minibus

Volkswagen minibus

Volkswagen Crafter minibus

A minibus is a motor vehicle that is designed to carry fewer people than a full-size bus. An example of a minibus is the VW Bus/Kombi or Ford Transit, although there are many manufacturers producing models specifically for such use.

Minibuses are used as share taxis for public transport in many parts of the world.

In the UK a minibus is defined as such - A motor vehicle which is constructed or adapted to carry more than eight but no more than sixteen seated passengers in addition to the driver.

To drive a minibus in the UK, a D1 category licence is required. The holder of an ordinary car driving licence which was obtained prior to January 1997, once aged 21 years minimum, may drive a minibus with a capacity of 16 passengers as this licence included the D1 entitlement. Where the "ordinary car driving licence" is obtained after December 1996, they will have to take a separate D1 licence test to drive a vehicle with a capacity of more than 8 passengers. However there is an exemption for certain volunteer drivers, where the vehicle does not exceed 3500kgs GVW (or 4250kgs GVW if the vehicle is designed to be wheelchair accessible).

Driving one usually requires special training and certification under the Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme.

In the mid-1980s a number of bus operators in the UK replaced some of their full size buses with minibuses based on such models as the Ford Transit, Freight Rover Sherpa and later the larger Mercedes-Benz Vario or its predecessors, though disability access regulations now mean these are now largely replaced with conventional buses or narrower versions of midibuses like the Optare Solo Slimline and Caetano Slimbus (Dennis Dart SLF chassis).

In 2007, Many new models were released in the UK, the new Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, and Volkswagen Crafter (which replaced the Volkswagen LT). Other minibuses available are the Citroen Relay, Peugeot Boxer, Renault Master, Vauxhall Movano and Iveco Daily, etc.

In South Africa the Minibus Industry was pioneered by black entrepreneurs who provided a shared taxi service that was convenient for residents of outlying townships during the days of apartheid.

See also

A minuscule replica of a Public Light Bus in Hong Kong.

• Public light buses - minibuses in Hong Kong
• Short bus - school buses smaller than full-size buses
• Marshrutka - routed taxicab running in the former-Soviet country.

External links

• Elisbus (Minibus manufacturer from Germany)
• Minibus Images & Specification
• Minibus Options (Minibus manufacturer from UK)

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