We get it. We know that your minibus needs to spend maximum time on the road, and that it is as efficient, and economical to run as possible.
You need a passenger vehicle that performs and there are a huge range of options available to you. We have written this guide to help you identify the right minibus/midibus for your drivers, your business, passengers and clients.
Your starting point is always budget. Our sales teams can help you to identify the right mix of buses for your range of customers and journey types. These include:
Opting to add used minibuses to your fleet helps your budget go further. Trusted, well-maintained vehicles can make an excellent contribution to your fleet.
The UK is facing a serious shortfall in PCV drivers if you have a limited number of drivers with a category D PCV licence you may want to consider vehicles which allow you to operate routes on a standard driver’s licence.
With a standard UK car Driver’s Licence you can generally drive vehicles of up to 3.5 tonnes (with 8 passengers or less).
This means that you have options such as the M1 VIP Sprinter 8-seater, Tribus electric or diesel 8-seater Sprinter.
For anything heavier or with a greater number of passengers, you will need a Category D1 or PCV/PSV licence.
Your operator’s licence will also require consideration when selecting your fleet. Click here to learn more on the Government website.
Comfortable travel (whatever the journey) can be compromised by bulky luggage and personal items.
Certain vehicles lend themselves to community transport, park and rides, and council routes. Whereas other buses are ideally suited to airport shuttle services where big boots are essential.
We can guide you through the options suitable for school journeys (hardwearing and minimal locker space) through to luxury minibuses and midicoaches with separate space for hand luggage and backpacks. Midibuses known for having great sized boots are: 16-seat EVM Avantgarde, 19-seat Tourline L, Ferqui Sunset and Grand Tourer.
All our vehicles are fitted with overhead lockers as standard. The model and specification can be adapted for the nature of the journeys.
The locations you operate in, the customers you serve and your company ethics, will impact the importance you place on carbon emissions.
Adding smaller, electric vehicles to your fleet will allow you to reduce your carbon footprint and avoid some ULEZ charges.
Certain cities have Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ). Cities such as London, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. In these cities, minibuses under 5 tonnes are subject to the charge if they do not meet specified emission standards.
All the minibuses and minibuses we stock (over 5 tonnes/8 seats) all feature the Euro VI which can be driven in all ULEZ and LEV zones.
The Government is trying to support business migrations to zero emissions and is offering up different charge point and fleet grants. View our news page for the latest grants we’ve identified in the industry. You need to move quickly; the grants do not stay open for long.
Aside from the engine type, you may also be concerned with whether the product is manufactured in the UK, the people values and material used in manufacture. We can advise you on this.
We share articles about grants and sustainable products on our website as soon as possible. Subscribe to alerts or check back regularly to learn the latest.
If you want something immediately, you can source a used minibus or something already in stock. These options can be delivering and on the road within days.
If what you need is something bespoke for customers or brands the lead time is still quick – customised seating configurations and spec’d orders can be made and delivered (depending on time of year) within 3 months.
With EVM, Mercedes, AOS, Ferqui, Iveco minibuses, many features can be expected as standard. At EVM all our vehicles feature the following:
There is quite a lot to this question when you unpick it. You might need accessible but also the capacity to take several wheelchairs at a time.
Traditionally, making a minibus accessible has meant less seats, or a lot of accessories and specialised driver training.
SMART flooring systems are revolutionising the mobility market. Minibuses such as the Mercedes Sprinter Tribus (which can come as either electric or diesel) features compact, integrated seats.
The vehicle can be configured with 8 seats (all with Isofix) or 4 wheelchairs and 4 seats and nothing needs to be removed from the vehicle between trips. The hook and belt system are integrated in the vehicle and can be stowed away when not in use. The seats can be easily and quickly folded out, or away to make room for wheelchairs. This minibus can also be driven on a standard car licence.
There is quite a lot that goes into the registration and preparation of a new bus for the road.
The vehicle needs to be manually registered as a PSV with the DVSA, the tacho calibrated, WIFI and CCTV installed, cleaned and prepped for service.
We build, sell and deliver minibuses daily. We can support with the necessary paperwork, registrations and even signwriting.
The great thing about EVM UK & Ireland is that we work closely with all our vehicle and parts manufacturers. We also offer a market-leading aftersales business that operates in all corners of the UK and Ireland.
We can provide advice on the right mixture of minibuses and midibuses to suit your journeys and driver capacity. It all starts with a phone call.
Please fill in your details below and a member of our team will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
