Anyone know the script for driving an old (1980’s) coach on the whatever version of ‘showman’s licence’ for PSV maybe available?
Passed my car test in 1981 but haven’t passed a PSV (or HGV for that matter) test and I wouldn’t intend to use an old coach for paying passenger use.
Would I need to do a PSV test or could I get by without and is there any truth in the rumour you can only have eight seats if you do manage to wangle it somehow?
If anyone’s got any real life experieince of this I’d be very grateful for your input. Thanks in advance!
I do recall years ago people driving buses over 30 years old on a car licence. i am not sure if that law is changed but i think you still can best advice is to look on the DVLA website or give them a call.
Thanks Discoman, I’ll have a look later.
Might be a case of removing most of the seats and re-registering as hgv. You could then tax and insure it as a private hgv.
I’m pretty sure that the PSV licences depend entirely on the number of seats and nothing to do with weights. So if you remove so many seats, it then becomes a minibus you will have a licence to drive.
You do not need a p.c.v if you are not using the vehicle for hire or reward, you should have a restricted o licence and you wil have to satisfy the authorities you are not taking any form of paying passengers on the vehicle, but beware vosa will be all over you every time you see them with a vehicle that age on a resticted licence.
What’s the date of ‘manufacture’ of the coach?
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
From here;
direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Dr … DG_4022619
You will note that it says manufactured date, not registration date. Also, not for the carriage of more than 8 passengers. It doesn’t say having the capacity for more than 8 or number of seats, it specifically states the number of passengers, so if it was manufactured over 30 yrs ago and you carry 8 maximum people at any time, you already have entitlement.
you can have as many seats as you want but no more than 8 passengers ( cant remember if that includes the driver ) on a car licence . oh and you cant use the bus lanes 
bige59:
You do not need a p.c.v if you are not using the vehicle for hire or reward, you should have a restricted o licence and you wil have to satisfy the authorities you are not taking any form of paying passengers on the vehicle, but beware vosa will be all over you every time you see them with a vehicle that age on a resticted licence.
You appear to be confusing two separate licence issues, driving and operators. Simply using a PCV for non-commercial use does not exempt the driver being licensed unless exempted for reasons given in the link above.
bige59:
You do not need a p.c.v if you are not using the vehicle for hire or reward, you should have a restricted o licence and you wil have to satisfy the authorities you are not taking any form of paying passengers on the vehicle, but beware vosa will be all over you every time you see them with a vehicle that age on a resticted licence.
Dont answer questions you clearly know nothing about.
Edit. Just seen its already been posted…
Source: Vehicles you can drive - GOV.UK
Exempted passenger carrying vehicles
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
When driving a minibus under these conditions you may not receive any payment or consideration for doing so other than out of pocket expenses or tow any size trailer; you may only drive minibuses in this country. Drivers aged 70 or over will need to make a special application, which involves meeting higher medical standards.
Holders of a full category D (PCV) driving licence can also drive a passenger carrying recovery vehicle. This is defined as a vehicle (not being an articulated goods vehicle combination) which:
-has an unladen weight not exceeding 10.2 tonnes
-is being operated by the holder of a public service vehicle (PSV) operator’s licence and, is being used for the purpose of:
i. proceeding to, or returning from, a place where assistance is to be, or has been, given to a damaged or disabled passenger-carrying vehicle
ii. giving assistance to or moving a disabled passenger-carrying vehicle or moving a damaged vehicle
bige59:
You do not need a p.c.v if you are not using the vehicle for hire or reward, you should have a restricted o licence and you wil have to satisfy the authorities you are not taking any form of paying passengers on the vehicle, but beware vosa will be all over you every time you see them with a vehicle that age on a resticted licence.
sorry what on eart are you spouting??
I drove a routemaster bus on my car licence when doing my assessment back in 1995 as the vehicle was over 30 years old. I never questioned it … after that I did my training on a coach Manual …
mucker85:
Might be a case of removing most of the seats and re-registering as hgv. You could then tax and insure it as a private hgv.
you can legally tax and insure a bus a private PCV. it costs same as car.