SELF-DRIVE 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 nominates a driver from our Register of Drivers, this is referred to as self-drive minibus hire.

REGISTER OF DRIVERS

Entitlement to drive the Milton Community Minibus is partly determined by the date when a driver passed his/her UK manual car driving test. Drivers who passed the test before 1 January 1997 have an automatic entitlement (until the age of 70) to drive a minibus with 9-16 passenger seats. The old style of driving licence will show a driving entitlement of category A (cars). The new style of driving licence will show category B (cars) and D1 (9-16 passenger seat minibuses).

Drivers who passed the test after 31 December 1996 are required to pass a further driving test in order to gain entitlement to drive a minibus with 9-16 passenger seats (category D or D1 on the new style driving licence). A driver who passed the manual car driving test after 31 December 1996, and who has subsequently passed a further driving test which gives an entitlement to drive category D or D1 vehicles, is required to have held his/her driving licence for a minimum of 1 year.

However, under certain circumstances, a driver may drive such a vehicle without the need for such a test.

These circumstances are that:

The driver has held a full driving licence, with entitlement to drive a car (category B), for at least two years.
The minibus is used for social purposes by a non-commercial body.
The driver is providing his/her services on a voluntary basis (i.e. unpaid except for reimbursement of expenses).
The gross (i.e. laden) weight of the minibus is not over 3.5 tonnes (or 4.25 tonnes if the vehicle has a passenger lift and is capable of carrying people with disabilities).
No trailer is towed.

A driver who wishes to drive under the above exemptions will be required to sign a statement certifying that s/he meets the requirements set out above.

When a driver reaches the age of 70, entitlement to drive a minibus with 9-16 passengers is lost unless s/he passes a medical.

In addition, a driver must:

Be between the ages of 25 and 70.

Complete and sign the Milton Community Minibus driver's registration form: a photocopy of the driver's driving licence will be attached to this form.

Be able to answer "NO" to the following questions:

Have you had any convictions within the last 5 years, or do you have any prosecutions pending?
Have you had an accident whilst driving a motor vehicle in the last 3 years?
Has any period of a ban from driving been operative within the last 5 years?
Has any company or underwriter ever declined, cancelled or refused to renew any motor insurance, or increased the premium or policy excess, or imposed special conditions?

Provide details about any medical condition, or medical history (whether physical or mental, including defective vision not corrected by glasses or hearing loss not corrected by a hearing aid) that may affect his/her ability to drive a minibus. In addition, details about any medication that is currently being taken, including dosage, should also be provided.

Milton Community Minibus reserves the right to refuse any driver that they believe may be unsuitable

It is strongly recommended that drivers undertake MiDAS training.

MiDAS is the UK national standard for the assessment and training of minibus drivers. For more details, please see the Community Transport Association web site. http://www.communitytransport.com/index.aspx?id=150

VEHICLE FAMILIARISATION

A driver who has been accepted by Milton Community Minibus will (subject both to having D1 driving entitlement and to what follows) be eligible to drive the Milton Community Minibus. Because of the varying levels of equipment on different minibuses, and particularly because some minibuses are significantly longer and wider than others, a vehicle familiarisation will be required before a driver can drive a vehicle other than the one in which the MiDAS on-road assessment was carried out (if applicable).

Very often, a vehicle familiarisation will include a short on-road session and require the successful completion of a reversing manoeuvre. If either of the on-road components of the vehicle familiarisation, or the reversing manoeuvre, are not completed satisfactorily, the driver will not be allowed to drive the minibus. Additional training may be available at the discretion of the MiDAS Driver Assessor/Trainer (if applicable). Vehicle familiarisation should always be pre-booked.

INSURANCE

The Milton Community Minibus is driven under insurance arranged by Milton Community Minibus.

Insurance cover may be invalidated if any of the information contained on the Milton Community Minibus driver registration form is subsequently found to be false or inaccurate. Any material changes to the information on a driver's licence must be notified to Milton Community Minibus before that person next drives the minibus. Similarly, should a driver have an accident whilst driving any motor vehicle after his/her name is entered on the Milton Community Minibus Register of Drivers that fact must be disclosed to Milton Community Minibus before that person next drives the Milton Community Minibus.

Milton Community Minibus reserves the right to remove a person from the Register of Drivers if:

That person is involved in a serious own-fault accident.

That person has more than one minor own-fault accident in any 12 month period.

In all such cases, Milton Community Minibus shall be the sole arbiter when determining whether an accident is serious or of a minor nature.

Milton Community Minibus may, at their discretion, accept a driver who has current endorsements on his/her licence. However any additional excess that may be charged by the insurers will be payable by the hirer, should a claim arise.

The minibus must not be used for the carriage of goods.

VEHICLE BREAKDOWNS

A Breakdown Organisation covers the Milton Community Minibus. This includes "Home Start" and "Recovery". The MiDAS Minibus Driver's Handbook contains general details about what to do in the event of a breakdown or accident. More specific information is provided on the Milton Community Minibus Minibus Information Card.

OFF-ROAD USE

The Milton Community Minibus should not be driven "off-road". If a driver causes loss or damage to the Milton Community Minibus by going "off-road", the costs of any necessary repairs will become the hirer's responsibility.

PASSENGER SAFETY

We recommend that lifting & handling of passengers in our minibus should only be undertaken by individuals who have received training in the relevant techniques.

When a passenger requires to be lifted, a basic risk assessment should be undertaken. Some of the factors that should be considered include:

Is a lift necessary and appropriate?

The weight of the passenger and the nature of their disability.

The training undertaken by the relevant individuals, and the information that is available to them.

Are lifting aids available?

What practical steps are in place to minimise the risks involved?

It is the hirer's responsibility to assess each passenger's ability to use the steps when boarding or alighting from the 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 minibus, and from such a seat to a wheelchair.

CHILDREN

It is a requirement that all children (up to 16 years) wear seatbelts.

Remember that young children are required to use appropriate seating. At present Milton Community Minibus does not provide baby carriers, child seats or booster cushions.

If your group is a voluntary child care organisation and your driver (either paid or unpaid) is likely to have substantial unsupervised access to children whilst driving the minbus (i.e. you will not be providing at least one other adult passenger), you are recommended to consider requesting the Criminal Record Office to provide you with information about that person under the Criminal Conviction Information Scheme.

MAKING A BOOKING

Bookings are subject to vehicle availability. One-off bookings can be made over the telephone or, if you wish, in writing. Requests for regular bookings MUST be made in writing and should state dates, times, vehicle required, seating capacity, etc.

It is important that careful consideration is given to the times for which you wish to hire the vehicle, especially the return time. This is to ensure that you have the vehicle long enough to complete your journey, but also that you do not keep it unnecessarily when other groups could be using it. If, for example, you have booked a vehicle until 5.00 p.m., then it must be returned by this time as another group may be waiting to start an evening hire. Furthermore, the vehicle may require to be fuelled, or seats may need to be removed/replaced. If you think you may be unavoidably delayed in returning the vehicle, please telephone the Milton Community Minibus co-ordinator.

Wilfully keeping a vehicle longer than the pre-booked return time will render the hirer liable to financial (or other) penalties (see clause 11 of the Terms & Conditions of Vehicle Hire – Self Drive Hire). When there is an accident or breakdown, this does not apply.

CHARGES

On self-drive and with-driver hires, all mileage is chargeable.

Please see separate tariff details.

ADDITIONAL TERMS & CONDITIONS OF VEHICLE HIRE: SELF-DRIVE HIRE

Anyone driving the Milton Community Minibus must be on the Milton Community Minibus Register of Drivers.
Should a driver provide false or inaccurate information at the time of registering with Milton Community Minibus, and insurance cover is consequently invalidated, Milton Community Minibus reserves the right to take legal action against the relevant parties.
Drivers must notify Milton Community Minibus of any changes in the circumstances relating to their driving licence (including changes in health) that occur after they have completed the insurance form.
Any fines during self-drive hires resulting from illegal parking (including misuse of a Blue Badge) will be passed onto, and are the responsibility of, the hirer. Milton Community Minibus reserves the right to make payment and then recover the amount from the hirer.
Any prosecution of a driver arising from the use of Milton Community Minibus while on self-drive hire will be the responsibility of the hirer and/or driver. This includes any charges against a driver arising from vehicle defects.
Drivers must not drive whilst under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Drivers must not indulge in dangerous driving, or abuse the vehicle.
Drivers must inspect the vehicle before and after each hire, and note down any damage or fault on the log sheet.
The hirer is responsible for maintaining correct oil and water levels, and correct tyre pressures, during the period of the hire.
The hirer may be liable for the cost of replacing a tyre if it is damaged beyond repair due to kerbing, or being driven on whilst it is flat or punctured.
The minibus must be returned no later than the previously booked time. Should an unauthorised late return of a vehicle result in another group being unable to hire the vehicle at the time they booked, any resultant financial liability may be passed on to the first group. Wilfully keeping a vehicle beyond the booked time can be construed as taking the vehicle without the owner's consent. In such cases, Milton Community Minibus reserves the right to take any appropriate action to recover the vehicle. Milton Community Minibus reserves the right to levy an additional surcharge of £10.00 per hour (or part thereof) in the event of an unauthorised late return of a vehicle. Milton Community Minibus reserves the right to refuse hires from groups who are persistently late in returning vehicles.
Receipts for fuel, oil or minor repairs incurred during a self-drive hire must be returned to the Milton Community Minibus coordinator, together with the log sheet and vehicle keys. Failure to do so will result in these costs NOT being deducted from the invoice.
Any accident or damage to the vehicle must be notified to Milton Community Minibus as soon as possible.
Engine damage resulting from the wrong type of fuel being used while on hire will be the responsibility of the hirer, who will have to pay the full repair costs.