A Guide To Buying And Owning Your Own Bus Episode 2: Do I Have The Right License To Drive My Bus?

In this episode I look at what licence you will need to drive your preserved bus or your converted bus.
As before, if you want to ask any questions please use the comments below and I will reply to you. There's no such thing thing as a silly question...
Thanks for watching, if you enjoyed it please like, share and subscribe to support my channel.

[@robinsbusvideos]

This topic was needed on KZbin. Great video mate.

[@jakeyb2003]

Thanks Robin

[@carabara3947]

Hi Jake Another Duple Top Tip Used To Relay Rewire The Inner Headlights So You Could Have Dip Beam On All Four Headlamps

[@andicog]

I was trained by MTL North and obtained my PCV for auto and semi auto, I passed my car test only a year before (1999), MTL gave me a transit crew bus to drive to relief points and I told them I couldn't drive it, they said my pcv covered me, I said it didn't as the crew bus was manual, they said my car licence covered me but being post 1997 I couldn't drive anything with more than 8 seats while being paid..... In the end they called the dvlc and I was correct.... There were quite a few drivers in the same boat across all the garages and we all had to take a seperate manual test for more than 8 seats. I always wonder how many school teachers drive illegally thinking that a post 97 licence covers them to drive more than an 8 seat minibus while being paid because it doesn't.

[@michaelkeen5010]

Another informative video, thank you.👍

[@jakeyb2003]

Thanks Michael. Glad you liked it.

[@MervynPartin]

Although I like driving larger vehicles (motorhomes, American vans, etc) I have no desire to buy a bus as I am 75 and have to renew my driving licence every 3 years anyway. Nevertheless, I was intrigued when I spotted your video. I think that your presentation was excellent, being clearly spoken and understandable. I half expected 3 puns to arrive at once! I do have a great respect for bus drivers, as they often have to negotiate some terrible roads whilst keeping to a timetable and keeping their passengers safe.

[@jakeyb2003]

Thanks Mervyn. Glad you enjoyed the video. Bus driving is a brilliant job 99% of the time but it does have it's tricky moments admittedly.

[@clivewilliams3661]

I have worked as a consultant to one of the major national bus companies for nearly 20 years and without fail the senior engineering staff from depot to h/o have a very poor regard for the driving ability of their drivers. Many depots insist that the parking on the depot site is carried out by either the engineers or specialist 'shunters' to minimise the damage caused.

[@dancedecker]

Excellent video. Needed doing too as its very complicated. The greatest 'grey' area also, i would suggest, is clarifying, if possible, the rules on using buses for running days, with passengers and taking donations etc. If thats a future one, then i shall await it. Minor point. The original term of PSV. from memory, stood for Public Service Vehicle. I think you said it was, Passenger Service Vehicle. Cheers.

[@jakeyb2003]

Thank you. Yes I will be doing bus rallies and running days in more detail at a later date. You're right about it being a Public Service Vehicle as it was originally called. When I took my test in 1997 it had become a Passenger Carrying Vehicle licence. Now it's even less glamorous as a Catogory D with several modules!

[@clivewilliams3661]

As stated early on you can drive a 30+years old bus on the road with a Category B License however, the Category B License has a weight limit of 3.5T MAM and the C License a maximum limit of 8.250T (presumably 7.5T +750kg trailer). A significant proportion of full sized buses are 11T, so does the 30 years rule override the basic limitations of the B and C license?

[@horsenuts1831]

Well, I'm a bit old in the tooth, but it appears that the old 'grandfather rights' still apply and I can still do the Cliff Richard 'Summer Holiday' with a few friends in the back. My licence is well old and there are some really odd vehicles that I can drive (some which scare me). I even got my motorbike licence sorted in the 1990s when you could take a test on a 125cc bike, before the new rules came in, and then immediately ride a superbike the next day (which I will NOT ride!).

[@jakeyb2003]

Some of the extra catogorys are a bit worrying aren't they? I don't think I'm ever going to drive a tracked vehicle although I have the licence for it!

[@Madmark50484]

Woohoo I have the right licence. I have cat A, B C, D and all plus E.

[@jakeyb2003]

You sure do.

[@Mariazellerbahn]

I guess that if you want to take out the seats and carry three Mini's, you would need a Cat C / HGV licence.

[@jakeyb2003]

Yes indeed, so Big William was a HGV driver by trade. Although I suspect if you were thinking about stealing several million from the Italians, having the correct licence is the least of your problems.

[@Ayrshore]

just leave some seats :P

[@sameyers2670]

Out of interest how many Maidstone and District buses survive in preservation?

[@jakeyb2003]

There's quite a few of all sorts still around Sam. Not sure of the numbers but they are out there.

[@ELPaso1990TX]

I have a cat D PSV licence, but lost that category because I didn’t have my last medical. Do I need to do the PCV test again or just the medical if I want to drive a bus?

[@jakeyb2003]

I'd speak to the DVLA but I'm sure if you do your medical you should be able to drive commercially again.

[@awesometrainsandbuses]

Me, my uncle, and 2 of my friends are preserving Volvo Olympian R139 EVX. My uncle has successfully drove it and parked it into his garden. I need to restore it. What things would i need to restore a bus?

[@jakeyb2003]

Hello. Is it a Volvo engined bus or Cummins? If it's a Volvo I would recommend making contact with someone who may have some diagnostic equipment (Maybe the Bromley Bus Preservation Group can help) as the Volvo engines have electronic fuel pumps which occasionally need to set up or reset. Also keep the electrical panels behind the drivers cab dry. Aside from that, Mastic or Stickaflex to go around and seal the window rubbers as they will probably leak - especially if she's parked outside. Don't use bathroom sealer... Always best to get a service kit and treat her to a oil change/oil filter and fuel filter change. I would suspect that a local commercial Volvo dealer could supply these. Treat yourself to some marine fuel additive to stop the algy growth in the fuel system. If she doesn't have an MOT the best thing would be to put her in for a test so you know what needs doing as the test would give you a list of issues to sort out if she failed. If she has an MOT - happy days - but check the advisorys to see what might be an issue in the future. Volvo Olympians do also suffer from very bad corrosion so if you can get underneath and check her properly. Best of luck. Keep us posted.

[@dancedecker]

Another good 'route', to go down, would be to get in touch with your local bus preservation group. They will usually have members who have a similar vehicle to the one you described, as well as either parts to help you or knowledge of where to get them. If you let me know where you are, I could try to find out which ones are local to you. Or in the rally season, go to some local classic bus events and talk to owners and stall holders from bus groups there. Hope this helps and every success to you.

[@awesometrainsandbuses]

R139 EVX is stored in the garden of a countryside house between Canterbury and Folkestone

[@stevecampbell7589]

you are wrong. for licencing purposes the number of seats is 9 or more. for mot purposes is 19. Also, if you passed your cat B test before January 97 you can only drive a bus upto 9 seats including the driver and upto 7500kg in gross vehicle weight with a trailer upto 750kgs (hence on the gov site states upto a combinined weight of upto 8250kgs). Also, can drive it commercially too if the driver has a drivers CPC on the vehicle is on an operators license. But MOST buses have a gross vehicle weight that exceeds 7500kgs. Even the Optare Solo with 30 seat capicty has a gross weight of 10700kgs which is too heavy for a C1 (the catergory the driver would have if passed their car test before 97). Only buses I can think of that can come under the 7500kg weight limit is an old Mecedes 0614

[@jakeyb2003]

Hi Steve. There seems to be a bit of confusion and it sound like you are referring to the Section 19 and Section 22 permits which is a minefield I've deliberately steered away from as the video would probably be twice as long! These permits do alter things from quoted but as I said in the video, I'm making it mostly for those in preservation or using large buses for motor homes or bars ect and the permits would confuse the issue. Yes totally agree about the C1 which takes you up to 7.5t, I'm talking about catogory C which is everything over 3.5t.

[@stevecampbell7589]

@jakeyb2003 yes, I understand. But you worded it in your video and stated that those who passed pre 97 with grandfather rights can drive most things over 3500kgs. If they have grandfather rights, they will have C1 which is a 7.5t with a 750kg trailer and C1E is upto 7.5t plus a trailer to give a combination weight of 8250kgs such as a 7t iveco luton and 1250kg trailer.

[@jakeyb2003]

@@stevecampbell7589 Yes that is what comes up on the screen at the same time. The DVSA screen shot showing that.

[@Jimbo-gi7xn]

@@stevecampbell7589 do what I did and get full bus and hgv 1 then you can drive anything

[@randompotatoguy9347]

i've got class 2 hgv, does it mean i can drive any buses? empty ones of course.

[@jakeyb2003]

If it's a bus with seats then as far as I know it's a no no. The crazy thing is, if the bus has the seats removed then yes you definitely can.

[@Jimbo-gi7xn]

@@jakeyb2003 if a bus is over 40yrs old it can be driven by a Cat B holder as long as its carrying no more than 8 non fare paying passengers

[@jakeyb2003]

@@Jimbo-gi7xn 30 years Jimbo 😉

[@Ayrshore]

@@Jimbo-gi7xn 30 years.

[@Jimmy-vv9dd]

Does this mean that you can drive a preserved bus at 17 on a car licence because it does not state otherwise?

[@jakeyb2003]

That's a very good question Jimmy. I will have to look into that but it does certainly seem that way although I believe you'd be scuppered by the insurance companies - they tend not to really like to insure anyone under 25, although it has been known with a special dispensation.

[@Jimbo-gi7xn]

Yes a 17yr old could drive a bus over 30yrs old carrying no more than 8 non fare paying passengers obviously subject to the relevant insurance

[@phillwainewright4221]

Minor point ... PSV stands for Public Service Vehicle. That's what's printed on my badge.

[@jakeyb2003]

Yes you're spot on Phill. When I took my test it had morphed into a Passenger Carrying Vehicle. Unfortunately my mouth and my brain aren't always connected as well as they should be!