Boarding and alighting

• Do not move off until all passengers are seated or safely holding on.
• Watch for passengers still moving to a seat when pulling away.
• Give extra time to elderly, disabled or pregnant passengers to sit down.
• Never allow standing passengers beyond the permitted standing area on a bus.
• Check mirrors and blind spots before closing doors to avoid trapping anyone.

Wheelchair users and accessibility

• Priority space must be given to a wheelchair user over a standing passenger or pushchair.
• Deploy the ramp or lift correctly and check it is secure before boarding begins.
• Secure the wheelchair using the restraint system before moving off.
• If the wheelchair space is occupied by another passenger, you should ask them to move to free the space.
• Some low-floor vehicles have a kneeling function to reduce the step height at the kerb.
• Assistance dogs must always be allowed to travel with their owner.

Passengers with additional needs

• Speak clearly, face the passenger, and allow more time for those with hearing or visual impairment.
• Announce stops where possible to help passengers who cannot see clearly.
• Be patient with passengers who have mobility, learning or mental health difficulties.
• Do not rush anyone off the vehicle at a request stop.

Safety while driving

• Do not carry more standing passengers than the vehicle is licensed for.
• Keep gangways and exits clear of luggage and pushchairs at all times.
• Brake and accelerate smoothly to reduce the risk of passengers falling.
• If a passenger becomes ill, stop in a safe place as soon as possible.
• Regularly check mirrors for passenger behaviour, especially near open doors.

General conduct

• You are responsible for the safety and welfare of passengers throughout the journey.
• Report any incidents involving passenger injury to your employer as required.
• Anti-social or dangerous behaviour by passengers should be dealt with calmly, and police called if needed.
• Fare disputes should never be allowed to distract you from driving safely.

Why this topic matters

Drivers' hours rules exist to stop fatigue-related crashes. As a PCV driver you must know the EU/GB rules, how the tachograph records your activity, and what counts as professional conduct on the road.

The core EU drivers' hours rules

• Maximum 9 hours driving per day, extendable to 10 hours twice a week.
• Maximum 56 hours driving in one week.
• Maximum 90 hours driving over any two consecutive weeks.
• After 4.5 hours driving you must take a break of at least 45 minutes (or 15 mins + 30 mins, in that order).
• Daily rest: normally 11 hours, reducible to 9 hours up to three times a week.
• Weekly rest: a regular weekly rest of 45 hours, which can be reduced to 24 hours, with the lost time made up later.

Working Time Directive (separate from driving limits)

• Average working week of 48 hours, up to a maximum of 60 hours in any single week.
• Night workers face extra restrictions on hours worked.

GB domestic rules

For local bus services and certain exempt operations, simpler GB domestic rules can apply instead of EU rules — know that both systems exist and which applies to your operation.

The tachograph

• Records driving time, breaks, other work and availability, either digitally or on paper charts.
• You must keep records for 28 days and be able to produce them if asked by an enforcement officer.
• A digital tachograph driver card is personal to you — never let anyone else use it, and report loss or theft promptly.
• Common mistake: forgetting to select the correct mode (drive/work/availability/rest) when switching activity — this creates false records.
• If the tachograph fails, you must record activity manually and get it repaired as soon as possible, within the legal time limits.

Professional conduct

• Falsifying, interfering with, or failing to use the tachograph correctly is a serious offence with heavy penalties.
• Fatigue is a driver responsibility too — you must not drive if you feel unfit due to tiredness, even if your hours technically allow it.
• Planning routes and breaks in advance avoids being forced into rule-breaking by running late.

Common mistakes candidates make

• Confusing driving time limits with working time limits — they are different rules with different maximums.
• Mixing up the 45-hour weekly rest with the reduced 24-hour version and forgetting the make-up requirement.
• Thinking a break can be any activity — a proper break means no driving and no other work.

Why vehicle condition matters

As a PCV driver you're responsible in law for the roadworthiness of your vehicle every time you drive it. You must complete a walkaround check before starting a journey and report any defects using the correct company procedure - never rely on someone else to notice a fault.

Doors

• Passenger doors must be checked for correct operation before moving off - power-operated doors need working controls, warning devices and emergency release systems.
• Never move off with a door indicator light showing a door is not fully closed.
• Interlocks on many PCVs prevent the vehicle moving while a door is open - never try to bypass or disable this safety device.
• Emergency door controls and exits must be clearly signed and kept free from obstruction at all times.
• If a door fails to close properly on the road, you must not continue until it's fixed or made safe - passenger safety comes first.

Braking systems

• Most PCVs use dual-circuit air brakes so a fault in one circuit still leaves braking available through the other.
• Low air pressure will trigger a warning light and buzzer - you must not drive if this warning is showing, as pressure may be too low for safe braking.
• The secondary (or parking) brake is a separate system, tested regularly, and must hold the vehicle safely on a gradient.
• Air brake systems need time to build pressure after starting the engine - always wait for the gauge to reach the safe operating range before moving off.
• Check that the retarder (if fitted) is working, as it reduces wear on the main brakes and helps control speed on long descents.
• A spongy, delayed, or pulling brake pedal is a defect that must be reported immediately, not driven with.

Tyres and general condition

• Tyre tread depth must be at least 1mm across three-quarters of the tread width, around the entire circumference, for PCVs over 3.5 tonnes.
• Mixing different tyre types (radial and cross-ply) on the same axle is illegal.
• Check for cuts, bulges, and correct pressure as part of the daily walkaround.

Common mistakes

• Assuming a fault is 'minor' and driving anyway - always report and record it.
• Forgetting that a defect log (or DVIR) must be completed and kept for inspection.
• Not knowing where the emergency door release or fire extinguisher is located.
• Setting off before air pressure has reached the safe working level shown by the gauge.

Speed limits for buses and coaches

As a PCV driver you must know your vehicle's specific limits, which are often lower than a car's.

• Motorways: 70 mph (coach with tachograph) or 60 mph for larger buses/coaches over 12m.
• Dual carriageways: 60 mph.
• Single carriageways: 50 mph.
• Built-up areas: 30 mph unless signed otherwise.
• Buses under 10m long fitted with a speed limiter are restricted differently to full-size coaches, so always check the vehicle plate, not just the road sign.

Bus lanes, routes and priority

Buses and coaches may use bus lanes during their times of operation, shown on the sign underneath. Times vary by lane, so check the plate every time. When pulling away from a stop, other traffic should give way, but never assume this - wait until it is safe. In one-way streets with a contraflow bus lane, watch out for pedestrians who may look the wrong way for traffic.

Height, width and low bridges

PCVs are often taller than 3m. You must know your vehicle's height and never rely on route memory - bridges get resurfaced and clearances change. If a route has an arched bridge, the safe height may only apply to the centre of the road, not the sides. Always plan routes that avoid low bridges and use a height-checked route where possible.

Restricted roads and school routes

Some roads carry weight or width restrictions for HGVs and PCVs, shown by a triangular or circular sign with a plate. Routes near schools may have a School Keep Clear marking - do not stop or wait on the yellow zigzags, even briefly, as this obstructs visibility for children crossing.

Level crossings and low loading

Buses and coaches must never stop on a level crossing. If traffic ahead means you cannot clear it fully, wait before the crossing rather than risk being caught on it.

Common mistakes

• Assuming car speed limits apply - PCVs have their own, usually lower, limits.
• Forgetting bus lane operating times shown on the plate.
• Trusting old route knowledge on bridge heights instead of checking current signage.
• Stopping on yellow zigzags near bus stops or schools.
• Overhanging the rear of a long vehicle into a level crossing.

Knowing these rules protects passengers, pedestrians and the vehicle itself, and they come up often in the theory test as multiple-choice scenario questions.

Why hazard awareness matters on a PCV

A bus or coach is long, heavy and slow to stop. Standing passengers, blind spots and a much longer stopping distance mean you must scan further ahead and react earlier than a car driver would.

Stopping distances

• Stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance, and both grow with speed and vehicle weight.
• At 50mph a car needs roughly 53 metres to stop; a loaded PCV needs considerably more because of its mass, so leave extra following distance.
• Wet roads at least double stopping distance; in ice or snow it can be ten times longer, so drop your speed right down.
• Use the two-second rule in good conditions and double it (four seconds) in the wet.

Vulnerable road users

• Vulnerable road users include pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, horse riders, children, older people and people with disabilities.
• Watch for children near schools, ice cream vans and parked cars — they can appear suddenly and misjudge a bus's speed.
• Cyclists and motorcyclists can be hidden in your mirrors' blind spots, especially when you signal and start to pull out or turn left.
• When overtaking a cyclist, allow at least 1.5 metres of space at speeds up to 30mph, and more room at higher speeds.
• Give horse riders extra room and pass slowly; a bus engine or air brakes can spook a horse badly.
• At a zebra crossing you must give way once a pedestrian has stepped onto it; at a pelican crossing, stop on red and flashing amber until the crossing is clear.

Common hazard clues

• A stationary bus or coach ahead may be about to move off or has passengers about to cross in front or behind it.
• An ice cream van, school, or a ball rolling into the road are all classic 'child may run out' hazards.
• Brake lights ahead, especially in a line of traffic, warn of a hazard you cannot yet see — cover the brake and ease off the accelerator.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Following too closely, so you cannot react if the vehicle in front brakes suddenly.
• Forgetting your bus has much bigger blind spots than a car, particularly to the nearside and directly behind.
• Overtaking too close to cyclists or pedestrians, or accelerating past a horse.
• Not adjusting your speed and following gap for wet or icy roads — 'stopping distance' questions are a regular theory test theme.
• Assuming pedestrians have seen your bus; large vehicles are harder to judge speed and distance for.

Driver documents

As a PCV driver you must carry the right documents and keep them valid.

• Driving licence must show category D (or D1 for minibuses) entitlement.
• Driver Qualification Card (DQC) proves you hold the Driver CPC. You must carry it while driving professionally and produce it if asked by an authorised examiner or the police.
• Driver CPC needs 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to stay valid — spread the hours out, don't leave it all to the last minute.
• A tachograph record (digital card or paper chart) is a legal requirement for most PCV work to prove you have kept within drivers' hours rules. Keep records for the required retention period and never falsify them.

Vehicle documents

• The Certificate of Insurance shows the vehicle is covered; PCVs need cover appropriate to carrying fare-paying passengers.
• The Operator's Licence (O-licence) is held by the operator, not the driver, and authorises the business to run PSVs.
• A PSV must have a valid MOT-equivalent test certificate and be maintained to the standard on the operator's licence undertaking.
• Vehicle defects must be reported using the daily walkaround check and written up in the defect book before the vehicle is used.

Incidents and breakdowns

• At the scene of a collision, priority is safety: protect the scene, warn other traffic, and check for casualties before moving anyone.
• Only move injured passengers if they are in immediate danger (for example fire or fumes) — otherwise leave them for trained help.
• Report incidents to your operator and, where required, to the police and DVSA — serious incidents involving PCVs may need reporting under RIDDOR if there's a work-related injury.
• If the vehicle breaks down, get passengers off in a safe, controlled way, away from moving traffic, and use hazard warning lights plus a warning triangle if you have one.

Environmental responsibility

• Switch off the engine when parked or waiting for long periods — engine idling wastes fuel and adds unnecessary pollution, and many operators and local authorities have anti-idling rules.
• Smooth, anticipatory driving (reading the road ahead, gentle acceleration and braking) cuts fuel consumption and emissions.
• Correct tyre pressures and a well-maintained vehicle reduce fuel use — report anything unusual so it can be fixed quickly.
• Clean Air Zones (CAZ) and Low Emission Zones (LEZ) in UK towns and cities may charge or restrict older, more polluting PCVs — know your vehicle's emissions standard and the zones on your route.

Common mistakes

• Confusing the DQC (driver's proof of CPC) with the tachograph card — they're different documents with different purposes.
• Thinking the driver holds the operator's licence — it belongs to the operator, not an individual driver.
• Forgetting that anti-idling and smooth driving are examinable environmental topics, not just good manners.