Hi all. I’m after some advice. I have a c+e license. I am in the process of purcchaseing an old service bus to convert into a camper. Am I legal to pick up the bus and drive it back in order to start the conversion? Not sure on the legality’s of it. Thanks for any help provided.
tm7632:
Hi all. I’m after some advice. I have a c+e license. I am in the process of purcchaseing an old service bus to convert into a camper. Am I legal to pick up the bus and drive it back in order to start the conversion? Not sure on the legality’s of it. Thanks for any help provided.
What is the age of the bus?
I belive it to be a 200/2001 model
Would have thought a PCV license is needed but cleverer people will answer it properly,
If it has 10 or more seats in total when you are driving it = PCV needed
Then the answer is probably no, they have to be over thirty years old or else you need a class D licence. When I bought a 26 year old coach I couldn’t drive it on a C+E, I had to pass my class D test before hand. Now it is over 30 it can be driven on a car licence provided it was obtained it before 1997.
ROG:
If it has 10 or more seats in total when you are driving it = PCV needed
Spanner = seats out then drive 
Copied from DVLA leaflet inf52, downloadable.
Buses that can be driven with a full car (category B) licence
If you hold a full car (category B) driving licence you can drive any of the following vehicles (known as exempted passenger carrying vehicles). • A bus made more than 30 years before the date it is being driven, and not used for business purposes or for carrying more than eight passengers. • A minibus with up to 16 passenger seats, as long as: - the vehicle is used for social purposes by a non-commercial organisation, but not for hire or reward (that is, not to make a profit) - the driver is at least 21 - the driver has held a car (category B) licence for at least two years - the driver has volunteered to drive - the maximum weight of the minibus is not more than 3.5 tonnes (or 4.25 tonnes including any specialist equipment for carrying disabled passengers), and - if the driver is 70 or over, he or she can meet the health standards for driving a minibus (category D1).
Thanks guys. Looks like plan b then. Anyone know of any site I can try to arrange transpotation with?
Have a look for trade plate drivers they might be able to help,new buses have to get somewhere when they are built.
tm7632:
Thanks guys. Looks like plan b then. Anyone know of any site I can try to arrange transpotation with?
Plenty of drivers here who have a C licence. Where from, and where to do you need to move it. And when?
its a fair distance. its from newquay to Edinburgh Just trying to arrange logistics of getting it here before purchase.
tm7632:
Thanks guys. Looks like plan b then. Anyone know of any site I can try to arrange transpotation with?
Just go there with some tools or an angle grinder and remove the seats. You can then drive it yourself.
If you don’t need the seats leave them behind and then it is not a “Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV)”, it is a “Private HGV”.
Well stagecoach in Exeter where advertising for drivers with a class c licence to drive the busses around to the wash and maintenance shed etc etc. So from that, I would say that as long as you are not carrying passengers then regardless of the number of seats fitted then you can drive a bus on an hgv licence.
Just checked and apparently what I said is true if you’ve had your class c for 2 years or more and you are taking or bringing the bus to/from a place of repair or test. So sorry I was wrong.
dreamingofoz:
Just checked and apparently what I said is true if you’ve had your class c for 2 years or more and you are taking or bringing the bus to/from a place of repair or test. So sorry I was wrong.
That’s been discussed before, and that exemption was revoked a while back:
See this thread for more discussion
djw:
The concession allowing some category C holder to drive a PCV in some circumstances (previously in regulation 7(1) of The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licence) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/2864)) was revoked by regulation 4 of The Road Traffic Act 1988 and Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/3190) effective from 29 December 2014.Contrary to my earlier suggestion, there is no saving provision for people who held a C licence for two years at the date of revocation.
From 29 December 2014, a category C licence cannot be used to drive a PCV under any circumstances. Anyone driving a PCV, even if it is empty for repair, needs a category D licence.
rickshawcabtaxi:
Hear is a cut and paste from Croner, note late para I THINK in this case the rule change was retrospective
There was no retrospective effect. The revocation of the previous concession came into force on the effective date of the revoking Statutory Instrument.
Ah ok it was really quite recently (within the last 12 months) that stagecoach were running the ad so I assumed the exemption still stood. I stand corrected.
The rules have changed recently. Stagecoach could have C license holders acting as shunters but not driving on the road.If you were moving it over the Christmas Hols.I could possibly help I am a wee bit north of Edinburgh.
tm7632:
its a fair distance. its from newquay to Edinburgh Just trying to arrange logistics of getting it here before purchase.
That is a serious trip, but if you have no luck finding a tow, drop me a pm. I could probably persuade my other half to make a few days out of it, what with a train journey etc.