In terms of practicality, minibuses are one of the best and these are vehicles that are used by people for all kinds of different reasons. Essentially, minibuses are a way to transport a group of people (larger than a car’s worth) from A to B and this means that there are many different ways in which they are used.
Uses
Minibuses are often used as transportation for large families, as community transport for OAPs that need assistance getting to places like the supermarket or to take students on school trips. They can also be used by sports teams to get to a game, bands that are touring, at airports to move passengers to/from the airport to the plane or for weddings to transport guests from the ceremony to the reception amongst many other different uses.
Minibus Conversions
Currently, one trend that is emerging is people buying minibuses and then converting these into campervans. This is due to the staycation boom with people looking to stay in the UK for vacations due to the pandemic, but it is expected that many people will continue with staycations as they can bring so many perks. Owning your own camper van would allow someone great flexibility, the ability to go on holiday whenever they please and the chance to make huge savings on vacations.
Electric Minibuses
Another trend that is catching on right now is electric minibuses, which is no surprise when you look at the rise of electric cars in recent years. People are becoming increasingly eco-conscious and driving can be a hugely damaging activity, so many are making the switch to electric vehicles which will reduce their environmental impact while also allowing them to make huge savings over the long-term.
There are also other reasons to switch, including the 2030 ban on the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles, charges in certain areas for driving polluting vehicles and improving battery technology and charging infrastructure.
Licensing
Minibuses are great and can be used for many different reasons, but it is important to be aware that there are different licenses that you may need. Minibuses that are up to 3500kgs can be driven with a regular driving license, while anything over this will need a specific license.
If you passed your driving test on or after January 1st, 1997, you would have to pass a D1 driving test and those that passed before this date automatically gained a license with Category B and D1 entitlement. If you carry fare-paying passengers, you will need some form of hire and reward driving license category.
Minibuses can serve many purposes and are a fantastic way to transport a large group of people, so it is no surprise that they are growing in popularity on the roads and driven by many different types of motorists.
