Minibus Driving in Europe?

[Spinal]

So a group of friends and I want to do a road trip to celebrate our communal finding of new jobs...

I saw some minibuses on ebay for just under £2K, which divided amongst 4 people works out to about £500 each, which is doable... but if we get and fifth or a sixth, then it gets better...

Problem is, looking at the DVLA site, Driving passenger carrying vehicles (PCV) on a car driving licence : Directgov - Motoring I found this:

Exempted passenger carrying vehicles

Holders of a full category B (car) driving licence may drive any of the vehicles listed below:

* a passenger carrying vehicle manufactured more than 30 years before the date when it is driven and not used for hire or reward or for the carriage of more than 8 passengers
* a minibus with up to 16 passenger seats provided the following conditions are met:

i. the vehicle is used for social purposes by a non-commercial body but not for hire or reward
ii. the driver is aged 21 iii. the driver has held a car (category B) licence for at least 2 years
iv. the driver is providing the service on a voluntary basis
v. the minibus maximum weight is not more than 3.5 tonnes or 4.25 tonnes including any specialist equipment for the carriage of disabled passengers
vi. if the driver is aged 70 or over, is able to meet the health standards for driving a D1 vehicle

When driving a minibus under these conditions you may not receive any payment or consideration for doing so other than out of pocket expenses or tow any size trailer; you may only drive minibuses in this country. Drivers aged 70 or over will need to make a special application, which involves meeting higher medical standards.

So what do I need to do if I want to drive in Europe? I'm over 21, I've had a British car licence since I was 17, the minibus we'll buy will be under 3.5 tonnes, and we don't plan on taking any payment (except for dividing the cost of fuel).

Do we need to go through the mess of getting a category D, or will a C be enough? The minibus permit doesn't apply to us (we're not a charity, we're not doing anything beneficial to the community, and we want to go out of the UK).

Ideas? Comments?
M.

 

[Spinal]

Oh, one more question... if I do need to go for the D1 licence, am I right in believing I need to renew it every 5 years? (aka, do I need to take the test again every 5 years?).

Realised that the C is for trucks and D for busses... so do I need a D1 (minibuses?) it costs around £800 in my area, all in... if I need to spend that every 5-years it's out of the question... but if it's a one-off thing... it's doable!

 

[yachtman]

when did you pass your car test, if prior to 97 you will already have d1 entitlement. (along with c1 ).


If you dont have d1 entitlement already
if you do a d1 test, the licence doesnt need to be renewed every 5 yrs, a medical is needed aswell
& you will need to do a theory test, and if the practical is done after 10 sept a driver initial CPC, which will need a further 35 hours of training in 5 years if you are driving commercially.

 

[wemorgan]

If it's just the 4 of you would an estate or SUV do the trick?
Someone on the forum is selling a good value Citroen Picasso I believe.

Enjoy the trip........where will you be going?

 

[Spinal]

when did you pass your car test, if prior to 97 you will already have d1 entitlement. (along with c1 ).


If you dont have d1 entitlement already
if you do a d1 test, the licence doesnt need to be renewed every 5 yrs, a medical is needed aswell
& you will need to do a theory test, and if the practical is done after 10 sept a driver initial CPC, which will need a further 35 hours of training in 5 years if you are driving commercially.

Got my licence in the UK in after '97, so that doesn't apply to me unfortunately!

So lets say we do the D1 theory&practical test... are you sure the licence DOESN'T need to be renewed every 5 years? From what I read on the DVLA site, it does... just I'm not sure if I need to redo the tests every 5 years...

So if I don't do the CPC every 5 years, do I lose the D1 entitlement? or does it just become a "non-profit" D1 (which is really what I want).

Wemorgan: we're thinking of going to visit a friend in Poland (who we went to high school with us here and has decided to move there even though he's British), along with Germany, Austria and Italy (essentially go and bug as many friends we have in Europe as possible - makes living cheaper too!)

We were really quite set on a minibus... a car isn't the same thing!

M.

 

[stevesey]

As the para quoted in the 1st post say you are OK in a 16 seater, but that is in the UK. It might be worth checking legislation in counties you are planning to visit though (but one would assume/hope EU countries have standardised legislation).

 

[st4]

If it's just the 4 of you would an estate or SUV do the trick?
Someone on the forum is selling a good value Citroen Picasso I believe.

Enjoy the trip........where will you be going?

An excellent suggestion. Its more car like, therefore more comfortable and suitable. I remember school trips down to England in so called minibuses. Nothing about the journey was pleasant. A trip round europe in one would be my idea of a personal hell. A car however, perfect.

A cheap 124 may also be a good bet, or even a 210 if money stretches.

 

[yachtman]

Got my licence in the UK in after '97, so that doesn't apply to me unfortunately!

So lets say we do the D1 theory&practical test... are you sure the licence DOESN'T need to be renewed every 5 years? From what I read on the DVLA site, it does... just I'm not sure if I need to redo the tests every 5 years...

c,c1.c+e d,d1. d+e all renewal free until you need a medical to renew at driver age 45 years and every 5 years afterwards. At the moment you do not need to do a test. If you allow the medical to expire, the licence cant be used to drive vehicles of the group, however on completion of a healthy medical, entitlement is restored, without taking a road test.

So if I don't do the CPC every 5 years, do I lose the D1 entitlement? or does it just become a "non-profit" D1 (which is really what I want).



it just become a "non-profit" D1. While doing a d1, suggest you consider a full bus / coach licence as costs are very similar to a proper cat d here.



M.

Hope that helps

 

[Spinal]

Perfect !

If I/we had to repay £800+ every 5 years it wouldn't make sense, but if it's a long-term thing, why not

Who knows what I'll be driving in the future (I did look at a category H licence a few years ago... its a weekend thing and sounded like more fun than one of those experience days).

I'll call my GP on Monday, see if I can book a medical exam... (I wonder how hard it is to fail They don't check for sanity, do they? )

M.

 

[wemorgan]

I don't know what type of minibus you have in mind, but a few thoughts from me:

1990s LDVs are extremely poor, even low mileage ones.
1990s Fords are very good, even high mileage ones.
Avoid double axle and twin tyre variants, as more tyres means more punctures.

Have you thought of renting a minibus? Not the cheapest option, but you would at least get a new and reliable one? Unless you're really after an old wrecker for that true expedition feeling

 

[JumboBeef]

If you are going to pay to get your D1, then get your C1 at the same time, you'll find it is the same price. I also know someone who got her LGV Category C (HGV rigid licence), plus D1 and C1, for the same price as just one entitlement.

Shop around!

 

[Spinal]

Thanks - actually, no we didn't think of renting one to be frank! Will look around though...

Our idea was buy it with tax/mot; use it, then resell it before the tax runs out...

M.

 

[yachtman]

If you are going to pay to get your D1, then get your C1 at the same time, you'll find it is the same price. I also know someone who got her LGV Category C (HGV rigid licence), plus D1 and C1, for the same price as just one entitlement.

Shop around!

I presume you mean the provisional entitlement on your licence,

the c and d practical tests an theory tests are very different forthe different cats.
.

 

[JumboBeef]

I presume you mean the provisional entitlement on your licence,

the c and d practical tests an theory tests are very different forthe different cats.
.

No, I mean it costs the same to do them all together rather than just one (that's what I've been told by more than one person anyway. Me, I'm an old git with C&D1 on my licence anyway).

 

[yachtman]

No, I mean it costs the same to do them all together rather than just one (that's what I've been told by more than one person anyway. Me, I'm an old git with C&D1 on my licence anyway).

Not certain exactly what you mean, as there are seperate theory tests and a C pratical has to be taken in a truck and the practical D is taken ina bus.


what you can do all together is have the provisional c and d added to your driving licence with one medical.