Can You Drive a Minibus in a Bus Lane?

This question is asked of us daily. You can drive a minibus in a bus lane depending on the signage displayed. It doesn’t matter if that vehicle is operating under a Section 19 Permit or an operator’s licence.

A bus is defined as being a vehicle with 9 passenger seats or more, a small bus is a vehicle carrying 9-16 passengers. Minibuses can be driven in most bus lanes UNLESS the bus lane sign says ‘local’ which means that the bus lane is reserved for local services.

The sign may also indicate what other vehicles can use the bus lane such as motorcycles or licenced taxis.

The sign above means you can drive a minibus in the bus lane

This sign shows that the bus lane is reserved for local services. You can not drive a minibus in this bus lane.

If you want to learn more about operating a minibus then Rivervale’s online Minibus Compliance Course is a great place to start. The course consists of four certified modules that cover licences, vehicle weights, safety inspections, daily checks and the on-the-road challenges of driving a minibus – including information like who can drive in a bus lane. The course is relevant for those that drive the minibuses as well as the non-driving staff who might be responsible for the administration of the vehicles. Completion of the online Minibus Compliance Course will dramatically increase your driver safety levels and enable you to implement a comprehensive safety system.

The return of face-to-face training in 2022

The face-to-face Minibus Compliance Course will be available again when it is safe to do so. The 1-day course includes all the elements that are covered in the online version but have the added interactions of our driver trainers and your peers.

A practical daily/weekly minibus check is included with a chance to understand what is involved in a 10-week inspection check with one of our service partners.

Rivervale Minibus will run face-to-face MCC days across the country and are recommended even if you’ve completed the online version.

For more information and to register your interest in face-to-face training please email minibus@rivervale.co.uk or call 01273 433 480.