Minibus Safety Inspection Checklist

 

Checklist with check markFor minibus drivers, especially for those who are ferrying children, safety is absolutely paramount. Although minibuses are extremely valuable to schools and families, offering simple and affordable travel to sports trips and holidays, you – the driver – are responsible for its roadworthiness. As such, even if you are simply a teacher who has volunteered, it is the driver who will be fined or given points if the minibus is found to be defective by the police.

In light of this, this month we’ll be providing our readers with a minibus safety inspection checklist, outlining all of things you will need to do to ensure your minibus stays in peak condition.

Appointing a responsible person

In order to properly ensure the safety of your vehicle and its passengers, you need someone to be responsible for doing so. It can often be the case in schools where minibuses are kept and used without receiving the proper maintenance, ultimately leading to things like missed services and overlooked problems.

As mentioned earlier, it is the driver who is ultimately responsible for the roadworthiness of the minibus, so it makes sense that the driver is also in charge of maintenance. Although this doesn’t have to be the case, it’s vital that someone, be they new or existing, is responsible for the security of the vehicle.

Daily checks

For minibuses that are used frequently, daily checks should be carried out. These inspections needn’t be too thorough; a simple walk-around check should do. Also, essential safety equipment like seatbelts should be checked before the journey has begun.

Any defects found should be reported using a defect report form, ensuring that the exact nature of the fault is communicated to the person responsible for maintenance. This way, you can have a clear record of who found the fault, who deemed the vehicle still roadworthy, and what work was done to fix the vehicle.

Weekly checks

In addition to daily checks, more rigorous checks should be carried out on a weekly basis. These are particularly important if there are a number of drivers using the same minibus, as it ensures that a consistent level of maintenance is being carried out by all.

These checks will ensure that:

  • The first aid kit is stocked with the correct equipment
  • The fire extinguishers are fully charged
  • The windows, lights and number plates are clean
  • The pressure is correct for each tyre
  • The interior, particularly the seats, are properly cleaned
  • Nothing was missed during the completion of the daily walk-around checks

 

Wyatt Coaches provide high quality, reliable minibuses for hire with experienced professional drivers. Based in Barnsley, our coaches can comfortably transport you to destinations across the UK, from simple airport runs to big days out, sports team transportation, weddings and more. For further information on our buses, journey quotes or general enquiries, get in touch with our team today – we will be more than happy to help you.