School minibus and licences

[nikaso]

Right, basically I am running the D of E group here with one of the teachers, unfortunately I passed my car licence after Jan 1st 1997 and therefore am considered dangerous to drive anything other than a car (or milk float) whereas if I had passed my test on the 31st December 1996 I could drive 7.5 tonners etc. [/rant]

 

Anyway one quote for doing my D1 was £960

 

Does anyone know if this is normal??

 

Secondly I have been told that for not much more you can do a coach licence, does anyone know if that would still cover minibuses?

[Flakes]

my opld school ran a course for the minibus license, which we could volunteer to do, the school paid for us to do it. might be worthwhile asking for it under the training budget under the premise that you dont mind taking the kids out on day trips.

[featured_spectre]

Coach covers single decker buses and coaches, does not cover minibuses for some reason. You would need to get van/minibus seperate (however my school is paying for mine! )

[laserblazer]

It is daft. One of our teachers has just gone out for her 3 yearly assessment. She had to ask me to reverse the minibus out for her before the examiner arrived because she wasn't confident to do it. She came back with a string of negatives but still got her renewal. Another younger teacher had to take the D1 test and I went out with him for a few practice runs. He was more than competent but he still failed the D1 test twice, so it cost the school a fortune. 6 months later he upped and left to teach in Italy.

 

The D1 test is pretty strict. (as it should be). The 3 yearly assessment is far too forgiving. You have to be really bad to fail.

[nikaso]

my opld school ran a course for the minibus license, which we could volunteer to do, the school paid for us to do it. might be worthwhile asking for it under the training budget under the premise that you dont mind taking the kids out on day trips.

I have asked the question but I am not hopeful

 

Coach covers single decker buses and coaches, does not cover minibuses for some reason. You would need to get van/minibus seperate (however my school is paying for mine! )

The training company I just spoke to said the D licence (coach) covers you for anything with more than 8 seats (including our 16 seat minibus for example) and therefore would cover minibuses but it does cost significantly more money to do.

 

It is daft. One of our teachers has just gone out for her 3 yearly assessment. She had to ask me to reverse the minibus out for her before the examiner arrived because she wasn't confident to do it. She came back with a string of negatives but still got her renewal. Another younger teacher had to take the D1 test and I went out with him for a few practice runs. He was more than competent but he still failed the D1 test twice, so it cost the school a fortune. 6 months later he upped and left to teach in Italy.

 

The D1 test is pretty strict. (as it should be). The 3 yearly assessment is far too forgiving. You have to be really bad to fail.

 

It does seem mad when you put it like that, I am confident I could pass the test with training as I have driven similar size vehicles before but I can't see the school taking a punt on it with the cost being so high. Mind you, they have spent more on some absolute crap before!

[tech_guy]

The change in 1997 has caught lots of people out! Loads of people I know who passed their test after 1997 don't even realise they aren't allowed to tow anything like a caravan or a horsebox - a friend of ours got pulled over the other week and she got points for towing without the correct classifications on her licence.

[rad]

I dislike the fact we can't tow or drive a minibus, afterall I can tow a little caravan, and can drive a big van.

I too am helping out with D of E, i can drive very well but am unable to drive the minibus. SMT were asked when I was in the staff room, they just shrugged it off. I can see the minibus sitting there, and coaches being hired in.

[laserblazer]

It's going to get progressively worse with time. Maybe they should teach minibus driving at Teacher Training College. Many of our teachers would benefit from some help with reverse parking!

[Heebeejeebee]

As I understand it (hope it's correct 'cos this is how it works here) that if you do not have D1 on your licence you can drive a minibus up to and including 16 seats (with the appropriate competancy test outlined by your school) but cannot drive a 17 seater (as we have here) whereas with a D1 you can drive said 17 seater (again with the competency test).

 

I have D1 on mine and as the older staff gradually leave I find myself being commandeered more and more to drive kids around (although there is a good case for me not doing it usually and SMT don't see it as a good use of my time).

 

HBJB

[Guest Guest]

It's going to get progressively worse with time. Maybe they should teach minibus driving at Teacher Training College. Many of our teachers would benefit from some help with reverse parking!

 

Many of our teachers would benifit from some help parking between the lines. They however have no problem jumping off the speed bump Dukes of Hazzard style!

[elsiegee40]

Chapter and verse from DirectGov: Driving passenger carrying vehicles (PCV) on a car driving licence : Directgov - Motoring

 

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

 

I'm not sure that a school meets this bit:

i. the vehicle is used for social purposes by a non-commercial body but not for hire or reward

 

At our school the younger staff have not yet been sent on driver training while we clear this up.

 

EDIT

 

Found this on teachernet which is quite helpful: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/9680/DfES%20statement%20minibuses%20-%20final%20with%20tonnes%20advice%205%20april.doc

Edited January 17, 2011 by elsiegee40

[nikaso]

I'm not sure about the service being provided voluntarily clause being satisfied as we would be salaried employees.

 

I suspect it might be up to individual councils as well, I was categorically told by Leeds that to do the MIDAS training you had to have D1 already on your licence.

 

I too can see a growing problem as more and more staff don't have D1, it would seem to make sense especially for larger councils to actually have some training in house for such things.

[jimmy_2k]

It's going to get progressively worse with time. Maybe they should teach minibus driving at Teacher Training College. Many of our teachers would benefit from some help with reverse parking!

 

The bump in my car agrees!

[elsiegee40]

I'm not sure about the service being provided voluntarily clause being satisfied as we would be salaried employees.

 

The teachernet advice is that it's OK as long as driving the minibus isn't required as a part of your employment; it has to be a voluntary action... I am not sure, however, that this would stand up legally.

[Dos_Box]

I remember when I fisrst started workign in schools after I left the army. I had every driving licence it was possible to get bar (full) coach and road roller. I was a qualified skid, cross country, defensive and recovery instructor and had spent the past 8 years driving one of the largest road vehicles in europe:

 

http://www.military-today.com/trucks/scammell_commander.jpg

 

 

However the school deemed I was not 'qualified' or experinced enough to drive the minibus as I was not a teacher, even if you took into consideration the 6 months I spent driving small ski coaches in the alps one winter. They let an NQT do it instead. It seems there is no experiance for any given task like being a teacher.

Edited January 17, 2011 by Dos_Box

[Andrew_C]

They let an NQT do it instead. It seems there is no experiance for any given task like being a teacher.

When are you all going to accept that in a teacher's eyes, we are not even people? We technicians are going through it over SIMS at the moment. The powers that be decided that we didn't need any access to it. We plan room allocation within the dept, dole out books and supporting paperwork, but can't even find out how many kids there are in each set... Grrr.

 

Oh, and back on-topic, I'm old enough not to need a re-test. I'd not rely on "not for hire or reward" clause without checking with a lawyer. Maybe one for your Union (unless they are the total plonkers some of you have found them to be).

[laserblazer]

The insurance certificate for our minibus is a letter from the County Council saying they cover it. I now tax the vehicle online using my credit card and then claim back. Every year when I went to the Post Office, I would spend half an hour arguing that it was legally insured. It always ended up with them phoning Swansea and then coming back and saying "Well I never knew that!"

[jimmy_2k]

When are you all going to accept that in a teacher's eyes, we are not even people? We technicians are going through it over SIMS at the moment. The powers that be decided that we didn't need any access to it. We plan room allocation within the dept, dole out books and supporting paperwork, but can't even find out how many kids there are in each set... Grrr.

 

Oh, and back on-topic, I'm old enough not to need a re-test. I'd not rely on "not for hire or reward" clause without checking with a lawyer. Maybe one for your Union (unless they are the total plonkers some of you have found them to be).

 

No SIMS access? ridiclous!

[Andrew_C]

No SIMS access? ridiclous!

The "powers" have been "persuaded" that their stance is ridiculous. Some level of access will be allowed, and training too!

 

Oh, and BTW, thanks for the Neg Rep to who ever wrote this:-

Totally pointless comment! The teachers I work with in the main are excellent with a healthy respect for me and my team! Don't make sweeping statements!

Get a life.