Minibus Lease Deals - Select Van Leasing
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Minibus Lease Deals

Sometimes a seven-seat MPV just won’t cut it. 

And that’s why a growing number of organisations are choosing to lease a modern, comfortable and spacious minibus - where the safety of occupants is paramount. 

A minibus is defined as a vehicle that has between nine and 16 passenger seats. 

You can lease state-of-the-art minibuses from prestigious manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen to Ford, Vauxhall and Toyota.

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They’re an essential fleet vehicle for educational establishments such as schools, academies, colleges or universities, and used to ferry sports teams to matches or to take pupils off-site for exciting excursions. 

Select Van Leasing also leases minibuses to care homes and charities, organisations where disability accessibility is often key and who might also require a wheelchair lift to be fitted to the vehicle. 

All of the minibuses available to lease are either built by the vehicle manufacturer’s in-house teams, or via partners who specialise in technical minibus coachbuilding.

And that means your minibuses can be fitted and specified to your precise needs, whatever job it is going to be used for. 

 If you’d like to find out more about minibus lease deals, or have questions about any deals below, please feel free to get in touch with us on: 0118 467 9368 or simply email: enquiries@selectcarleasing.co.uk.

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Minibus leasing in three simple steps

1. Choose your minibus:

Whether you need a minibus with 9, 12, 14 or 16 passenger seats, secure an affordable lease package with Select Van Leasing.

2. Get everything you need:

Select the trim level and add-in extras - such as maintenance and insurance - for extra peace of mind.

3. Take delivery:

Our team of minibus leasing consultants will guide you through the entire process and arrange delivery once the paperwork is completed.

Who can drive a minibus?

If you passed your driving test before 1 January 1997:

If someone passed their regular driving test - aka the ‘category B’ car test - before 1 January 1997, then they are automatically entitled to drive a ‘D1’ minibus with up to 16 passenger seats.

There’s no maximum weight limit.

But there are still some important provisos.

You are NOT allowed to drive a minibus for ‘hire or reward’ - ie, the legal term for accepting payment for providing transport.

And be sure to check:

  • That your driving licence includes the code D1 (101).
  • That your D1 entitlement has not been removed – it can expire when you reach 70 years old and it may also be removed for medical reasons.
  • Drivers with a D1 + E (101) entitlement can tow a trailer over 750kg

If you passed your driving test on or after 1 January 1997

The rules here are slightly more complicated, but there’s still plenty of flexibility.

If you passed your car driving test on or after 1 January 1997, you’re not automatically entitled to drive a D1 minibus.

However, the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 introduced a degree of wriggle room, which allows for some individuals to drive ‘out of category’ in certain circumstances.

You can still drive a minibus with up to 16 passengers on a car licence obtained on or after 1 January 1997 so long as:

  • It is NOT being used for hire or reward.
  • You are 21 or older.
  • You have held a category B car driving licence for at least two years.
  • You are driving the minibus on a voluntary basis and the minibus is used for social purposes by a non-commercial body.
  • The maximum weight of the minibus does not exceed 3.5 tonnes - or 4.5 tonnes if it is fitted with specialist equipment to improve disability access.
  • You meet ‘Group 2 Fitness to Drive’ medical standards if you’re over 70 years old.
  • You are not towing a trailer.
  • You do not drive abroad.

Driving for hire or reward

No matter what sort of car licence you’ve got, you are NOT allowed to charge passengers in your minibus without applying to the DVSA for a special permit.

Section 19 Permits

Section 19 permits relate to any organisation operating a minibus without a view to make a profit but which still needs to cover running costs.

The organisation will typically be concerned with:

  • Education
  • Religion
  • Social welfare
  • Recreation (standard permits only)
  • Other activities of benefit to the community

To find out more about Section 19 permits, visit the official DVSA website.

If you want to make a profit from operating a minibus

If you want to make money from operating a minibus, above and beyond simply covering running costs, then you need to apply for both a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) licence and a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence, which requires extra training and examinations.

Why lease a minibus?

There are some major benefits to leasing a minibus rather than purchasing one outright, including some important tax implications and key budgeting advantages.

Here’s some of the great things about leasing a minibus with Select Van Leasing;

  • Low initial outlay: You’ll pay a small initial fee up front, rather than having to spend tens of thousands of pounds purchasing a new minibus outright.
  • Avoid depreciation: The value of new vehicles can fall considerably after three years of ownership - you can avoid that cost through leasing.
  • Fixed monthly payments: Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with affordable monthly payments for the duration of your contact.
  • Complete cover: Talk to our specialist minibus leasing consultants about additional packages that includes maintenance, insurance, MOTs, fleet management and safety inspections.
  • Improved tax efficiency through VAT benefits.

Minibus leasing - Frequently Asked Questions

With Select Van Leasing you can choose from the very best minibuses from all the major manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Nissan, Vauxhall and Ford. There are a range of sizes available, with seats for 9, 12, 14, or 17 people, including the driver. You can lease a minibus with wheelchair access. And you can also enjoy one of the new breed of electric minibuses, such as the Renault Master ZE or the Fiat E-Ducato. 

Some vehicles, such as the Ford Transit Minibus, are created by the manufacturers’ specialist team of in-house technicians. Other minibuses are sourced from a coachbuilder that acts as an official partner to the manufacturer. Those firms include GM Coachwork and Stanford Coachworks. Whichever option you choose, the minibus will be built to rigorous standards and in-line with industry regulations. 

The rules here are slightly complicated - please read the information above for a full description on who can drive a minibus, and also what a minibus can be used for. 

Leasing a minibus can be a much more affordable way to carry people when compared to purchasing outright. And that’s true whether you’re ferrying a school sports team to a match, or you’re ferrying colleagues to a site.

Leasing means you pay a low initial fee and then enjoy fixed monthly payments that stay the same for the duration of your contract. You can also add additional packages for extra peace of mind, which cover things like maintenance, insurance, safety inspections, MOTs and breakdowns.

It is - and it can be subsequently claimed back through your VAT return. It’s another benefit of leasing a minibus when it comes to managing your budget. 

Don't just take our word for it. We're rated at 4.9/5 on independent reviews website Trustpilot from over 35,404 genuine customer reviews
Hassle free. Everything worked seamlessly. Richard was extremely helpful.
CC

Monday, 18/03/2024

Just a great service all round.
Mr Jaylesh Bharadia

Monday, 18/03/2024

Excellent Service and Customer Care. Would buy again.