[Hartpc35]

I run a community minibus service which is a not-for-profit organisation. The DVLA rules state that you do not need D1 entitlement as long as the driver is a volunteer and the organisation is not-for-profit, e.g. a charity. One of my volunteer drivers has previously had D1 entitlement on his licence. He is 73 years old and is in the process of renewing his licence with D4 and D2 (medical) forms. He has had the medical examination which was signed off by the doctor but something stated on the form is being examined by DVLA. I don't know the details but think it is heart related. As a consequence, DVLA has returned his licence but without D1 entitlement listed. My question therefore is: can the driver legally drive a minibus for the charity without the previously held D1 entitlement following the rule that states he doesn't need it if he is a volunteer? The other question is: has he actually passed the medical, since it was signed off by the doctor, but DVLA are still examining this one aspect of what was stated on the form. I am going to check this with our insurance company too. Thank you for any advice you can give me.

[TC1474]

@Hartpc35
I am a MiDAS and minibus instructor/examiner

If your driver no longer has his D1, then he cannot drive any passenger carrying vehicle which weighs over 3.5 tonnes MAM unless it has a passenger lift in which case it rises to 4.25 tonnes, and he cannot drive any vehicle with more than 8 seats.

The other rules as you have mentioned are that driving a minibus on his A licence over and above the weight limits means that he cannot be paid for driving (which you can do on a D1) you cannot drive abroad, and as you pointed out he can only drive for a not for profit organisation.

At aged 70 as you know, you have to opt in to retain the D1 entitlement as well as pass the same medical as is required for an HGV or PCV licence and this has to be renewed every 3 years along with his licence.

So to answer your question, if the bus he normally drives requires a D1 licence, then No, he cannot drive that bus.

A D1 bus is usually unladen at around 3.75 tonnes and has 16 seats.

But he can drive the 8 seater bus providing meets the weight threshold and he can drive it on his A (car licence)

If he is a current MiDAS certificate holder, then come renewal (after 4 years from date of issue) he could obtain his Car/MPV certificate which is the category below the full MiDAS but intended for the reduced size vehicle and category A licence holders.

Hope that helps?

[TC1474]

I have just realised the deliberate mistake, I referred to the A licence when I should have course stated the B licence

[Santa]

Just to say that TC has written the best explanation of the rules relating to minibus driving that I have seen.

The not-for-profit rule is strict. There have been prosecutions of retirement homes where the assumption is that the fees cover the cost of the bus, making it ineligible.

I had two minibuses in my fleet with the NHS, and we used to loan one out FOC to organisations like Girl Guides, but I knew we were skating on thin ice.