Obviously being used for private purposes...

jonbeeza

jonbeeza

Messages
9,389
Name
Jon
Edit My Images
Yes
IMG_1543a.JPG

Or at least I think it is. It has tinted glass, so it is hard to tell. Enlarging the photo, and it seems like the minibus is empty. Wonder why he would use such a big vehicle for private use. Unless he is just giving it a run, to keep the battery charged up etc etc.

PS

Just another of my daily observations. :)
 
Last edited:
There was a time when I often travelled in solitary splendour on a very large luxury coach. The company I was working at ran a shuttle service at 15 minute intervals between their offices and a railway station. If my early morning train was a couple of minutes late (as it regularly was), I'd be the only one waiting for the next coach...

Empty coach seats Slough TZ40 1000208.JPG
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
There was a time when I often travelled in solitary splendour on a very large luxury coach. The company I was working at ran a shuttle service at 15 minute intervals between their offices and a railway station. If my early morning train was a couple of minutes late (as it regularly was), I'd be the only one waiting for the next coach...

View attachment 278444
Click to expand...

Certainly very roomy inside, I always wanted a transit type of van with loads of seats. I certainly won't be getting one anytime soon, even though I can drive one with 16 seats I think it is. As I have had my driving licence before the cut of date.
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
I wonder if I'm still legal to drive a 7 ton lorry? :thinking:
Click to expand...

Category C1

You can drive vehicles between 3,500 and 7,500kg MAM (with a trailer up to 750kg).

Category C1E

You can drive C1 category vehicles with a trailer over 750kg.


The combined MAM of both cannot exceed 12,000kg.
 
MIGHT be age related. I seem to have lost a couple of categories due to having had a brain tumour, including mini-busses and some trucks.
 
jonbeeza said:
I think on the old licence passed before a certain date, you can still drive a seven and a half ton wagon. Seems mad really, but that is the law.
Click to expand...
the cut off date was 1st January 1997. The restriction means I can only drive a vehicle up to 3.5 ton or tow a trailer up to 750kg as I got my licence in 1998. if you ask me there should have been a 5-10 year grace period for licences before 1997. After the grace period it should have then applied to all drivers. It’s ridiculous that someone can drive a 7.5 ton lorry having only ever driven a car before. The only reason I can see why they kept to pre 1997 licences was to keep the caravan industry going due to less restriction on towing weights. I foresee caravan ownership reducing in the next decade as the change will start to make a difference. You’d have to be nearly 40 to be affected by the change. I’d bet most caravan owners are over 40.
 
jonbeeza said:
The company is only down the road from us, and they are always passing by. I think they do school pickups sometimes. They do have some big coaches also, so probably take any sort of work that they can get.
Click to expand...
You must live near me. I knew the owner Tony Bamber, died last year at a young age.
 
Round here, one of the bus companies that does the school transport contracts and has a lot of buses otherwise idle in between uses them as part of their taxi service... So you call for a taxi, expecting a Focus and a 53-seater turns up!
 
rob-nikon said:
the cut off date was 1st January 1997. The restriction means I can only drive a vehicle up to 3.5 ton or tow a trailer up to 750kg as I got my licence in 1998. if you ask me there should have been a 5-10 year grace period for licences before 1997. After the grace period it should have then applied to all drivers. It’s ridiculous that someone can drive a 7.5 ton lorry having only ever driven a car before. The only reason I can see why they kept to pre 1997 licences was to keep the caravan industry going due to less restriction on towing weights. I foresee caravan ownership reducing in the next decade as the change will start to make a difference. You’d have to be nearly 40 to be affected by the change. I’d bet most caravan owners are over 40.
Click to expand...

Obviously as us oldies pass on, the problem will be solved. I think the biggest thing I have driven, is something like a Luton van. I have towed a caravan but I did not like it, I did not like holding people up.
 
The wife had to go across the country with two colleagues to troubleshoot a production issue a couple of weeks ago. Her employer hired in a similar vehicle and driver to allow for social distancing inside...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top