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Guernsey Voluntary Service say they are experiencing significant pressures due to a lack of properly certified minibus drivers in the island, forcing them to remove some seats from their essential vehicles.
The Service are appealing for help from the community to help get their clients to its social clubs, saying their “time is running out”. Both drivers and volunteers are required to transport clients and assist them in and out of vehicles.
GVS Manager Mandy Le Bachelet says there is currently a “massive shortage” of drivers with a Category D1 licence, which is required to drive 12-seater minibuses used by the Service and by schools and sports clubs.
“Many have either had to remove three seats from their minibuses to make them a 9-seater, as we have done, or going forward purchasing 9-seater minibuses, which is very similar in price to a 12-seater,” she said.
“This of course is not very practical especially for those who, like us, need a 12-seater minibus for our clients, and I imagine sports teams would require the 12-seater as well.”
“We are at a critical stage as to whether we will have enough drivers to bring our Social Club clients into the Russels and Jubilee as of next week.”
Pictured: A GVA minibus which had three seats removed so it could be driven by someone with a Category B car licence.
Mrs Le Bachelet claimed she contacted Traffic & Highway Services “some time ago” to see if people who hold a Category B licence could be permitted to drive a 12-seater: “I was told that this was not possible as we were signed up to a standard code for driving licences, and, if it was changed, it would affect Guernsey drivers driving abroad”.
“I wrongly assumed that if someone drove a fire engine or a cement mixer, they would be able to drive a 12-seater minibus, but this is not the case, it is not the size or weight that counts. Our 9-seater minibus is the same weight and size as our 12-seater.”
UK residents who hold a Category B can drive a minibus with up to 16-seats, so long as the vehicle is not for ‘hire or reward’ and the driver is over the age of 21 - but only if the licence was obtained prior to 1997.
Responding to questions, Traffic & Highway Services said: “It is acknowledged that there are some differences between the jurisdictions in terms of licence entitlement, but only in relation to historical entitlement”.
“It is our understanding that a UK driver with a full Category B driving licence is only permitted to drive a minibus up to sixteen passenger seats providing the driver obtained the licence before 1 January 1997 and subject to a number of conditions.”
You can view the full list of conditions for UK drivers HERE.
Pictured: Guernsey is facing a shortage of drivers with a Category D1 licence.
Mrs Le Bachelet also claimed that the costs of obtaining a Category D1 licence could be prohibitively expensive, and that attempts by one of their staff members was unsuccessful.
“One of our drivers applied for a D1, completed the theory and practical test, but failed on his medical as he did not pass the treadmill test, but is still able to drive our 9-seater,” she said.
This unsuccessful attempt cost £1,000.
“I have in the past put out appeals for more D1 drivers, but sadly there is shortage of drivers within this category as many have given as the medicals, they need to take are very costly,” she claimed.
Mrs Le Bachelet added that the Guernsey Disability Alliance are looking for solutions but said the problems have left the GVS in a “desperate situation” which requires immediate action within the next week to ensure clients can attend the Jubilee Centre and The Russels.
“Between the two social clubs we make 18 trips per week. Unfortunately, we need to use our 9-seater more frequently than we would like to, which causes no end of trouble for our transport coordinator, as [both minibuses] have an electric hoist chair to assist our clients who are unable to manage the steps, to be collected.”
Mrs Le Bachelet provided the following list of dates where either a Category D1 driver or a volunteer are needed:
Drivers with a D1 license:
Volunteers needed to assist clients on and off the minibus:
Pictured: There are many dates throughout all of September where the GVS require assistance.
Without assistance on these dates Mrs Le Bachelet fears that “a significant number” of service users will be unable to attend social clubs which provide “a warm and welcoming environment for the elderly, where they enjoy the company of others”.
“We also provide refreshments throughout the day including a three-course lunch… without our social clubs many of our clients would be isolated in their own homes.”
She claimed that volunteer numbers have been declining in the last few years, citing people catching up on holidays post-pandemic and grandparents – noted as being their main source of volunteers – now spending more time looking after their grandchildren.
“I fear I cannot just sit back and hope the situation will improve in time, as our time is running out,” she concluded.
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