Minibus Trailer Training Course (D1E Licence Acquisition)
What Is Minibus Trailer Training?
Our minibus training course is designed to help train your drivers to develop skills in towing a trailer with a minibus up to 8 metres in length. To undertake this training, your drivers will need to possess the category D1 driving licence entitlement. This training will develop your drivers’ skills, allowing them to tow longer and heavier loads for your business. The training that we provide will focus on teaching your employees to learn how to safely couple and uncouple trailers, manoeuvre, and drive on everyday roads.
Following our training, your drivers will undertake the minibus and trailer test (D1+E test). On passing this test, your drivers will acquire the D1+E Minibus Trailer licence. This will allow your drivers to legally and safely tow longer and heavier loads for your business, up to a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of 12000kg.
What Are The Benefits Of Minibus Trailer Training?
Our minibus trailer training course can benefit your business in several ways. Through providing your drivers with D1+E training, they will be able to tow longer and heavier loads. This means that you will be able to increase your productivity and transport your goods more efficiently.
It is important to ensure that your drivers have the correct licence for the load that they are towing. The training that we provide ensures that your employees can legally and safely tow a variety of different loads for the benefits of your business. Upon acquiring the D1E driving licence entitlement, your drivers will also automatically receive their B+E (Car and Trailer) entitlement. In addition to this, if they already have the C1 (LGV) entitlement, they will also receive their C1E driving licence entitlement. This is due to the D1E test being completed in a vehicle either greater or equal in size to the B+E and C1E entitlements.
Do My Drivers Require Minibus Trailer Training?
There are a variety of different factors which will affect whether or not your drivers will need to undertake minibus trailer training. Whether or not they need to do a trailer training course will depend on when your drivers passed their driving test.
Acquired Rights (Grandfather Rights)
If your drivers passed their driving test before the 1st January 1997, they will have automatically acquired the BE, C1, C1E, D1 and D1E licence categories. These are known as acquired rights or grandfather rights. This allows your drivers to tow a variety of different loads across a range of vehicles, up to a MAM of 8250kg.
If your drivers passed their driving test after the 1st of January 1997, they can:
- Drive car or van up to 3,500kg towing a trailer up to 750kg.
- Tow a trailer over 750kg, as long as the MAM of the vehicle and trailer is no more than 3500kg.
Should your employees be required to tow anything heavier, they will need to undertake trailer training and pass the relevant test. It is recommended that you do not tow any more than 85% of the weight of your vehicle. The recommended maximum towing weight can usually be found in the vehicle’s manual.
If you or your drivers are unsure of their rights, you can check their driving licence information online.
What If My Drivers Already Have The D1E Entitlement?
If your drivers already have the D1E trailer entitlement through acquired rights, they may still be required to undertake training. The ‘Grandfather Rights’, are limited to a MAM of 8250kg. This is significantly lower than the maximum train weight gained by completing the D1E driving test (12000kg MAM). If your drivers are required to tow longer and heavier loads, over 8250kg MAM, and undertake D1E trailer training, they will also need to complete a D1 medical and the relevant D1 theory tests.
Furthermore, ‘Grandfather Rights’ do not permit minibus drivers to drive for hire or reward. This means that they should not receive or accept payment of any kind either from or on behalf of passengers. To drive for hire or reward, your drivers will be required to complete a D1Driver CPC test.
This allows you to ensure that they can tow trailers for your business needs safely and responsibly. We will help to further develop their skills, and build their confidence towing longer and heavier loads. However, as they will already have the licence entitlement, they will not have to sit the test at the end of the course.
What Can My Drivers Tow?
The Minibus and Trailer Training Course (D1E Training)
Our car and trailer training courses will help develop your drivers skills, to allow them to tow safely and responsibly. This helps to protect your drivers and your business while they are transporting your goods. We explore a range of different subjects during this course including:
Vehicle Safety Check
Show Me, Tell Me Questions
Coupling and Uncoupling
Reversing Manoeuvres
Independent Driving
Our Professional Driver Trainers
As we cover all vehicle groups and provide both classroom and in vehicle training we have trainers with different specialities who we utilise to provide our range of courses. This helps to ensure our high standards and delivery of quality driver training solutions.
Contact Us
If you would like to find out more about our minibus training course (D1E Licence Acquisition), we would love to hear from you. Please take the time to get in touch and find out how we can help your business today.
How Can We Help You?
Trailer Training FAQs
Our driver training courses are available across the UK and internationally. The training typically takes place in and around the premises of our clients.
Our training is bespoke, and the price of our courses are dependent on a number of factors. However, our clients typically save the cost of the course within a matter of weeks. Please contact us today for a quotation.
We deliver a wide range of trailer training and towing courses that will benefit your business. Explore our guide to trailer licence categories, or get in touch today to discuss your options.
Savings Calculator
Our savings calculator shows your estimated potential fuel savings with our Fuel-Efficient Driver Training Courses. This is only a guide, and there is potential for you to save even more money through lower insurance costs and less vehicle wear.
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Interested in our trailer training and towing courses? We would love to hear from you. Please take the time to get in touch today, and find out how we can help your business.
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