you intend drive passenger vehicles which are bei used for hire and reward, though ye anxiety to preserve your existing psv drivi licence is appreciated.
Your licence was renewed in 1970 with question because, at that time, the holt of a psv driving licence could drive hea goods vehicles. With the re-introduction the heavy goods vehicle driving licence 1970, this no longer applies.