WITH-DRIVER MINIBUS HIRE (September 2007)

SMALL BUS PERMIT OPERATION

Technically, because all hires take place under the auspices of our Small Bus Permits, every hire is considered to be the supply of transport with a driver. However, for the sake of clarity, when the hirer requests us to nominate a driver from our Register of Drivers, this is referred to as with-driver minibus hire.

AVAILABILITY

With-driver minibus hires are accepted at the discretion of the Milton Community Minibus Co-ordinator.

The with-driver minibus hire service is provided by volunteer drivers. The number of with-driver hires that Milton Community Minibus can carry out will vary from time to time because of the fluctuating size of the volunteer pool.

DRIVERS

Drivers working for Milton Community Minibus carry a lot of responsibility and, should they feel it necessary, the final decision to cancel a journey (e.g. because of bad weather) lies with them.

The Milton Community Minibus pool of volunteer drivers is small: it is a delicate job to strike a balance between maintaining a volunteer's interest but also ensuring that they are not taken for granted. It is, therefore, vital that groups making use of this service do not make unreasonable requests of the volunteer. For example, a group should not unreasonably request a Milton Community Minibus driver to pick up more than the agreed number of passengers. A Milton Community Minibus driver reserves the right to refuse a request if s/he believes it is unreasonable.

ESCORTS

Milton Community Minibus is unable to offer an escort service on with-driver minibus hires. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the hirer to provide a reliable and competent escort. An escort is compulsory if children or other vulnerable passengers are to be carried. Milton Community Minibus reserves the right to refuse a with-driver booking if a suitable escort cannot be provided.

The escort is normally expected to meet the driver at the Milton Community Minibus garage, or at the first passenger pick-up point.

The escort's responsibilities include:

Dealing with the needs of passengers.

Escorting passengers to and from the vehicle.

Assisting the driver in planning the route if the job involves multiple pick-ups.

Assisting the driver in the event of an accident, breakdown or emergency by looking after the passengers.

PASSENGER SAFETY

Milton Community Minibus drivers will not be responsible for lifting a passenger during the course of hire.

It is the hirer's responsibility to assess each passenger's ability to use the steps when boarding or alighting from the Milton Community Minibus. Similarly, it is the hirer's responsibility (where applicable) to assess each passenger's ability to transfer safely from a wheelchair to a seat in the Milton Community Minibus, and from such a seat to a wheelchair. Milton Community Minibus reserves the right to make its own determination about the use of steps, and similarly about a transfer to and from a minibus seat, if the driver believes that safety has been compromised by the hirer's assessment.

MAKING A BOOKING

When a group requests a with-driver hire, Milton Community Minibus may accept the booking subject to driver availability.

A group should give careful consideration to route planning when requesting a with-driver hire, especially if it involves multiple pick-ups. For example, if a group of people is being picked up for a club meeting, it is not a good idea if the first person to be picked up ends up being on the minibus for over an hour.

It is the hirer's responsibility to provide Milton Community Minibus with accurate information about the destination and/or venue for a with-driver hire. This includes details about the precise address, identification of any hazards, and the provision (where necessary) of directions.