Which Specific HGV Licence Is Necessary For Driving A Bus?
4 min read
When you ask kids what they would like to be when they finally grow up, you’re typically going to get a limited set of answers. Becoming a bus driver is a rather popular one. Children love the dream of being able to drive around in a 12.5-tonne vehicle, helping people get to the places they need to be. Driving a bus can be very rewarding as a career, and given how many actually do sign up to try their hand at this, the popularity of it among adults is also undeniable. However, how exactly do you get to be a bus driver? And what sort of training is required?
Requirements And Licencing For Driving A Bus
The government is rather strict in terms of driving bigger vehicles, especially when they are used to move people instead of goods. Anyone wanting to drive bigger vehicles must meet certain criteria, which include but are not limited to the following:
Being older than 18 years of age
Possessing a full car licence
Having a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence or CPC
On the other hand, if you’d like to drive any sort of bus, even without a trailer, then you need several more qualifications. At a minimum, you need to have a CAT D licence. If you want to drive with an attached trailer, then you also need a CAT D+E. If you’d like to drive professionally, then you can get such licences after you get your Driver CPC. However, you also need to be past the age of 24 if you intend to drive any bus as a non-professional. A C1E licence allows you to drive a vehicle between 3,500kg and 7,500kg carrying no more than 8 passengers plus driver, with a trailer over 750kg and a combined weight of no more than 12,000kg. A CAT D licence lets you drive any vehicle or bus with more than 8 passenger seats. You can also use this licence to drive all tracked vehicles, just in case you want to take your tank out for a scenic drive. However, you have to get your CAT B licence first.
CAT B Licencing
You need to get your CAT B before you can move ahead with the CAT D. This probably sounds like a tonne of hard work, but there is some good news. A CAT B licence is nothing more than the industry term for a regular and full driver’s licence. CAT B licencing means that you’re able to drive vehicles with a maximum of 8 passenger seats and 3,500kg in mass; in short, these are cars. You can also tow a trailer as much as 750kg. If you’re older than 21, then you can also drive a motor tricycle whose power output is more than 15kW. Since you’re looking to not just be a career driver, but in fact a specialised one, we’re just assuming this licence is one you already have or will soon.
What Is Covered In CAT D Licence Training?
So, if you’d like to make that dream of driving a bus a reality, you have to get your CAT D licence. As with many other kinds of LGV and HGV licences, there are two parts to the CAT D. The first is theory, and the second is practical. Not only will the training program teach you how you drive a bus safely and professionally, but it will also position you for bus driver employment in the future. Your training is likely to include the following components:
-The rules and regulations covering the roadways
-Customer service
-The vehicle’s general fixtures and its proper maintenance
-Far-sightedness and risk management
-All you should know about safety for yourself, your passengers, and others on the roadways
Once your training is over, you need to sit for both practical and theory tests. When you pass both, you are now certified for driving a bus.
How Can I Attain My CAT D Licence?
Just come in and talk to us! We provide a variety of HGV training courses for new drivers, including options for both CAT D and also Driver CPC. With our guidance, you go through a crash course of driving larger vehicles, with an emphasis on bus driving. We’ll also help you land your first employment as a bus driver so you can start your new career off strong.
