February 14, 2025

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Which HGV Licence Do You Need To Drive A Bus In The UK?

There is usually a finite number of responses children give when asked what they’d like to be when they grow up, especially if you ask bots. One of the most popular answers you will get is “bus driver.” Well, considering their reasoning, no one can blame them. The ability to operate a 12.5-tonne vehicle while ferrying people from one place to another, getting them to where they want to go is a pretty big job. Bus driving is a rather popular and gratifying job, and a lot of people are still signing up to sit behind the wheel of these big vehicles. However, how does one become a bus driver in the UK? Is there any HGV training costs?

Requirements and Licence for Bus Driving in the UK

When it comes to being a driver of much larger vehicles, especially one that is used to transport fellow humans instead of goods, the government becomes a bit strict. There are several requirements that anyone seeking to drive larger vehicles must pass before they can be licensed. To become a licensed large vehicle operator, you must:
• Be over 18 years’ of age
• Have a full car licence
• Hold a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence or CPC

However, if you are looking to drive any bus (be it with a trailer or without), there a few more qualifications that you will need to have (the main one being a CAT D licence.)

To drive a bus with a trailer attached to it, you will need a CAT D+E licence. However, it is worth noting that you only can get all of these licences once you’ve received your Driver CPC.

But, if you are looking to drive a bus non-professionally, the requirement is that you be over 24 years of age. With CAT D Licensure, you should be able to drive any vehicle or bus with over eight passenger seats and any tracked vehicle (just in case you plan on driving a tank.) However, before you can do so, you’ll need to hold a CAT B licence.

CAT B Licence

Before you can get your CAT D licence, you’ll have to earn a CAT B licence first. While this sounds like a lot of work, the good thing is that a CAT B licence is just an industry term for the standard, full driver’s licence. With CAT B, you can drive any vehicle with a maximum, authorised mass of 3.5-tonnes with up to eight passenger seats – in simpler terms, any car on the road. With this licence, you can legally tow any trailer that weighs less than 750 kilograms, and if you are over 21 years of age, a motorised tricycle with an output of over 15kW. Since you are considering a career not just a driver, but a specialised driver, we are going to assume that you already have this licence.

What’s Covered Under CAT D Licence Training?

If you are looking to be a professional bus driver, you must have a CAT D licence. Like most of the other types of LGV and HGV licences, the CAT D licence is split into two: the theory part and the practical part. The training program for CAT D is specifically designed to teach drivers how to operate a business and sets you up for employment as a licensed driver after training. The training includes:
Learning the regulations and rules of the road, with a focus on:
– Customer service
– The general fixtures and maintenance of the vehicle
– Risk management and farsightedness
– Everything you need to know about your safety and that of your passengers and other road users

Once training is over, the next thing is to sit for a practical and a theory test. If you pass both, you are all set to become a licensed bus driver.

How Does One Get a CAT D Licence?

If you are looking to get CAT D certified, contact us today! At EasyasHGV, we offer a variety of HGV certification training courses, including Driver CPC and CAT D courses for newbie drivers. We can help you get a crash course on how to drive large vehicles, and in particular, bus driving. Apart from that, we will even go the extra mile and help you land a job as a career bus driver. At EasyasHGV, we want you to have the best possible start as you enter into the world of bus driving.