Category D Specific Requirements: Buses, Passenger Transport, and Driving Techniques
Licence and vehicle requirements
Category D covers buses with more than eight passenger seats besides the driver; D1 covers smaller buses, and DE covers a bus with a trailer. A bus driver must hold the correct category, meet age and medical requirements, and carry passenger-transport documents. The bus must be technically inspected, insured for passengers, fitted with a tachograph, and equipped with extinguisher, first-aid kit, and marked emergency exits.
Passenger safety duties
Before departure, check doors close properly, passengers are seated or standing safely, and the aisle is clear. Do not start until boarding and alighting are complete. Announce stops, open doors only when stopped, and ensure passengers clear the doors before moving. Never exceed the passenger capacity stated in the documents. Children require appropriate restraint where provided.
Driving technique
A bus brakes and corners differently when loaded: allow longer stopping distance, take bends smoothly, and avoid sudden lane changes that topple standing passengers. Use engine braking on descents. Keep a larger following gap than a car. At stops, pull in close to the kerb and check mirrors before pulling out.
Traps
Questions test whether a D licence permits driving a lorry (no) and whether passengers may stand in a bus designed for seated passengers only (no). Another trap: opening the door before the bus has fully stopped.
Rule of thumb
Loaded bus = car stopping distance plus a margin; smooth inputs protect standing passengers. Doors closed, aisle clear, then move.