seems i can't drive anything lol

my mates band asked me to drive them and their gear to dundee in a few weeks. went to a van hire place. i can only hire a minibus up to 9 seats. they only do 12 or 15. its the only hire place left here too...

i really don't see the point in not being able to drive more than 9 seaters, when i CAN drive a normal van the same size...
actual busses is a different matter

also don't see why i need to pay out thousands for a 7.5 license. especially since its the biggest i can drive due to medical nonsense if i was paying out for a HGV then fine, but not 7.5 ton.

[Edited on 14/1/10 by blakep82]

So you think its right that a driver with limited or no experience of driving a larger vehicle should be allowed to drive one, and potentially put 10 or more lives at risk???

Sorry but i think its perfectly correct and reasonable to expect drivers to take additional tests to be able to drive larger vehicles than a car. Personally i think you're lucky to be able to drive a smaller 9-seater minibus on a car licence.

Actually, if it's for social purposes and no payment is involved you can. If the hire company doesn't want to hire you a van though then that's their prerogative.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022619

quote:

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Driving passenger carrying vehicles (PCV) on a car driving licence

There are special licensing arrangements allowing you to drive minibuses and buses without having to hold the higher passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) driving licence entitlement.
[...]
Holders of a full category B (car) driving licence may drive [...] 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.

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quote:

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Originally posted by matt_claydon
Actually, if it's for social purposes and no payment is involved you can. If the hire company doesn't want to hire you a van though then that's their prerogative.

quote:

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If you passed recently then D1 entitlement is not included with a full license.

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JoelP - 14/1/10 at 08:43 PM

quote:

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Originally posted by Steve G
So you think its right that a driver with limited or no experience of driving a larger vehicle should be allowed to drive one, and potentially put 10 or more lives at risk???

Sorry but i think its perfectly correct and reasonable to expect drivers to take additional tests to be able to drive larger vehicles than a car. Personally i think you're lucky to be able to drive a smaller 9-seater minibus on a car licence.

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The thing is, you technically can. You could pass your test and set off with a van and trailer totalling 4250kgs, having never driven a van or pulled a trailer.

I had the same problem as blake, we we're going on a stag do and i tried to hire the minibus - they wouldnt let me drive even though i own vans and drive them daily, We ended up with my friend driving who has never driven a van before.

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Steve G - 14/1/10 at 11:27 PM

quote:

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Originally posted by JoelP
The thing is, you technically can. You could pass your test and set off with a van and trailer totalling 4250kgs, having never driven a van or pulled a trailer.

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I thought that if you've passed your test since something like 1997 you cant tow a trailer these days without doing a trailer test too??

Found a link

linky

"Car driving licence first obtained since 1 January 1997

Drivers who passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 are required to pass an additional driving test in order to gain entitlement to category B+E and all larger vehicles. In addition to the new driving tests, drivers of vehicles which fall within subcategories C1, C1+E, D1 and D1+E also have to meet higher medical standards."

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NigeEss - 15/1/10 at 12:22 AM

Well that's nice and clear then.....not..
or have I drunk too much tonight !

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JoelP - 15/1/10 at 09:15 AM

quote:

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Originally posted by Steve G

quote:

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Originally posted by JoelP
The thing is, you technically can. You could pass your test and set off with a van and trailer totalling 4250kgs, having never driven a van or pulled a trailer.

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I thought that if you've passed your test since something like 1997 you cant tow a trailer these days without doing a trailer test too??

Found a link

linky

"Car driving licence first obtained since 1 January 1997

Drivers who passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 are required to pass an additional driving test in order to gain entitlement to category B+E and all larger vehicles. In addition to the new driving tests, drivers of vehicles which fall within subcategories C1, C1+E, D1 and D1+E also have to meet higher medical standards."

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On your post 97 cat B license, you can drive up to 3500kgs with a 750kg trailer (4250 total), or a train weight of 3500 with the weight divided between trailer and tow vehicle (ie up to about 1700 trailer). Can find a link if you need?

[Edited on 15/1/10 by JoelP]

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JoelP - 15/1/10 at 09:19 AM

quote:

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Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.

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from link

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t.j. - 15/1/10 at 11:18 AM

That's just the way...

I don't like to have a busdriver which is 18 years and having 50 passengers behind him.....

So the rule is:
If you want to drive a vehicle which can carry more than 8 passengers:
21 - years and a D-license.

Grtz

[Edited on 15/1/10 by t.j.]

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blakep82 - 15/1/10 at 11:42 AM

quote:

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Originally posted by JoelP

quote:

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Originally posted by Steve G
So you think its right that a driver with limited or no experience of driving a larger vehicle should be allowed to drive one, and potentially put 10 or more lives at risk???

Sorry but i think its perfectly correct and reasonable to expect drivers to take additional tests to be able to drive larger vehicles than a car. Personally i think you're lucky to be able to drive a smaller 9-seater minibus on a car licence.

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The thing is, you technically can. You could pass your test and set off with a van and trailer totalling 4250kgs, having never driven a van or pulled a trailer.

I had the same problem as blake, we we're going on a stag do and i tried to hire the minibus - they wouldnt let me drive even though i own vans and drive them daily, We ended up with my friend driving who has never driven a van before.

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exactly! i can jump into a van AND trailer and drive it on my license, but i can drive what it basically a van

i can drive this

but i can't drive this


its still the same vehicle, just one's got more seats!

yet, if you look at the links above, i CAN drive one if i'm not being paid to drive it, but how does being paid or not affect my skill level at driving one?!

t.j. like i said, i can see the sense in having a bus license for busses and coaches, but my point is that a 15 seat minibus is still essentially a 3.5 ton van. yet my brother, who can barely control his VW polo can drive a 7.5 truck!

it makes no sense, and there's so many silly loopholes that no one wants to take a chance with.

also, here's a cracker, i can drive a bus of ANY size, but only if its over 30 years old! wtf?! why does a 30 year old bus make me a better driver than a brand new coach?!

[Edited on 15/1/10 by blakep82]

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blakep82 - 15/1/10 at 12:06 PM

and whats a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) initial qualification ?!
apparently, do one of these and you can drive loads more

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dhutch - 15/1/10 at 12:06 PM

quote:

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yet, if you look at the links above, i CAN drive one if i'm not being paid to drive it, but how does being paid or not affect my skill level at driving one?!

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Becuase what its trying to do is diferentate between you, hireing a minibus to take a few mates kit to a few gigs. Where the people involved are your freinds and trust you.
Against job blogs on a CatB setting up a taxi service with a large minibus driving the fee paying public around.

Personally i actaully largly think they have got it right.

Same with the trailers, i can actaully still tow a seven in a light covered box trailer behind my uni run-about pug306. But you dont have every man and his wife with a 7.5 tonne rolling train weight of caravan behind a ford monedo.

I find it a bit annoying that if i swap my petrol 306 for the family 806 which is a much more suitable tow car (little but heavy, with a nice long wheelbase) im then illigal. Even tho i can two the trailer and drive the 806. BUt you have to draw the limit somewhere.


Daniel

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