If you are not sure who has ultimate responsibility for ensuring the roadworthiness of the school minibus, it might be worth checking your school risk assessment and policies on the issue.

Of course someone has to take responsibility for the fact that the minibus is safe.  But that is quite an onerous thing to take on, and anything which can make that person’s duty easier is to be welcomed. 

First off, it is fairly obvious that the newer the minibus, the less likely there is to be a problem.  But as we all know, few schools have the money to buy a new minibus – hence the ageing fleet.

But where a minibus is leased, the huge upfront payment for a new bus disappears.  What’s more there is an additional second benefit.

Maintenance and servicing, (including tyres, clutch, battery etc) can be covered within a leasing agreement. 

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

This effectively reduces the onus that is put on the person nominated in the school’s transport policy,  and 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, they also get our certification that the bus has been checked by qualified engineers.

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

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.