Established in 2004, Wessex Fleet is one of the leading suppliers of minibus leasing in the UK. Whether your school, college or institution adds a minibus to its fleet or upgrades an existing vehicle, we’re here to help.
We're an approved supplier to:
To find out more about us helping your school, college, or university download our PDF here.
Many vehicles we supply are provided to HE institutions under VEH3085 Lot 3. Each year we provide hundreds of vehicles to member organisations across the UK. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask - chances are we’ve been asked the same question recently! We’ve worked with some of the consortiums since 2010.
Choose to purchase through us and we’ll keep you up to date with all the latest rules and regulations. We’ll ensure your business is fully compliant and we’ll make vehicle purchase, supply and management as straightforward as possible. We can offer all sorts of options and ideas, from nine-seater and all-electric minibuses to lightweight vehicles such as the Minibus Lite.
Wessex Fleet can supply a Minibus Lite from just £650 per month. Ask us for more details via the contact button below.
The Minibus Lite has 17 seats, space for one wheelchair passenger, a wheelchair ramp, handrails, and an automatic sidestep. It has a six-speed manual gearbox and a 2.2 litre TDCi Eco Blue (140ps) Euro 6 compliant engine that achieves an average of 34.3mpg on a combined cycle. Its weight is 4,250kgs and there’s a spare payload of 352kgs, so masses of capacity.
It comes with all the added extras you’d expect and is the bus of choice for hundreds of organisations.
To find out more, please contact our dedicated minibus and commercial vehicle team on 01722 548193 or via corporatesales@wessexfleet.co.uk.
We can provide minibus lease hire for businesses across a wide range of industries. If you represent one of the following then make sure to contact us for an amazing deal:
If your company’s sector is not on this list then don’t worry, we can still help you! Just make an enquiry to get started.
Minibus Requirements: The Rules and Regulations
You’ll need to comply with some specific requirements: some legal, others simply best practice; some relating to the vehicle, others specific to the driver. We can help you put all the necessary procedures in place.
Lightweight minibuses can be driven on a standard licence with a Section 19 permit. So, opt for the Minibus Lite and you’ll have much more flexibility about which team members can drive. But choose a standard minibus and drivers who passed their test after 1 January 1997 will need to apply for a minibus licence to get behind the wheel.
Best Practice Processes: Safety First
Whatever option you decide upon, there are best practice procedures you’ll want to follow to make sure your minibus drivers are competent, and your passengers are safe.
We can help by:
We have a range of resources giving safety advice, please see our guide pages.
Our expertise means we have all your fleet needs covered. We can provide everything from small cars and grounds vehicles to vans and minibuses – so you only have to work with one fleet supplier. As with all the vehicles we provide, we can offer a full fleet management service for your minibus fleet.
Which Minibus Models Can I Lease?
Here at Wessex Fleet, we have some exceptional minibuses available, thanks to our partnerships with top manufacturers and funders. This includes all types of minibuses in different sizes, ensuring there’s something to suit your business requirements. Contact us for more information on the exact minibus models available to lease today, and our expert team will be able to assist you.
How Long Can I Lease a Minibus for With Wessex Fleet?
We’re flexible with the minibus leasing deals that we offer, with terms lasting from a few months to a couple of years. When you enquire about a minibus, just let us know how long you’ll need the bus and our team will be able to create a bespoke leasing deal to suit you.
What Classifies as a Minibus?
A minibus is a vehicle with between seven and 16 passenger seats and a driver seat.
Vehicles with space for more than 16 passengers will fall into the category of a coach and need a different driving licence that you will need to take additional training and a test to obtain.
Can You Drive a Minibus on a Normal Licence?
Drivers can drive a minibus with a standard UK driving licence provided there are fewer than 17 passengers and the vehicle weighs less than 3.5 tonnes. However, if they received their full driving licence after the 1st of January 1997 then they may need to get an additional permit.
After the 1st of January 1997 drivers were not automatically given the D1 category on their licence, which allows you to drive a vehicle that carries eight to 16 passengers. To drive a minibus with the ability to carry over eight passengers they will need to get a section 19 or 22 permit from the Traffic Commissioners' Office.
Drivers without the D1 category can drive vehicles with up to eight passenger seats without any additional permit.
To drive a minibus, drivers will need to have:
There will also be restrictions on the vehicles these people can drive, which are:
What Type of Insurance Do I Need for My Minibus?
If you are looking to use a minibus then this can usually be covered by your existing fleet insurance policy.
However, depending on what you are using the vehicle for you might be interested in taking out a minibus-specific insurance policy specifically tailored to the unique passenger-carrying needs of minibuses.
What Happens at the End of the Minibus Lease?
Once your minibus leasing contract with us has ended, you’ll have a few options. You can extend the lease, purchase the minibus, take out a new lease on a different vehicle or simply return the vehicle to us. A few months from the end date, our team will discuss your options in full with you to help work out which would be best for your business.
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