Minibus Drivers Awareness Scheme.
It is recommended that all drivers of community minibuses undertake MiDAS training. We offer New Driver and Refresher MiDAS training. This is normally held at Ringwood, but we are happy to arrange training at a time and place convenient to you.
Standard training takes about 4 hours for the classroom work plus an hour and a half for a driving assessment.
- Cost of training (Sept 2007) is £45.
Accessible training is to enable the transport of people with disabilities.
The course takes the 4 hours for standard training, plus another 2 hours for disability awareness and the securing of wheelchairs in the minibus, plus the driving assessment.
- Cost of training (September 2007) is £50.
- Refresher training is also available at a cost of £30.
All MiDAS certificates are valid for 4 years.
Whether you are able to drive a minibus depends on when you passed your driving test.
1. If you passed your car driving test before 1997, you are licenced to drive a minibus. Check that you have the correct entitlement on your licence:
- On older-style licences: Groups A, E.
- On newer-style licences: D1
(restriction 1 or 101, not for hire or reward).
2. If you passed your car driving test after 1 January 1997, you must meet all of the following conditions:
- Aged 21 or over.
- Have held a full licence (category B) for 2 years.
- Driving on a voluntary basis.
- The minibus is used for social purposes. In practice this means you need to operate under a Small Bus Permit (Minibus Permit).
- The minibus has a maximum weight of no more than 3.5 tonnes (or 4.25 tonnes where a minibus has a passenger lift or ramp). This may mean volunteers cannot drive the larger, heavier minibuses.
- No trailer can be towed.
MIDAS Training Dates 2010
- Thursday 14th October
- Thursday 11th November
- Thursday 9th December
Course Costs are:-
-
Standard Training £45
-
Accessible Training £50
-
Refresher Training £30
- Refresher Accessible £30
Courses held at Winfrid House, Boniface Close, Totton SO40 3SJ
Courses are from 9am – 1pm for standard training and 9am-3pm for assessable training
Click here for MiDAS booking form (PDF file)
Follow this link for further information on MiDAS and community transport.
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