Becoming a Coach Operator
A coach operator operates large passenger vehicles, known as coaches, for tours, schools, private hire and other services. Coach operators transport passengers while complying with safety and traffic laws in a highly regulated industry.
There are licensing procedures and the legal requirements which govern everything from where you keep your vehicles, how often you maintain them, what records you need to keep, and even how much cash you need to have available in the bank. In short – every detail of how you run your business.
In order to operate coaches and buses, a bus operator’s licence is required if you intend to carry passengers for hire or reward, which means a payment in cash or kind to enable a passenger to use the service.
The Department for Infrastructure is the licensing authority for bus operators in Northern Ireland. The Passenger Transport Licensing Division (PTLD) within the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) carries out the licensing function on the Department’s behalf.
The main purpose of bus operator licensing is to ensure the safe and proper use of passenger carrying vehicles for the benefit of all road users.
In particular the licensing regime aims to achieve:
- a high level of professional competence for operators:
- fair competition within the industry;
- an improved quality of service; and
- improvements in road safety