DRIVERS’ MANUAL

All drivers/potential drivers must read all information within this manual; you will be expected to know all the enclosed information to become/remain a registered driver.

CONTENTS

1. Driving Criteria

2. Driver Training

3. Driving a Minibus

4. Hiring SU Vehicles

5. Willing Drivers

6. Cost of Hire and Charges

7. Disciplinary Rules

8. Breakdowns & Emergencies

Introduction

The Students’ Union operates a fleet of vehicles. Our 4vehicles are leased, in addition to these we hire in other vehicles during peak times. The fleet is operated to support student activities and can be booked by any Club or Society Officials.

This manual should answer any questions you may have about driving union vehicles. If you have any further questions see contact list below.

Points of Contact:

Students’ Union Reception 01206 863 211

Jan Cooper (Office Manager)

Kathryn Gorden (Admin Assistant)

Jo Warren (Admin Assistant)

  1. Driving Criteria

Before applying for a Minibus Assessment you must fulfill the following criteria:
Driving for at least 2years
Over 21 years of age
Full, Clean UKDriving Licence

When does a driver need to fill in a non-standard form?

a.If driver Is under 21

b.If the driver is over 65

c.If the licence has been held less than 2 years

d.If the licence was not issued in UK or N. Ireland

e.If the driver has had convictions in past 5 years

f.If driver has had accidents or claims in last 5 years

g.If the driver has a medical condition which may affect driving or which must be notified to DVLA

Non-Standard drivers who do not require referral to Endsleigh:

1)Drivers who are non-standard on the basis of (a) above (under 21 years of age) and not for any other reason. Excess will apply.

2)Drivers who are non-standard on basis of (e) above who have only one fixed penalty motoring conviction and the conviction code is listed in the following Table of Convictions.

3)If a driver is non-standard on the basis of (g) above but driving is not affected and/or no special terms have been imposed and they are not non-standard for any other reason.

IMPORTANT: For 1-3 above a non-standard driver form must be completed by the driver and retained by the union but form does not need to be submitted to Endsleigh.

Please note:

Drivers under the age of 21 may not drive minibuses but can drive people carrier.

Drivers aged over 21 years, but under 25 years will be subject to an automatic excess in addition to any standard excess under the policy.

If a student holds a licence issued outside the UK they will only be eligible to drive cars (up to 8 passenger seats).

If a student holds a non-community licence or an international driving permit they may only drive in the UK for up to 12 months on this licence. After this time, they will be required to exchange this (if held from a designated country) or pass a UK driving test.

Convictions

Where a driver is non-standard solely on the basis of one conviction in the past five years, and the conviction is of one of the following codes, then a non-standard drivers’ form must be completed.

Code / Description
CU10 / Using a vehicle with defective brakes.
CU20 / Causing or likely to cause danger by reason of unsuitable vehicle or using vehicle parts or accessories (other than brakes, steering or tyres) in a dangerous condition.
CU30 / Using a vehicle with defective tyres.
CU40 / Using a vehicle with defective steering.
CU50 / Causing or likely to cause danger by reason of load of passengers.
LC20 / Driving otherwise in accordance with a licence.
LC30 / Driving after making a false declaration about fitness when applying for a licence.
LC40 / Driving a vehicle having failed to notify a disability.
LC50 / Driving after a licence has been revoked or refused on medical grounds.
MS10 / Leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position.
MS20 / Unlawful pillion riding.
MS30 / Play street offences.
MS40 / Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight or refusing to submit to a test.
MS70 / Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight.
MS80 / Refusing to submit to an eyesight test.
MS90 / Failing to give information as to identity of driver etc.
MW10 / Contravention of Special Road Regulations (excluding speed limits).
PC10 / Undefined contravention of Pedestrian Crossing Regulations.
PC20 / Contravention of Pedestrian Crossing Regulations with moving vehicle.
PC30 / Contravention of Pedestrian Crossing Regulations with stationary vehicle.
PL10 / Driving without learner plates.
PL20 / Driving whilst not accompanied by a qualified person.
PL30 / Carrying a person not qualified.
PL40 / Drawing an authorized trailer.
PL50 / Undefined failure to comply with the conditions of a provisional licence.
SP10 / Exceeding goods vehicles speed limits.
SP20 / Exceeding speed limit for type of vehicle (exc. Goods or passenger vehicles).
SP30 / Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road.
SP40 / Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit.
SP50 / Exceeding speed limit on a motorway.
SP60 / Undefined speed limit offence.
TS10 / Failure to comply with traffic light signals.
TS20 / Failure to comply with double white lines.
TS30 / Failure to comply with “Stop” sign.
TS40 / Failure to comply with direction of a Traffic Constable or Traffic Warden.
TS50 / Failure to comply with traffic sign (exc. Stop signs, lights or double white lines).
TS60 / Failure to comply with a school crossing code.
TS70 / Undefined failure to comply with a traffic direction sign.

International Students

During your first year in Britain, an international student may drive a vehicle with a valid overseas driving licence or an international driving permit. If you wish to drive after this time, you must apply for a provisional UK Licence before the year ends and pass a Department of Transport driving test. With a provisional licence you are not permitted to drive without being accompanied by someone who has a full UK licence.

European Economic Area nationals, and nationals of countries with which the UK has made an agreement* may drive a small vehicle such as a car on a valid community licence until it expires.

A Community Licence may be exchanged for a British Licence without taking a test, DVLA leaflet 100, from the Post Office gives a clear description of the rules relating to driving licences and lists countries with which the UK has agreement.

* Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Isles, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Zimbabwe.

For Further Information:

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

(England, Scotland andWales)

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland

Government Information (including motoring)

These Leaflets are available in Post Offices or from the

DVLA website at <

leaflets.htm>.

• INF38 ‘Driving in Great Britain (GB) as a visitor or

a new resident’

• D100 ‘What you need to know about driving

licences’

• INF45 ‘Your photocard driving licence explained’

I’ve met the Criteria - what next?

If you meet this criteria then you can apply for a minibus assessment, simply read the information carefully, complete the forms return them to Students’ Union Reception with your drivers licence. We will need to see your photocard driving licence, and you will need to sign the declaration on the Minibus Assessment Application Form to confirm you have read and understood all terms and conditions, and that your UK licence is clean (paper counterparts are no longer valid).

Applicants must be nominated by a club or society to become their driver; individuals are not able to hire minibuses for personal use.

Assessments are undertaken from the University Campus by a qualified independent tester and frequency of assessment dates depends on demand.

The assessment costs £25 per person, the cost of which will be met by the club or society nominating the individual. Two officials must sign the authorisation form.

If the minibus assessment and on-line driver training is passed successfully then a ‘pass certificate’ will be issued to the Students’ Union. The original will be held by Students’ Union and copies can be provided for you upon request.

Once a driver has passed the assessment and becomes a registered minibus driver, it is their responsibility to notify the Students’ Union at any time that they subsequently fail to meet necessary criteria for drivers e.g. if endorsements (points) are later incurred on their driving licence for offences or if they have a road traffic accident. Failure to notify the Students’ Union of such changes may deem the minibus insurance invalid and they will become personally liable for any damage or related costs resulting from their use of the vehicles.

The driver has a legal DUTY OF CARE to those they are transporting.

2. Driver Training

The Process:

  • Read the entire Drivers’ Manual
  • Complete the ‘Assessment Application’
  • In addition, and if applicable, complete the non-standard driving form
  • Complete the online risk assessment - if low or medium risk,continue to the next stage of assessment. If high risk you cannot continue to become a registereddriver.
  • Do an on-road assessment with our driving instructor (not required to drive the people carrier). If you pass, continue to the next stage of assessment. If you fail, you cannot be a registered driver
  • Complete the online eco assessment
  • Go through a final debrief with one of our fleet managers

3. Driving a Minibus

When you collect the keys for a vehicle, you become legally responsible for it. If the police or vehicle and operator services agency (VOSA) stop you then you are personally liable for any transgressions of the law.

When driving a Union vehicle, you are responsible for the vehicle and you are also responsible for the lives of all passengers, your life and other passengers’ lives.

Legal Information for Minibus Drivers

There are additional rules and regulations relevant to minibus drivers.

  • It is illegal to drive a minibus under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
  • As the driver of a minibus, you are legally responsible for the condition of the vehicle: This responsibility cannot be shifted on to anyone else. You must check the bus over carefully before you carry passengers.
  • The passenger capacity of the vehicle must not be exceeded. No standing passengers are allowed and there should never be more than one person per seat.
  • It is the driver’s responsibility to recommend that all passengers wear a seat belt. It is then the passenger’s responsibility to wear them.
  • All gangways must be clear of obstructions at all times. Each passenger should have the ability to escape from at least two exits.
  • All doors must be unlocked when there are passengers inside the vehicle.

Defensive Driving

Driving a minibus safely demands a sense of responsibility. You may be responsible for the lives of up to 16 other passengers in your vehicle as well as other road users and dependents.

Defensive Driving involves:

  • An awareness of what is happening around you.
  • Planning driving actions to take account of what you can see, and more importantly, what you cannot see.
  • Anticipating the actions of others.
  • Staying in control at all times.

You will be/will have been taught defensive driving as part of the driving assessment and you should try to incorporate it into all of your driving and not only minibus driving.

Vehicle Sympathy

You must be aware of the vehicle’s limitations. For example, a heavily loaded bus is going to take longer to stop than an empty bus and likewise will be slower to accelerate. You should not commit yourself to a manoeuvre that you cannot complete safely.

RULES OF USE FOR UNION OWNED AND INSURED BUSES

There are rules to be adhered to when using a Union owned or Union insured bus.

  • NO SMOKING in the bus
  • No consumption of alcohol is to take place in the bus
  • No glass bottles in the bus – all of the bus seats have metal legs, it only takes one corner and there could be broken glass on the floor
  • Drinking from glassware (i.e. bottles and glasses) is prohibited inside the minibus.

Parking

It is apparent that a minibus is much larger than a normal car, which means that it cannot be parked in many normal car parks. Before entering a car park you have to be sure that the minibus will fit (many car parks have barriers at a certain height to restrict vans from entering). You should not even contemplate parking in a multi-storey car park, as minibuses will not physically fit up the ramps inside.

The bus should be parked with the hand brake on and left with all the doors and windows locked. Do not leave anything on show in the minibus. Incidentally, the contents of the bus are not insured. Do not trust the central-locking; always check all of the doors are locked before leaving the bus.

On campus, all vehicles must be parked into the specified parking bays, as detailed on the plan below THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS! Please ensure that all internal and external lights are turned off otherwise the battery will go flat and your club/society will be fined.

Compulsory Parking Arrangements: All Minibuses, People Carriers and hire vehicles should be parked in the designated minibus bays in the sports centre car park behind the multi-story.

If you have any problems returning your vehicle to your designated bay, the vehicle must be parked in the Sports Centre car park ONLYand you need to inform both security and the SU immediately. If it is out of office hours pleaseinform security and also email the admin team(details provided on page 2 of this booklet) as well as putting the information on your minibus forms.

Congestion Charges

All Congestion charges are the driver’s responsibility and must be paid prior to your journey, payment instructions can be found at:

Crossing Charges

*All crossing charges are the driver’s responsibility.

Information regarding the Dartford Crossing specifically can be found at:

This cost can be reclaimed by filling in an expenses form at reception.

Purchasing Fuel for SU Vehicles

Fuel cards are provided by Fuel Genie and can be used at any Tescos or Morrisons petrol station. The card is kept in the leather key fob of each vehicle.

Purchasing Fuel for Hired Vehicles

If you are using a vehicle we have hired in for you from our hire company, you will be required to pay to fill the vehicle with diesel yourself, but ensure you keep the receipt and you will be able to claim the money back from the SU Reception (open Mon-Fri 9-5).

PLEASE NOTE ALL VEHICLES WE USE REQUIRE DIESEL FUEL (unless otherwise specified).

ALL VEHICLES MUSTBE RETURNED TO THE SU WITH A FULL TANK OF DIESEL OR THE CLUB/SOC MAY BE FINED.

4.Hiring SU Vehicles

  1. All bookings (club/soc/dept) must be made through and will not be accepted more than 14 days in advance of the hire date. In extreme circumstances earlier bookings may be made, e.g. Annual Sporting Trips.
  1. An SU Registered Minibus driver must be found BEFORE a booking can be made, booking forms will be rejected if an SU registered driver is not named on the booking form. If you require a driver for your trip see section 5 about Willing Drivers.
  1. Clubs & Societies may hire minibuses for official club/society use only. Individual students may not hire the minibuses for private use (except disabled students – see SU Reception).
  1. All bookings must be made by an official of the relevant club or society or a budget holder from University Departments.
  1. Sufficient funds must be available in club/soc accounts to cover the cost of hire. If sufficient funds are not available in the account then an estimated cost will be charged in advance of the booking and must be paid in cash.
  1. The named driver(s) or the booker must collect the booking form from SU Reception during office hoursprior to commencement of the booking. Buses needed for weekends must have paperwork collected by midday Friday at the latest otherwise anyone on the reserve list will be allocated the bus.
  1. The booking form must be presented to the Information Centre on Square 3 in order to collect keys for the minibus. Keys must also be returned to this point before expiry of time and date stated on the booking form.
  1. Using the mileage sheet provided the driver must make a note of the mileage and fuel before beginning their journey and again upon their return. Note: minibus mileage is regularly checked by the Students’ Union. Drivers must also complete the damage record on the booking form fully and honestly.
  1. The completed‘Booking Form’ should be returned to SU Receptionwithin 3 working days of the date stated on your form in order for the hire charge to be calculated. The hire cost will then be charged to the relevant club/society account.

5. Willing Drivers

The Students’ Union holds a list of drivers who are willing to drive for other clubs and societies when they are available to do so. The willing drivers list is available to collect from the Students’ Union Reception. It can only be collected by an exec member of a club/soc or a member of SU or Uni staff.