Initial Steps To Follow When Starting A Minibus Hire Business
Edit this text
The most important aspect to consider when you are thinking of starting a minibus business is what licences you will need.
There are 2 different types of minibuses one is with 8 or less passenger’s seats (usually governed by your local council as a taxi) and the other is anything with more than 8 passenger seats.
The most popular minibus is the 16 seat vehicle classed as a PSV (Public Service Vehicle or PCV (Passenger Carrying Vehicle).
First of all do not forget, no matter how long you have owned your car licence you will have to pass a separate driving test to drive
these vehicles.
To drive a 16 seat minibus for ‘hire or reward’ you will need to pass a category D1 test.
You will also have to complete your Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) which involves 35 hours of training. This has to be done every 5 years.
You will also have to undergo a full medical examination.
Once you have obtained the correct minibus driving licences you will have to apply to VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) for an Operators Licence.
You have 2 options here. If you have existing employment and you are simply looking to run your minibus hire service on a part-time
basis you can apply for a restricted licence. If you are looking to provide a full time service then you have to apply for the standard
licence. On a restricted licence your driving hours are limited to 35 a week and on a standard licence 45 hours per week.
Once you have successfully got an operator’s licence your next thing to remember is your vehicle/s must have a Certificate Of Initial
Fitness (COIF) and a tachograph fitted.
It goes without saying that you have to have relevant up to date insurance. Also a 15 minute walk round vehicle check is required at
the start of every working day as safety has to be your number one priority.
After you have obtained all your necessary licences you can start to try and find some customers and this will be the topic of another article.
Don’t forget that there is a lot of competition amongst Minibus Hire companies and a lot of research will be required to assess potential markets and your pricing structure. It is time consuming and hard work but if done correctly your minibus hire service can be rewarding and immensely satisfying.
