The Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure (E&I) has published a Policy Letter on the changes to the Category D1 driving licence so that charities can use drivers with ordinary car licences to drive minibuses for them.

In the past some charities have removed seats from minibuses to ensure that car drivers could volunteer to drive the busses.

If the proposals are passed a new sub-category of D1 licence would be available which would have the following conditions:

• The applicant is driving on a voluntary basis only and does not receive any reward (financial or other) as a result
• The applicant is over the age of 21
• The applicant has held a full Category B licence for at least two years prior to their application
• A Group 2 medical report is required if the applicant has reached 70 years old, or unless a notifiable medical condition has been declared
• The applicant is required to notify Driver and Vehicle Licensing at any time if they develop a notifiable medical condition
• The driver is using the vehicle for social purposes on behalf of a non commercial body
• The vehicle has a ‘maximum authorised mass’ which aligns to the conditions set out in the UK’s Category B licence allowance
• The vehicle is not towing a trailer

Applications for the new licence will cost £36 and the licence will only apply in Guernsey and Alderney.

To read the Policy Letter you can click the button below.