MINI-BUS HIRE POLICY

Introduction

Easilink Community Transport is committed to providing a safe, reliable, and accessible transport for a range of community and voluntary groups and not for profit organisations. This policy outlines the terms and conditions that all community and voluntary groups must adhere to when using Easilink’s vehicles. Our Group Hire service operates under the Department for Infrastructure’s Section 10b Bus Permit. Further details regarding the use of Section 10b permits can be found at https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/publications/guidance-10b-bus-permits.

Eligibility for Group Hire

Easilink’s Group Hire service is available to community and voluntary groups whose primary purpose is to promote community benefit, education, religion, recreation, or social welfare. Easilink operates under a Section 10b Bus Permit, which allows us to provide transport services for non-commercial activities. By booking a minibus, the group confirms that it understands and agrees to operate within the limits of the Section 10b Permit including:

The service must not be for profit, and no charges should be made beyond covering operational costs.
The vehicle must only be used for purposes consistent with the group’s non-commercial activities.
All passengers must be members of the group, and the service should not be made available to the general public.

Booking Procedures

All bookings must be made in advance, and confirmation will be provided once the booking is secured.

A completed booking form, along with any required documentation, must be submitted before the booking can be confirmed.

Bookings are subject to availability and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority will be given to groups that fall within our service area and whose activities align with our charitable objectives.

Your Group can book our vehicles in one of two ways:

With One of our Paid Drivers.

Self-Drive Basis

If you wish to hire our vehicles on a Self Drive Basis, your group can designate a driver(s) to be placed on our Driver Register. In this case, you will need to provide us with a copy of your Designated Person’s Driving Licence, including both sides of the Driving Licence and the paper part.

Vehicle Usage

Easilink’s minibuses must be used solely for the purposes outlined in your membership form. Any deviation from the agreed purpose must be pre-approved by Easilink.
The group is responsible for ensuring that the vehicle is treated with care and respect during the hire period. Any damage, however caused, must be reported immediately to Easilink, and the group may be liable for repair costs.
Vehicles must be returned in a clean and tidy condition: all rubbish must be removed from the vehicle before the end of the hire. Failure to do so may result in a surcharge being added to the hirer’s invoice.
The group must adhere to all road traffic regulations and ensure the vehicle is operated in a safe manner at all times.
Smoking, alcohol, and illegal substances are strictly prohibited on all Easilink vehicles.
Our Section 10B is only valid for travel within the UK and Northern Ireland and no cross-border travel is permitted, this includes travel to and from the Republic of Ireland.
Easilink Community Transport reserves the right to ban a driver from driving any vehicle in the Easilink Community Transport fleet should that person allow another person who is not on Easilink’s Register of Drivers to drive the hired vehicle.
Any prosecution of a driver arising from the use of a Easilink Community Transport fleet vehicle while on self-drive hire will be the responsibility of the hirer and/or driver.

How to Register Your Driver

Under our Section 10B Permit, you must hold the relevant Licence Categories in order to be permitted to drive our vehicles on a Self-Drive Basis. Please contact our office team to enquire further on your eligibility or refer to the guidance on https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/publications/letter-regarding-issue-and-use-section-10b-permits-road-passenger-transport-and-minibus-driving.

If you wish to hire our vehicles on a Self-Drive Basis, your group can designate a driver(s) to be placed on our Driver Register. Any Drivers from your group who wish to be placed on the Driver Register will be required to share your Driving Licence Information with Easilink Community Transport. https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/view-or-share-your-ni-driving-licence-information.

You can do this by following the two simple steps below:

Provide us with a copy of your Designated Person’s Driving Licence, including both sides of the Driving Licence and the Paper Part.
Generate a Licence Check Code Online and share this with Easilink Community Transport. This can be done at the following link: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/creating-licence-check-code-user-guide.
Once our staff have reviewed the Driving Licence Information and it is deemed to be satisfactory, then you will be placed on our Register of Drivers.
Drivers Responsibilities

Drivers are responsible for conducting vehicle safety checks before use and must report any issues or defects immediately to Easilink.
Drivers must inspect the vehicle before and after each hire and note down any damage or fault on the log sheet.
It is the responsibility of the group to ensure the driver is fully briefed on the conditions of hire and that they comply with all relevant legislation. The driver is responsible for adhering to all road traffic laws and ensuring the safety of all passengers during the hire period. This includes observing speed limits, driving within the conditions of the road, and ensuring that no distractions (such as mobile phones) compromise their ability to operate the vehicle safely.
Vehicle Familiarisation: Due to the varying levels of equipment on different minibuses, and particularly because some minibuses are significantly longer and wider than others, a vehicle familiarisation will be required before a driver can drive on a self-drive basis. This will be carried out by a staff member within Easilink Community Transport and often will include a short on-road session and successful completion of a reversing manoeuvre. If this vehicle familiarisation is not completed to a satisfactory standard, we will unfortunately have to revoke any planned vehicle hire. This can often be carried out immediately before the start of a hire, but we will organise this with you in advance.
Any fines during self-drive hires resulting from illegal parking (including misuse of a Blue Badge) will be passed onto, and are the responsibility of, the hirer. Easilink Community Transport reserves the right to make payment and then recover the amount from the hirer.

Insurance

Easilink provides comprehensive insurance for the vehicle during the hire period. However, this does not cover personal belongings or equipment carried by passengers. Groups should arrange their own insurance for such items if necessary.
In the event of an accident or damage to the vehicle, the group must report the incident to Easilink immediately and cooperate fully with any insurance claims or investigations.
The group may be liable for any insurance excess charges in the event of a claim resulting from their use of the vehicle.
Insurance cover may be invalidated if any of the information contained on the Easilink Community Transport Membership Form is subsequently found to be false or inaccurate.
Any material changes to the information on a driver’s licence must be notified to Easilink Community Transport before that person next drives a vehicle in the fleet. Similarly, should a driver have an accident whilst driving any motor vehicle after they have been entered on the Register of Drivers, this must be disclosed to Easilink Community Transport before that person next drives.

Cancellations and Amendments

Groups must notify Easilink as soon as possible if they need to cancel or amend their booking.
Easilink reserves the right to charge a cancellation fee if 48 hours’ notice is not given.
Easilink reserves the right to cancel or amend bookings due to unforeseen circumstances, such as vehicle breakdowns or changes in availability. In such cases, we will do our best to provide an alternative vehicle or reschedule the booking.

Health and Safety

All passengers must wear seatbelts while travelling in Easilink vehicles, unless you have a Valid Exemption Certificate. In this case, we will need a copy of this for our records.

9.1 Accessible Minibus Training: Drivers who intend to carry passengers with mobility difficulties (e.g. those travelling in wheelchairs, and those who may require using the passenger lift) will have to undertake MIDAS Accessible Training. This session will cover the following areas: Passenger Awareness and Assistance, Wheelchair & Passenger Restraint Systems and Passenger Lifts. Your group will be required to cover the cost of this training. For further details please contact the Easilink office.

The group is responsible for ensuring that any necessary risk assessments are completed prior to travel, and that passengers are briefed on emergency procedures.

Any concerns regarding the safety or suitability of the vehicle must be reported to Easilink immediately.

9.2 Passenger Assistance

Easilink Community Transport is unable to offer an escort service on with-driver minibus hires. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the hirer to provide a reliable and competent escort where this has been deemed necessary by the management of Easilink Community Transport. An escort is compulsory if children or other adults at risk are to be carried. Easilink Community Transport reserves the right to refuse a with-driver booking if a suitable escort cannot be provided.

The escort is normally expected to meet the driver at the Easilink Community Transport office, or at the first passenger pick-up point.

The escort’s responsibilities include:

Passenger supervision and dealing with the needs of passengers.
Escorting passengers to and from the vehicle.
Assisting the driver in planning the route if the job involves multiple pick-ups.
Assisting the driver in the event of an accident, breakdown or emergency by looking after the passengers.

9.3 Emergencies

As per our Group Membership Form, you must provide and alternative contact name and number that we can contact in the event of an emergency. This must be a person who does not normally travel with your group. This is especially important for hires outside normal office hours.

Emergency Exits: The group leader and driver must familiarise themselves with the location and operation of all emergency exits on the vehicle before the journey begins. They should ensure that emergency exits are not blocked or obstructed by luggage or other items during the trip.

Emergency Equipment: Easilink minibuses are equipped with first aid kits and fire extinguishers. The group leader and driver should know the location of this equipment and how to use it in case of an emergency.

Breakdown or Accident: In the event of a breakdown or accident, the driver must follow the appropriate procedures:

Pull over safely, if possible.
Ensure all passengers are safe and, if necessary, evacuate the vehicle to a safe location.
Contact Easilink immediately for assistance and further instructions.
Report any accidents to the police, if required by law, and complete an accident report form provided by Easilink.

Data Protection

10.1 Easilink will process personal data in accordance with its Data Protection Policy and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Any information provided by groups for the purpose of booking and using our services will be handled securely and only used for the intended purposes.

Complaints and Feedback

Easilink welcomes feedback on its Group Hire service and encourages groups to share their experiences with us.
Should any issues arise during the hire period, we ask that they be reported to Easilink as soon as possible so that we can address them promptly. You will be given an out of hours number for you to contact in this eventuality.
Formal complaints should be made in writing to Easilink’s management team. We will endeavour to resolve all complaints in a fair and timely manner.

Termination of Hire

Easilink reserves the right to terminate the hire agreement immediately if the group is found to be in breach of any of the terms and conditions outlined in this policy.
In such cases, the group will be required to return the vehicle immediately, and any hire fees paid will be forfeited.
Easilink Community Transport reserves the right to remove a person from the Register of Drivers.

Contact Information

For any queries regarding this policy or to make a booking, please contact Caroline Gallagher at Easilink Community Transport at:

Email: caroline@easilink.org
Phone: 028 71883282

Website: www.easilink.org