Why is the national fleet of school minibuses growing at such a rate – and how are schools managing to finance such growth?

According to recent surveys one of the main reasons for the recent growth in the number of school minibuses is that schools are acquiring them in order to connect with other schools.

Schools have reported that they derive huge benefits from having closer links with other schools, whether it is a case of playing competitive sport, participating in a unified schools’ orchestra, or sharing the use of the facilities at a neighbouring school (be it a gym or top of the range D&T equipment).

And as this interchange between schools becomes increasingly popular, more school minibuses are needed to cater for this demand.

Furthermore, schools are finding it easier now than ever to finance their school minibus thanks to the various leasing arrangements that are now available and which enable them to avoid having to make a large upfront payment.

Benchmark Leasing offers schools the option to lease a minibus, which has proven for many to be cheaper than making an outright purchase (especially if one takes into account the re-sale value of a school bus at the end of its working life or hiring a coach each time).

What’s more, Benchmark Leasing offer a full maintenance programme, so no matter the outcome of the vehicle’s services and MOTs, the cost of repairs won’t affect the lease price.

For more information about leasing a minibus with Benchmark Leasing you can go to our website, call us on 01753 859944 or email minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk

And you can find more reasons for the year on year increase in the number of school minibuses in the UK on our blog – www.minibusleasingblog.co.uk.

Benchmark Leasing Ltd
11 High Street
Eton
Berkshire
SL4 6AS

www.minibusleasing.co.uk/school-minibus.php

minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk

Tel: 01753 859944

A school minibus can be driven by any member of staff who holds a standard car driving licence. This is providing that the gross weight of the vehicle is below 3500kg (equivalent, as it happens, to the weight of a blue whale’s tongue).

As a result, many teachers are able to offer more learning outside the classroom opportunities to their pupils as they don’t need to rely on the appointed school minibus driver/s with a minibus license who might be unavailable at the time.

What’s more, taking smaller groups of pupils outside the classroom to undertake their learning can make a huge impact not only on their academic progress, as the learning is made more personal to them, but also on their personal development.

If you are unsure which model of school minibuses can be driven on a car driving licence, Benchmark Leasing have a range of minibuses that are available for leasing and that fit the required specifications.

A popular minibus among schools to whom we lease is a 12 seater Ford Transit Minibus (TDCi Trend) which comes with air conditioning, metallic paint (if required), heated front screen, electric mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, and fog lamps.

Our leasing package for this vehicle is a 2 year agreement of payments of just £299 + VAT per month. This particular leasing package includes full maintenance, including replacement tyres, servicing, Road Tax, MOTs, and 6 Monthly Safety Inspections.

This special offer is only available while stocks last.

For more information about leasing a minibus with Benchmark Leasing you can go to our website, call us on 01753 859944 or email minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk.

Benchmark Leasing Ltd
11 High Street
Eton
Berkshire
SL4 6AS

www.minibusleasing.co.uk/school-minibus.php

minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk

Tel: 01753 859944

Given that the majority of school minibuses on the road are over five years old, the following approach can be particularly valuable.

Given the choice, most of us would choose to drive a new minibus rather than an old one.

Given the choice most of us would choose not to have to do all the maintenance work (including tyres, clutch, battery, etc) on the school’s minibus.

Now both of those choices can be met through having a leased minibus that comes complete with a maintenance contract.

The great benefit of leasing is that the purchase of the bus doesn’t come in one lump from school funds. Rather the bus is paid for as it is used by the school.

So you get a double benefit. A new minibus which is less likely to have problems plus the option of having a professional undertake all the standard maintenance and servicing.

This effectively reduces the onus that is put on the person who is nominated in the school’s transport policy to look after the minibus. Indeed, it was to overcome issues and difficulties such as this that we introduced full maintenance as part of our minibus leasing.

Not only do the schools that use our service get a new minibus without having to use current capital to buy it, but they also get our certification that the bus has been checked by qualified engineers.

All in all you get a wonderful new school minibus, which is beautiful to drive and with no maintenance concerns at all.

If you would like to know more take a look at our website – www.minibusleasing.co.uk/school-minibus.php

Alternatively email us at Minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk or call us on 01753 859 944.

Increasing the number of opportunities your pupils get to undertake multi-sensory learning outside the typical classroom environment.

One multi-sensory approach to learning, which is perhaps more effective than any other, is that of offering your pupils the opportunity to undertake their learning outside the typical classroom environment.

Indeed it is likely that you have already witnessed the enormous benefits that learning outside the classroom has on your pupils’ progress and development. Yet opportunities for such learning can be far and few between.

This is because organising school transport for learning outside the classroom can be difficult in terms of finding a vehicle that is suited to the needs of your pupils. It can also be difficult to fund such trips on a regular basis.

Fortunately, Benchmark Leasing offer a leasing package for converted and specialist school vehicles which for many schools has proven to be a much more cost effective option. It is an arrangement which makes it possible for schools to fund the vehicle through a small payment each month – which has the added benefit of improved budgeting and cash flow.

We work with the most respected and expert vehicle convertors and specialist vehicle suppliers to create a bespoke vehicle with a flexible arrangement, equipped with everything that your pupils require. From wheelchair access, including ramps and lifts, to the fitting and removal of additional seats.

All our vehicles respond to the VOSA/VCA legislation that came into force in April 2013 and are tested and approved by an accredited test institution to meet the safety standards described in EEC directives ECE-R14/06 and council directive 76/115.

What’s more, a full maintenance programme is included in the leasing package, so no matter the outcome of the vehicle’s services and MOTs, the cost of repairs won’t affect the lease price.

For more information about Benchmark Leasing you can go to our website, call us on 01753 859944, or email minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk

Every year the number of minibuses in schools increases, with virtually every school now possessing at least one minibus, and many schools now looking at getting their third or fourth bus.

But why is the national fleet of school minibuses growing at such a rate – and how are schools managing to finance such growth?  This was one of the questions that the second National Survey of School Minibuses sought to discover and this is what we found.

So why is the number of school minibuses in the UK growing at such a rate?

The most commonly cited reason for getting an extra minibus is to enhance learning outside the classroom. With this now a compulsory part of the curriculum in Scotland, schools in the rest of the UK are following suit, not least because of widespread reports that this type of activity can enhance everything from exam grades to personal and social development.

Secondly many schools report that they derive huge benefits from having closer connections with other schools.  Whether it is a case of playing competitive sports, joining a unified schools’ orchestra, or making use of specialist facilities that a neighbouring school has (be it a recording studio or top of the range D&T equipment), this interchange between schools is certainly growing.

Indeed such sharing of resources allows each school to make significant financial savings by sharing facilities and equipment – savings which themselves go some way towards paying for the extra minibus.

Third, it has become clear that some minibuses have in the past been underused because of their age and resultant unreliability. One only has to have one experience of a breakdown or failure to start, and then the old minibus tends to lie unused apart from for essential journeys. Given that the 2015 survey of school minibuses found that three out of four school minibuses on the road are over five years old, you can see the extent of the problem.

On the other hand a new minibus not only overcomes such problems, but it also makes a huge impact on parents – both those with children at the school and those contemplating sending children to the school.

Fourth, we have the increasing pupil population (which is estimated to reach 4.7 million in UK primary schools 3.3 million in UK secondary schools in the coming decade).

This is already presenting many schools with a logistical problem when it comes to offering learning outside the classroom experiences to their pupils.

With just one minibus, the opportunity to go on school trips will be very limited, and some pupils may never venture out of the school grounds at all. The availability of of a second minibus will become increasingly desirable.

And finally there is finance. In the past, schools have been more inclined to buy a minibus outright, and it is only recently that a totally different way of paying for a minibus has emerged.

The alternative approach, which avoids the need to make a large upfront payment, involves leasing the bus.

Benchmark Leasing are offering schools the option to lease a minibus, which has proven for many to be cheaper than buying a minibus outright or hiring a coach each time.

What’s more, Benchmark Leasing also offer a full maintenance programme, so no matter the outcome of the vehicle’s services and MOTs, the cost of repairs won’t affect the lease price.

For more information about leasing a minibus with Benchmark Leasing you can go to our website, call us on 01753 859944 or email minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk

Benchmark Leasing Ltd
11 High Street
Eton
Berkshire
SL4 6AS

www.minibusleasing.co.uk/school-minibus.php

minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk

Tel: 01753 859944