Engineering:Minibus

A minibus, microbus, or minicoach is a passenger-carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger-carrying van or panel truck. Minibuses have a seating capacity of between 12 and 30. Larger minibuses may be called midibuses. Minibuses are typically front-engine step-in vehicles, although low floor minibuses are particularly common in Japan.

History

It is unknown when the first minibus vehicle was developed. For example, Ford Model T vehicles were modified for passenger transport by early bus companies and entrepreneurs. Ford produced a version during the 1920s to carry up to twelve people.

In the Soviet Union, the production of minibuses began in the mid-1950s, among the first mass-produced minibuses were the RAF-10, UAZ-451B, and Start. Since September 1961, the RAF-977D "Latvia" minibus began to be mass-produced.

Regional variants

See also: Share taxi

There are many different form of public transportation services around the world that are provided by using vehicles that can be considered as minibus:

• Microbus in Guatemala
• Angkot in Indonesia
• Bas Mini in Malaysia
• Chiva bus in Colombia and Ecuador
• Colectivo in southern South America
• Community bus (Japanese コミュニティバス komiunitibasu) in Japan (Include minibus and midibus)
• Dala dala in Tanzania
• Dollar van a.k.a. jitneys, in the United States.
• Dolmuş in Turkey
• Modern Jeepney in the Philippines
• Maeul-bus (Korean 마을버스) in South Korea
• Marshrutka in eastern Europe.
• Matatu around Kenya
• Minibus taxi in South Africa, Ethiopia, see also Taxi wars in South Africa
• Pesero, minibuses operating as regular buses in Mexico, especially in Mexico City.
• Public light buses, in Hong Kong.
• Sherut in Israel
• Songthaew around Thailand and Lao
• Tap tap in Haiti
• Tro tro around Ghana
• Weyala in Ethiopia

Driving licence

Some countries may require an additional class of driving licence over a normal private car licence, and some may require a full commercial driving licence. The need for such a licence may depend on:

• Vehicle weight or size
• Seating capacity
• Driver age
• Intended usage
• Additional training (such as the Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme in the UK)

In the UK: The holder of an ordinary car driving licence which was obtained prior to January 1997, once aged 21 years minimum, may drive a Minibus with a capacity of 16 passengers. Where the "ordinary car driving licence" is obtained after December 1996, they will have to take a separate test to drive a vehicle with a capacity of more than 8 passengers. However, there is an exemption for certain volunteer drivers, where the vehicle does not exceed 3500 kg GVW (or 4250 kg GVW if the vehicle is designed to be wheelchair accessible).

A driving licence issued in Ontario, Canada, for an equivalent of a UK class B or class B-auto driving licence (in the case of Ontario, a class G licence), allows its holder to drive vehicles with:

• 11 tonnes maximum authorized mass, including trailers with 4.6 tonnes MAM 6 tonnes MAM in certain cases)
• passenger seating capacity of 9 or less

Anyone wanting to drive a vehicle in Ontario, with the same MAM limits as for class G vehicles, with fewer than 25, but at least 10, passenger seats, must obtain a bus licence. This will allow, for example, its holder to drive 12- and 15-passenger vans] that Transport Canada defines as large passenger vans.

See also

• Cutaway van chassis
• Volkswagen Transporter
• Share taxi