Somerset Council Provides Minibus to Flooding Victims

It has certainly been a rough winter in some parts of the UK struck by high winds, lots of precipitation, and flooding. So it is nice to see that the Somerset County Council has offered to help local residents by providing a minibus to shuttle individuals to the various locations where assistance can be found. Service is provided to a number of YMCA assistance centres as well as numerous donation centres and a help centre run by the council.

According to news reports, the minibus service enables residents affected by the flood to access donated food, fuel, animal feed, insurance claim assistance, and other financial and well-being services. Shuttles run on a regular timetable to make things as convenient as possible to residents. For now, service is limited to Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Without the minibus, older residents and those without reliable transportation would not have direct access to the services they need. With the shuttle service and additional transportation arranged through the Red Cross, residents could at least get to those locations where assistance is available.

Minibus Licence Requirements

It is unclear whether the driver of the Somerset Council minibus possesses – or need to possess – a commercial driving licence. According to UK regulations, any individual can drive a minibus for social, non-profit purposes as long as he or she has had a full car licence for at least two years. We are assuming the Somerset driver does not need a PCV license.

In cases where a minibus is being operated on a for-profit basis, drivers must apply for a provisional entitlement and then receive the training necessary to earn a PCV (passenger carrying vehicle) licence. For our purposes, we referred to this as a minibus licence in order to differentiate it from the licence needed to drive a coach or bus.

Earning Your Minibus Licence

If you regularly operate a minibus, and you are not sure of whether or not you need a commercial licence, we encourage you to check out the GOV.UK website or call us here at the HGV Training Centre. We can provide you with all the information you need on the matter. We can even provide the training you will need if a special minibus licence is required.

Assuming you already have a full car licence, the next step is the pass a routine medical exam and the PCV theory test. That is followed by several weeks of classroom and behind the wheel training designed to prepare you for your final practical skills test at an approved facility. We will even send a trainer with you on the day you take your practical skills test.

The HGV Training Centre is committed to providing the best commercial driver training in the UK. Our facilities are all staffed by professionals who are the best at what they do. Whether you want to drive a minibus, lorry, tipper truck, or any other commercial vehicle, we have the training necessary to get you licensed as quickly as possible.

Sources:

1. Heart 102.6 – https://www.heart.co.uk/somerset/news/local/floods-mini-bus-assistance-centres-in-sedgemoor/
2. GOV.UK – https://www.gov.uk/driving-a-minibus