Problem Solvers
Are you facing a community transport problem? Perhaps you are assessing the implications of recent legislation or considering the specifications of a new vehicle. Whatever your community transport poser, Problem Solvers can help.
If you have a problem that you'd like solved on this page, please contact advice@ctauk.org
Example Questions
These are examples of questions that have been asked which are published in the CTA Journal, for details of how to become a Member of CTA please visit Join Now or to subscribe to our Journal please contact our Central Office on 0161 351 1475.
"My community transport organisation would like to tender for home-to-school contracts operating minibuses, which will enable us to generate profits to feed back into our charity. What do we need to do?"
Spring 2011 Journal
"What are the main reasons for a bus to fail its MOT? Why is it important to know this?"
Winter 2010 Journal
“My community transport scheme has been approached by the local authority to provide a contracted weekly service to take elderly people to their daycare centre. Can we do this using vehicles operated under our section 19 permit and what costs should we take into consideration?”
Summer 2010 Journal
“We are about to buy a secondhand minibus which we are going to operate under a section 19 standard permit. What ‘legal lettering’, markings and signs do we need to display?”
May / June 2010 Journal
“We have a passenger who is about to purchase a new ISO approved wheelchair. What do we need to consider when undertaking a risk assessment prior to providing transport for her?”
March / April 2010 Journal
“Our small school accepts donations from parents towards our school fund. We also run nonuniform days for which the pupils pay a small amount of money. We operate a minibus to take our students out on non-educational trips. The cost of running the vehicle is subsidised by the school fund. What do we need to do to ensure we are operating legally?”
Winter 2009 Journal
“In the past, my organisation considered setting up a community bus service for our village, but we were concerned about having to use only volunteer drivers. Following the Local Transport Act 2008, we would like to obtain a section 22 permit and register a local route using paid drivers. How do we do this?”
Autumn 2009 Journal
“I know there are going to be some changes to the permit legislation, can you give me a brief synopsis?”
Summer 2009 Journal
Q1. “I have a driver approaching her 70th birthday. Do we need to do anything in order for her to continue driving?”
Q2. “My community transport scheme provides transport on section 19 small bus permits. Will all our drivers with a D1 vocational entitlement need a driver certificate of professional competence (CPC)?”
January / February 2009 Journal
Q1. “We are CTA members and we recently took our Peugeot minibus, purchased in 2005, for an MOT. It failed for not having a speed limiter. Why isn’t one fitted?”
Q2. “Our minibus was recently stopped by VOSA and a prohibition notice (PG9) issued for worn tyres – scuffed side walls and a tread depth of 1.4mm, although the legal minimum is 1mm. This led to delays for passengers and was extremely concerning for our volunteer driver. How can we appeal against this decision?”
September / October 2008 Journal
“We are having difficulty sourcing minibuses suitable for carrying 16 passengers that are within the maximum authorised mass limit that can be driven by volunteer drivers who only hold a B driving licence entitlement – any ideas?”
July / August 2008 Journal
“We have just set up a trading arm and are operating minibuses under a PSV operator’s licence. What are the implications of having a visit from VOSA officers?”
May / June 2008 Journal
“We operate vehicles under a section 19 permit, but we are considering obtaining a PSV operator’s licence. We are concerned about whether operating a PSV service in the UK will have any implications for either our vehicles or employee drivers with respect to driving hours and
tachograph rules.”
March / April 2008 Journal
“We are looking to replace our old minibus with an accessible minibus, how much room do we need to secure a passenger in a wheelchair safely?”
January / February 2008 Journal
“One of our employees who holds a standard car licence D1 (101) entitlement would like to become a MiDAS Driver Assessor Trainer. Does she need to pass a PCV D1 test to enable her to provide MiDAS training?”
November / December 2007 Journal
“We have been running minibuses for several years without any permits, but, having become a member of the CTA, we are now completing the application form for a section 19 small bus permit. It includes a question about our safety inspections. What are these?”
September / October 2007 Journal
“My community transport scheme provides home-to-school transport on both a PSV Operator’s licence and section 19 small bus permits for different local authorities. Will all our drivers with a D1 vocational entitlement need a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence?”
July / August 2007 Journal
“I run a community transport scheme using both volunteer drivers and employed drivers. How does the no-smoking legislation affect both our premises and our vehicles?”
May / June 2007 Journal
“I work for a local authority and I am seeking advice about the impact of the Road Safety Act 2006 which revokes the ‘single contract’ element of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. We have given a contract to a small community transport organisation to run car transport for social services and we have made use of this legislation. Are there any alternative operating regimes available that we can make use of in the future?”
March / April 2007 Journal
“Does our diesel Ford Transit minibus, registered March 2002, need a speed limiter to restrict its maximum speed to 100km/h (62mph)?”
November / December 2006 Journal
“Our geography teacher wants to take some students on a field trip. She has a full driving licence for a car, but can she drive a minibus to take them there and back?”
September / October 2006 Journal
“We employ a driver who has a licence with passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) entitlement (category D1). She has just confirmed that she has diabetes which is being treated with insulin. Can she still drive our minibus?”
July / August 2006 Journal
“Can you tell us if the new regulations regarding child car seats mean that we have to provide child seats, booster cushions and the like for child passengers in our minibuses?”
May / June 2006 Journal
“We’ve heard that the legislation surrounding seat belt use and driver responsibility in minibuses is changing. Can you advise us on the situation?”
March / April 2006 Journal