The plate is sometimes called the chassis plate or VIN plate and is usually in the door frame, under the bonnet or in a front footwell and looks like the image below. This is also known as the gross vehicle weight (GVW) or permissible maximum weight.
The MAM is the weight of a vehicle including the maximum load (passengers, driver, luggage) that can be carried safely when it’s being used on the road. that they have disabled pupils.įinding the plated weight or MAM of your minibus And, that this specialist equipment is fit for purpose, is left in the vehicle and that they can demonstrate the need and use of this equipment if asked. For example, ramps need to fit securely somewhere onto the vehicle and be of appropriate size to allow the wheelchair to enter and leave the vehicle.įollowing this definitive advice from the DVSA we want to encourage all schools to be aware and check the plated MAM of their vehicles, and any they may be considering purchasing, to ensure they are driving them with the right licence and are using the weight allowance (from 3500kg to 4250kg) for specialist equipment only. The permit holder and/or driver would need to demonstrate clearly that the additional weight is due to the specialised equipment. If the vehicle has not been plated at 4.25 tonne then it would still have to adhere to the 3.5 tonne maximum weight. If the vehicle is plated at 4.25 tonne then 750kg must be attributable to the specialised equipment. (Section 18 of the Transport act 1985, as amended by Schedule 3 to the Driving Licences (Community Driving Licence) Regulations 1996). Not more than 3.5 tonnes, excluding any part of that weight which is attributable to specialised equipment intended for the carriage of disabled passengers, and.Holders of category B may drive a small bus which, when laden with the heaviest load which it is constructed to carry, weighs – The DVSA take the view that the whole of the 750kg must be attributable to the specialised equipment.
However, on further enquiry the same expert was given definitive guidance from the DVSA that they passed on to both the school and Castle. The school’s interpretation was initially supported by expert advice that the law was open to interpretation and to carry on driving with the car licence unless informed differently. The school’s interpretation of the law was that because the gross weight of the vehicle with its wheelchair ramps was less than the 4250kg limit it didn’t matter that the plated MAM was over 3500kg.
#Maximum weight limit on school bus driver seat drivers#
gov.uk/driving-a-minibusĭuring a Green Light Review at a school Castle Minibus noted that B category licence holders were driving minibuses with a plated MAM of 4100kg – these were the new 14-seater Ford Euro 6 minibuses, the previous Euro 5 models had been plated at 3500kg.Ĭastle therefore advised the school that their drivers needed a D1 entitlement to drive these vehicles. However, there is a specific clause that says this weight limit can be increased by 750kg for disabled passengers’ specialist equipment such as a wheelchair ramp. The law says that people can drive a minibus on their standard B car licence if the maximum authorised mass (MAM) is 3500kg or under (other conditions apply, see below). Vehicle weights on a Standard B car licence Recently the DVSA has been very clear on plated weights that will affect many schools relying on an alternative interpretation of weight allowances to drive their vehicles on a standard B car licence. For more information click hereĬastle Minibus created the MCC (Minibus Compliance Course) to educate schools on minibus compliance under Section 19 Permits and encourage best practice where guidance/the law is subject to interpretation mainly those vehicles and drivers requiring D1 entitlement. This article was updated in June 2023 because the Minibus Complaince Course is now only available online.
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