Why why why D1 & C

Opinions please can anyone tell me the answer?
I did my D1 PCV 2 years ago & more recently passed LGV cat C
I cannot for the life of me see why I have to do a test to upgrade to D to drive a bus
I rang DVSA to be told it’s because it’s for passangers
So I explained D1 test is same as D driving test
Having passed C LGV is for large vehicles
And I was probably the 1st person to enquire about a automatic upgrade
I actually can drive a empty Bus after 2 years on LGV for maintenance
Opinions welcome

Compton1:
Opinions please can anyone tell me the answer?
I did my D1 PCV 2 years ago & more recently passed LGV cat C
I cannot for the life of me see why I have to do a test to upgrade to D to drive a bus
I rang DVSA to be told it’s because it’s for passangers
So I explained D1 test is same as D driving test
Having passed C LGV is for large vehicles
And I was probably the 1st person to enquire about a automatic upgrade
I actually can drive a empty Bus after 2 years on LGV for maintenance
Opinions welcome

What did you drive when you did your D1?

It’s a bit pointless doing either D1 or C1 because D and C tests are just as easy. I did D and C at PSTT and passed both first time. According to your logic, when I passed my D I should have been given my C because I already held a C1 due to having passed my car test before 1997 ie. grandad rights.

This subject comes up on here from time to time. Its a money maker so it wont change. A D1 entitles the holder to drive a 16 seat mini bus, possibly a Ford Transit or Merc. Sprinter. I have C and D licences , my work has a Merc Artego with a 34 seat bus nailed down on top of it, its the same as a 7.5. tonner that the Royal Mail use but its a separate test to drive the things.

I had D, been driving 80 odd pax on a double deck bus for 10 years but cant transfer even the theory and hazard perception test across to driving 26 ton rigid full of dog food let alone the practical. I now have C+E been driving artics for 2 years but still havent got D1 or +E on my licence. Can drive a 44 ton artic, an 80 seater double deck bus but not a 16 seat minibus for hire or reward. go figure.

Compton1:
I did my D1 PCV 2 years ago & more recently passed LGV cat C

A D1 is a minibus basically which is a wholy different beast to a fullsize bus. I got C and C+E but wouldnt have a clue how to steer, operate the controls or any emergency procedures for a bus (despite someone trying to show me once).

Just because i can drive a big vehicle doesn’t mean i can drive any big vehicle. Thats why they have different tests as they want to be sure you know everything about them.

Btw are you sure you can drive an empty fullsize bus on your C licence? Never heard of that one before but might be one of those odd quirks.

Fuzrat:
I had D, been driving 80 odd pax on a double deck bus for 10 years

Easier to reply to this seperately.

Re your not having D1, I thought that your D licence automatically entitled you to D1.

Its like if you have C on your licence, you get C1 automatically since its a higher cayegory grade. It might not be on the plastic card, but worth checking on the DVLA licence checker.

gov.uk/view-driving-licence

Fuzrat:
I had D, been driving 80 odd pax on a double deck bus for 10 years but cant transfer even the theory and hazard perception test across to driving 26 ton rigid full of dog food let alone the practical. I now have C+E been driving artics for 2 years but still havent got D1 or +E on my licence. Can drive a 44 ton artic, an 80 seater double deck bus but not a 16 seat minibus for hire or reward. go figure.

Make an official query your about your D+E and D1. This sounds like an admin error at Swansea. The +E test should have upgraded the D and the D1 should have been automatic, the only possibility I can see is that the D was a restricted licence.

Compton1:
So I explained D1 test is same as D driving test

No it’s not, D1 is for PCV vehicles with up-to 16 seats.

Compton1:
Having passed C LGV is for large vehicles

Cat C is for large goods vehicles.

Compton1:
And I was probably the 1st person to enquire about a automatic upgrade

Yes you probably was the first person to ask for an automatic upgrade from D1 to D :smiley:

Sent from my mobile.

Fuzrat:
I had D, been driving 80 odd pax on a double deck bus for 10 years but cant transfer even the theory and hazard perception test across to driving 26 ton rigid full of dog food let alone the practical. I now have C+E been driving artics for 2 years but still havent got D1 or +E on my licence. Can drive a 44 ton artic, an 80 seater double deck bus but not a 16 seat minibus for hire or reward. go figure.

Maybe, you need to ask why, my company paid for my class one and class 2… I passed my PCV in a manual Bedford coach so had a manual licence … when I did my class 2 I recall my examiner a guy at Enfield called Martin Hawkes I would get my D upgraded to a Manual with the class C … (wasn’t required) … when I passed my Class one my D was automatically upgraded. That was in 2005 though. Maybe you need to call the DVSA …

I didnt explain that well at all ( too much port) I do have the D1+E on my licence its just coded “not for hire or reward” which seems ridiculous considering I can drive a big bus for reward.

When I bought a coach in 2002 to do my class d test I couldn’t drive it even without passenger until I passed my test, this was despite passing my class 3 as it was in 1974 and class 1 in 1979. Three years later when it was 30 years old it could be driven with up to 8 non fare paying passengers on a car licence if that had been issued before 1997.

The D1 class is issued in two different circumstances, with or without fare paying passengers, one requires the same conditions as class C or D ie medicals etc. I have both on my licence one expires next month and the other when I am 70.

In 1990 it became possible to drive class D empty with a class C licence but this was changed to the present system in 2000.

Confused?

Fuzrat:
I didnt explain that well at all ( too much port) I do have the D1+E on my licence its just coded “not for hire or reward” which seems ridiculous considering I can drive a big bus for reward.

That is because you have TWO D1s on the licence with the non restricted one hidden/covered by the D

The D1 101 is valid until age 70 but the other D1 (gained by passing D) is subject to a valid D4 medical

If you think that is nuts then how about this …
My pre 97 LGV C1 has no restrictions but my LGV C1 gained by passing C/CE has an 01 eyesight restriction

If I get into a C1 I can decide which C1 I want to use - with glasses or without glasses :exclamation:

Fuzrat:
I didnt explain that well at all ( too much port) I do have the D1+E on my licence its just coded “not for hire or reward” which seems ridiculous considering I can drive a big bus for reward.

If you look on the back of your licence the D will superceede the D1 … you should have D+E on your licence as said if not call DVSA and ask why … I never passed a D+E test but due to my C+E I automatically got D+E

If you have your driver number and NI number handy you can go online and view your licence details. My groups take four A4 pages when printed out.

Slightly off topic but I’ve still got a 107 restriction on the C1E part of my licence (3.5t - 7.5t with trailer) it restricts the whole outfit to 8.25t, just like it was before doing my class 1 test 24 years ago.

GORDON 50:
Slightly off topic but I’ve still got a 107 restriction on the C1E part of my licence (3.5t - 7.5t with trailer) it restricts the whole outfit to 8.25t, just like it was before doing my class 1 test 24 years ago.

You have TWO C1Es on your licence

ROG:

GORDON 50:
Slightly off topic but I’ve still got a 107 restriction on the C1E part of my licence (3.5t - 7.5t with trailer) it restricts the whole outfit to 8.25t, just like it was before doing my class 1 test 24 years ago.

You have TWO C1Es on your licence

I have two on mine, one valid from 1/4/1991 until 26/12 2018 and one valid from 19/6/1974 until 26/12/2020. The second one has the 107 weight restriction of 8250kg.

This explains why my online licence details show 23 classes of vehicle I can drive.

tachograph:

Compton1:
So I explained D1 test is same as D driving test

No it’s not, D1 is for PCV vehicles with up-to 16 seats.
Why is it different ? Stopped at bus stops CPC about passengers
Apart from lengh can you tell me ?

Compton1:
Having passed C LGV is for large vehicles

Cat C is for large goods vehicles.

Compton1:
And I was probably the 1st person to enquire about a automatic upgrade

Yes you probably was the first person to ask for an automatic upgrade from D1 to D :smiley:

Sent from my mobile.

madmackem:

Compton1:
Opinions please can anyone tell me the answer?
I did my D1 PCV 2 years ago & more recently passed LGV cat C
I cannot for the life of me see why I have to do a test to upgrade to D to drive a bus
I rang DVSA to be told it’s because it’s for passangers
So I explained D1 test is same as D driving test
Having passed C LGV is for large vehicles
And I was probably the 1st person to enquire about a automatic upgrade
I actually can drive a empty Bus after 2 years on LGV for maintenance
Opinions welcome

What did you drive when you did your D1?

I took it in a 17 seater Merc Sprinter
However I appreciate its lengh is not 10 metres
The point I’m trying to make is the test is the same and passing C for LGV
Let’s me drive a empty one so clearly it’s not the size of the vehicle or weight so apart from the passenger side of things which I’ve covered in D1 test no one is answering why?