Minibus entitlement
Page 40
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I am an HGV licence holder but I also drive minibuses at the weekends for a charity — the vehicles vary from eight to 24-seaters.
I am confused about what licence is needed for minibuses and I wonder what Grandfather Rights have been provided in the driver licensing changes.
Can you advise please?
A Passenger vehicles with more than eight but not more than 16 seats (in addition to the driver's seat) and which are not used for hire or reward are now in driving licence category Dl.
Passenger vehicles (a) with more than eight seats, if used for hire or reward, or (b) more than 16 seats if not used for hire or reward, are in category D.
These categories were introduced on 1 June 1990 to replace the old, UK licence groups.
Regulation 33(1) of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1987 states that the holder of a group A licence issued before 1 June 1990 can drive vehicles in category B and continue to drive the vehicles he could drive under his group A licence.
Category B, which deals with vehicles under 3.5 tonnes with not more than eight seats, also covers category DI.
As a group A licence authorised the driving of non-PCV vehicles of any size that right continues. But recently the Department of Transport decided to curtail it and, in
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relation to vehicles with more than 16 seats, it will end on 1 April 1992.
For those who have exchanged licences, Regulation 34(2) states that drivers who hold category B and D1 licences, but who held a group A or B licence on 31 May 1990, can drive vehicles with more than 16 seats, other than for hire or reward, until 1 April 1992.
The holder of a full HGV or category C licence may also drive a passenger vehicle with more than 16 seats if it is not used for hire or reward or to carry more than eight passengers.
So a person who held a group A licence before 1 June 1990 can continue to drive non-PCV vehicles of any size until 1 April 1992. After that date he will be restricted to 16-seat vehicles not used for hire or reward.
The holder of an HGV licence will be able to drive vehicles with more than 16 seats as long as they do not carry passengers for hire or reward or more than eight passengers.
This means that you could drive a 53-seat coach, but carry no more than eight passengers, provided that no payment has been made for their carriage.
To drive vehicles carrying more than 16 non-paying passengers from April 1992 you might be able to take advantage of the Grandfather Rights contained in Regulation 28 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Large Goods and PassengerCarrying Vehicles) Regulations 1990.
You are entitled to a category D licence but limited to vehicles not used for hire or reward provided you:
0 held a full licence to drive vehicles in category B and D1 (group A or B) on 31 May 1990
0 satisfy the DVLA that you had been regularly driving a category D vehicle with more than 16 seats during the three years immediately preceding the application for a category D licence 1=1 apply before 1 April 1992.