I’m a bit confused about D and D1 categories.Saw a job advertised for minibus drivers,doing shuttle runs for a coach firm,requiring D or D1.
I passed my class 2 back in the 80’s,and I’ve got D1 on my license.However,looking at various websites,it appears that I can only drive minibuses if I’m not being paid i.e.voluntary/community work etc;If I’m doing a “proper” job I need to take a further minibus test 
Is this correct ?..surely being competent to drive a 26 tonner should mean you’re more than capable of handling a minibus ?
Please don’t link me to the DVLC site BTW,I’ve read that and I’m no clearer 
cat D is Any bus with more than eight passenger seats with a trailer up to 750kg
cat D1 is Vehicles with between nine and sixteen passenger seats with a trailer up to 750kg
On the back of your licence do you have the code 101 if so then you can Not use for hire or reward
Yes,got a 101 
,makes no sense to me though,as I said before,a truck is more difficult to drive than a minibus.To my mind,an HGV ticket should encompass any vehicle of a smaller size 
It’s not the size of the vehicle…it’s the fact it’ll will have passengers on it. I’m not saying you are, but for all we know you could be a terrible driver, crunching the gears all the time and being jerky and twitchy…for passengers that wouldn’t be good. Part of the driving test for coaches is partly focused around how smooth you are and how you approach bus stops and the like. Thats the reason why, nothing to do with size.
Thats the reason why, nothing to do with size.
Thats what they all say 
It’s the same as a pilots licence
Small, single engine, twin, then jet etc then you have night flying and and cold weather and all that rubbish then you get to the big boy stuff but they cant drve a truck unless they got a truck licence.
I got a C+E had if for years but that dont let me ride a Bike
Just to had to the confusion and general mayhem, you can drive any bus on your existing Cplus E ticket ,but in a voluntary capacity. That means no wages ,non vocational.I bet that the bods who dream this stuff up are on a better salary than most of us.
I think this may be relevant…
nick2008:
It’s the same as a pilots licence
Small, single engine, twin, then jet etc then you have night flying and and cold weather and all that rubbish then you get to the big boy stuff but they cant drve a truck unless they got a truck licence.
I got a C+E had if for years but that dont let me ride a Bike
The only thing you got right was the small single engined stuff at the beginning 
you can get your night rating when ever you want, you don’t need a multi engine. Same with Instument rating too. Try gliders, they’re unlicenced. The BGA is only an advisory body
As I am now into that at the moment, I can tell you that if you have D1 on your license, after you’ll do driver’s CPC you should be able to work as an minibus driver.
orys:
As I am now into that at the moment, I can tell you that if you have D1 on your license, after you’ll do driver’s CPC you should be able to work as an minibus driver.
sorry orys that is incorrect - the DRIVER CPC will not change the licence entitlements.
ROG:
orys:
As I am now into that at the moment, I can tell you that if you have D1 on your license, after you’ll do driver’s CPC you should be able to work as an minibus driver.sorry orys that is incorrect - the DRIVER CPC will not change the licence entitlements.
Rog is spot on with this one- if you wish to WORK as a minibus driver you will have to take the test- the regs about this are open to different interpretation- try this site for more info
minibuswebsite.com its very good
ROG:
sorry orys that is incorrect - the DRIVER CPC will not change the licence entitlements.
Hm 
That’s something new for me, sorry for giving wrong informations. But it seems that I can learn something as well:
So that’s how it looks i guess:
.
So if he want’s to drive bus for live, he need to pass his license again, even if he drove it for last 10 years? That’s strange.
P.S. Where is the C1 on this example I gave?
The D1 on that licence has a 101 restriction which means - NOT FOR HIRE OR REWARD - that will not disapear when the driver does the PERIODIC (ongoing) DRIVER CPC.
There are certain exemptions to driving a minibus and being paid for it - one of those exemptions is the COMMUNITY one where a lot of councils transport disabled or elderly free of charge to functions etc but the driver gets paid to do it.
orys:
ROG:
sorry orys that is incorrect - the DRIVER CPC will not change the licence entitlements.Hm
That’s something new for me, sorry for giving wrong informations. But it seems that I can learn something as well:
So that’s how it looks i guess:
So if he want’s to drive bus for live, he need to pass his license again, even if he drove it for last 10 years? That’s strange.
P.S. Where is the C1 on this example I gave?
If he wants to do it as a job YES- I have just trained a guy who owned 2 16 minibuses but couldn’t drive them with fair paying passengers- he had the 101 restriction on his licence for the last 20 years
orys:
P.S. Where is the C1 on this example I gave?
Don’t know, looks like a DVLA zb up as it should still be on there
mrpj:
orys:
P.S. Where is the C1 on this example I gave?Don’t know, looks like a DVLA zb up as it should still be on there
NO DO THEY GET IT WRONG
There isn’t room on the licence for all groups so sometimes a group is not put on if there is one which is a ‘higher’ one - there is a C1E which covers C1 as well. I don’t hace C1 on mine, but i do have C CE and C1E.
orys:
So if he want’s to drive bus for live, he need to pass his license again, even if he drove it for last 10 years? That’s strange.
If he has been driving D1Es (minibuses) for 10 years without being under one of the exemptions then he has been driving it illegally 
To make a definition on this chap then I would need to know if he has a PCV licence or not and if not, the exact contract he is on and who with as I could then determine whether he has, or is likely to have one of the exemptions.
ROG:
orys:
So if he want’s to drive bus for live, he need to pass his license again, even if he drove it for last 10 years? That’s strange.If he has been driving D1Es (minibuses) for 10 years without being under one of the exemptions then he has been driving it illegally
To make a definition on this chap then I would need to know if he has a PCV licence or not and if not, the exact contract he is on and who with as I could then determine whether he has, or is likely to have one of the exemptions.
No it was only example. Let say that it wasn’t driving for money, but he just have 3 wives and 13 kids 