Car Hire Orpington

Many people are surprised to find out that you don’t need a special driving licence to hire a minibus or hire a van. As long as you’re over 22, under 70 and have held your UK driving licence for more than a year, you can hire and drive a minibus or van.

However, driving a hired minibus or van is very different to driving a standard road car, so here are some pointers to help you get used to the changes you’ll need to make to your driving style when you hire a minibus or van:

• the braking distance of a van or minibus is greater than that of a car, so brake earlier than you normally would in your hired vehicle
• a hire van or minibus will have a wider turning circle than your road car, so be sure to leave plenty of room for any manoeuvres
• when you’re driving a hire van or minibus, be aware of hazards on the road such as protruding signposts, overhanging trees, overhead power lines, low bridges and telephone cables.

A good way to get used to driving a hire minibus or hire van can be to practice in a safe place off the public road. The van or minibus hire company may have somewhere you can do this, or you may be able to find a quiet corner of a car park to practice in.