Guide to PCV Training

PCV or Public Carriage Vehicle Training is a must for anyone who wants to become a professional driver for minibuses with or without trailers, and buses or coaches. If you’re interested in this type of career and would like to know more, you’ll find the information you need in this guide as we discuss the requirements, an overview of the training and test process and an estimate of the costs for PCV Training.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PCV TRAINING

– Age: You can apply for the licence at the age of 17 if you’re a member of the armed services. Otherwise, you will need to be at least 21 years old when applying for either a D1 or D1+E licence. For the Category D or D+E licence, you have to be at least 24 years old. There are some cases where you can apply at 18 years old, but certain conditions must also be met.

– Special conditions for PCV training for D1 or D1+E licence at age 18: You must fulfil at least one of the following conditions:

1. You are either taking a driving test for Category D vehicles or for the Driver CPC initial qualification.
2. You’ve already passed the test and Driver CPC initial qualification.
3. You’re studying a vocational course for the Driver CPC initial qualification.
4. You earned the Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) driving licence entitlement before the 10th of September 2008.

– Special conditions for PCV training for D or D+E licence at age 18: You must fulfil at least one of the following conditions:

1. You are either taking a driving test for Category D vehicles or for the Driver CPC initial qualification.
2. You’ve been driving for a service with a route less than 50 km; or you’ve been driving a vehicle that does not carry passengers.
3. You’re studying a vocational course for the Driver CPC initial qualification.
4. You earned the Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) driving licence entitlement before the 10th of September 2008 and you have a bus operator’s licence, minibus permit or bus permit. In addition that, you’ve been either driving for a service with a route less than 50 km; or you’ve been driving a vehicle that does not carry passengers, or you’re driving a Category D1 vehicle.

– Licence: You must already have a full Category B (car) driving licence for at least two years.

– Medical examination: You need to complete and pass a PCV medical examination, except if you’ve already had the LGV medical examination.

– Provisional entitlements: You will then have to apply to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency or DVLA to include the necessary provisional entitlements to your licence.

– PCV Theory Test: You should pass the Theory Test; and only then, can you join a PCV Training Course which will prepare you for your PCV Practical demonstration as well as the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) test.

PCV DRIVERS LICENCE CATEGORIES, TRAINING COURSES AND COST

These are the different PCV driver’s licence categories and you may apply for any of them, depending on your needs. The cost of each training course usually depends on the number of hours.

Here are the information and rates for the different PCV training courses at a glance:

1. Category D1 – Minibus

The Category D1 licence is required for those who wish to work as a professional driver of a minibus. A small bus which can seat a minimum of ten passengers and a maximum of 16 is classified as a minibus. The minibus may or may not have a trailer as long as the trailer is less than 750 kg. The length of the most successful training courses can be between 16-24 hours depending on the course provider and the cost may range from £800 to over £1,000.

2. Category D1+E

This licence is for drivers with a Category D1 licence and who would like to drive a minibus with a trailer that weighs more than 750 kg. However, the trailer’s weight, when the trailer is filled to capacity, should not exceed the weight of the vehicle itself. Also, the total weight of the minibus and trailer should not go beyond 12,000 kg. Regarding the training courses, for a higher likelihood of passing the test, the best courses can range from 15-24 hours and cost between at least £800 to more than £1,000.

3. Category D – Bus/Coach

A Category D licence is especially for drivers who would like to drive a bus as a profession. By definition, a bus is a vehicle that can seat a minimum of eight passengers, but can usually seat more than 16 passengers. The bus may tow a trailer as long as the trailer weighs less than 750kg. The best training courses for a Category D licence can last a minimum of 15 hours and will typically cost more than £900.

4. Category D+E

The Category D+E licence is for aspiring professional bus drivers who plan to drive a bus with a trailer that weighs more than 750kg. Training courses for this category are often priced similarly to Category D training programs.