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.^[1]

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.^[2] Ford produced a version during the 1920s to carry up to 12 people.^[3]^[4]^[5] 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.^[6] Since September 1961, the RAF-977D "Latvia" minibus began to be mass-produced.^[7]

Regional variants

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

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 following information regarding Minibus driving licences is important: "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). Driving licence source

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^[8] 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 licence will allow, for example, its holder to drive^[9] 12- and 15-passenger vans] that Transport Canada defines as large passenger vans.

Gallery

Volkswagen Type 2 "microbus"
Russian GAZelle City partially low floor marshrutka
A Ford E450 cutaway chassis design, with more integrated bodywork
Step equipped van on a converted Toyota HiAce minibus
Van converted minibuses as light transit buses
Optare Alero integral low floor minibus
Van conversion Iveco Daily minibus with full height entrance door
Iveco Daily minibus in the UK
Mitsubishi Fuso Aero Midi ME low floor minibus
Nissan Diesel RN partially low floor light bus
Electric minibus in China
Mercedes Benz Sprinter minibus in Zihuatanejo, loading passengers for Petatlan and points in between
A Volkswagen Crafter minibus
Nissan Civilian minibus in Pathumthani, Thailand (Thanyaburi Transport CO.,LTD.)
Iveco 316 minibus in Genoa, Italy
Mercedes-Benz Vario minibus in Kostelec nad Černými lesy, Czech Republic
Isuzu QKR Modern Jeepney in Manila, Philippines, with Almazora bodywork.