# Purchase a MiniBus



## Robin McLaughlin (Sep 14, 2009)

Hello, we are in the process of moving to spain (Almeria) and i am curios to find out if anybody on the forum could answer my question's.

1, I am looking to purchase a used 17 seater minibus.

2, Does any body know of a good insurance broker who can offer all correct insurance for business.


Regards.

Robin McLaughlin


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## owdoggy (Jul 23, 2008)

Robin McLaughlin said:


> Hello, we are in the process of moving to spain (Almeria) and i am curios to find out if anybody on the forum could answer my question's.
> 
> 1, I am looking to purchase a used 17 seater minibus.
> 
> ...


There's a place called Costa Coches in Antas that may be able to help you but as for the insurance I don't really know about the business side of things but Applegate & Linea Directo are quite popular round here for bog standard domestic stuff. You could start with those.

Best of luck:yo:



Doggy


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## Robin McLaughlin (Sep 14, 2009)

owdoggy said:


> There's a place called Costa Coches in Antas that may be able to help you but as for the insurance I don't really know about the business side of things but Applegate & Linea Directo are quite popular round here for bog standard domestic stuff. You could start with those.
> 
> Best of luck:yo:
> 
> ...




Doggy

thankyou very much i will try and contact both of the business concerned!!:ranger:


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## Robin McLaughlin (Sep 14, 2009)

SteveHall said:


> This has been done to death on another forum. The paperwork is an absolute nightmare if you are going to go legal. If not the van may very well end on its roof or be impounded. There is ONLY one way to do this and that is get a savvy guy in your OWN town to do it. I do know one person who has done it eventually and he is always looking for Spanish-speaking PSV drivers. He will even offer work to anybody who can get legal but...
> Good Luck
> Steve




Steve

I take onboard everythink that you say, i have several ex Army freind's in and around the area who have been in spain for over 10year's. but if it is ok with you i would like to contact you via e-mail for advice. i dont know how to put my private e-mail on this forum?

Regards

Robin McLaughlin

:ranger:


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## mal100 (Nov 8, 2011)

Hi all,

This is very relevant to my dilemma at the moment. What was the outcome here? I'd like to find out more from both Steve and Robin, but I also struggled to find a private messaging function on the forum!

Kind regards,
Mal


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

mal100 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> This is very relevant to my dilemma at the moment. What was the outcome here? I'd like to find out more from both Steve and Robin, but I also struggled to find a private messaging function on the forum!
> 
> ...


Because the post is well over a year old, I dont think either poster comes on here now. The
private message function is activated after you've made a minimum of 5 posts - its to stop spammers coming on and driving everyone nuts lol!!! However, there maybe some other posters who will be able to help you??????

Jo xxx


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## mal100 (Nov 8, 2011)

jojo said:


> Because the post is well over a year old, I dont think either poster comes on here now. The
> private message function is activated after you've made a minimum of 5 posts - its to stop spammers coming on and driving everyone nuts lol!!! However, there maybe some other posters who will be able to help you??????
> 
> Jo xxx


Thanks Jo,

I'm pretty sure from my forum trawlings :ranger: that I will require an SP license in order to operate a minibus for any kind of hire or reward (even though minibus transfers will not be my primary business function). Has anybody got this license?

Cheers,
Mal


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

mal100 said:


> Thanks Jo,
> 
> I'm pretty sure from my forum trawlings :ranger: that I will require an SP license in order to operate a minibus for any kind of hire or reward (even though minibus transfers will not be my primary business function). Has anybody got this license?
> 
> ...


I know nothing really except I had a friend who wanted to be a busdriver (I think it was a mini bus he was going to be driving???) here in Spain for a British coach company. He had to go back to the UK to take his ..... HGV (?) licence and once he'd got that, he thought great "when do I start??" only to be told he also needed to have another licence to be allowed to carry people - does that help ?????? LOL? 

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> I know nothing really except I had a friend who wanted to be a busdriver (I think it was a mini bus he was going to be driving???) here in Spain for a British coach company. He had to go back to the UK to take his ..... HGV (?) licence and once he'd got that, he thought great "when do I start??" only to be told he also needed to have another licence to be allowed to carry people - does that help ?????? LOL?
> 
> Jo xxx


in the UK it's a PSV I think

no idea if it counts here though or if you have to do another one?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

mal100 said:


> Thanks Jo,
> 
> I'm pretty sure from my forum trawlings :ranger: that I will require an SP license in order to operate a minibus for any kind of hire or reward (even though minibus transfers will not be my primary business function). Has anybody got this license?
> 
> ...


Minibus tranfers? To and from an airport?
Alarm bells are ringing!!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Minibus tranfers? To and from an airport?
> Alarm bells are ringing!!



Hhhmm, if Mal lives in Alhaurin de la Torre (a lovely town BTW! I used to live there) He'll know not to upset the Malaga airport taxi drivers lol!!!! I had one or two "issues" with em and I only used to pick up my commuting husband  

Jo xxx


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

I have a friend who runs a mini-bus/taxi and he has tried to get the relevant licenses to be legal. He is an EU citizen and has fluent Spanish (of course, he's Dutch). He gave up. Simply too many obstacles in the way.


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## mal100 (Nov 8, 2011)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Minibus tranfers? To and from an airport?
> Alarm bells are ringing!!


I understand that airport transfers are a highly competitive (and by the sounds of it rather cutthroat) business. However, there must be many organisations on the Costa who collect guests from the airports as this is a complimentary service that is included with their holiday package - not their main activity. Surely such businesses should not have to go through the hassle of getting an SP license?:confused2:

I was advised earlier this morning by a guy who has been undertaking such activities for the past 10 years, and his opinion is that you can get away with doing this :clap2: as long as you (the business owner) are also the person to whom the minibus is registered, and you're not directly taking a fee from your guests for the transfers. 

I am now seeking legal advice to confirm this. :ranger:


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

mal100 said:


> I understand that airport transfers are a highly competitive (and by the sounds of it rather cutthroat) business. However, there must be many organisations on the Costa who collect guests from the airports as this is a complimentary service that is included with their holiday package - not their main activity. Surely such businesses should not have to go through the hassle of getting an SP license?:confused2:
> 
> I was advised earlier this morning by a guy who has been undertaking such activities for the past 10 years, and his opinion is that you can get away with doing this :clap2: as long as you (the business owner) are also the person to whom the minibus is registered, and you're not directly taking a fee from your guests for the transfers.
> 
> I am now seeking legal advice to confirm this. :ranger:


If you're planning to do that from Malaga airport then dont bother ...............and dont worry about getting legal advise. the taxi drivers there dont care! Like I said I had a couple of "run ins" with them when I used to pick my husband up when he commuted - "why you here again picking up lady?" with a menacing look - I ended up parking at the petrol station on the corner and husband had to walk LOL!! They wont let anyone operate on their turf and they soon work it out!!! Besides there are squillions of coach operators who are subcontracted by tour operators and airlines, doing a round trip, dropping holiday makers off at various hotels (and get the privilege of parking in the "coaches only area"). They also have to adhere to EU rules on carrying passengers and with respect, I dont think I'd want to be picked up and taken to my holiday destination by a driver without the correct qualifications or paperwork - imagine if you had a prang???. There are the mini buses run by the car hire companies and private hotels. I used to work for a company that arranged discounted holidays and we had no trouble finding airport pick-up companies - we had a two page list - they were all spanish companies who had some kind of arrangement with the local taxi companies

I'm all for trying things, but that idea into Malaga airport - nah! 

P.S. You may get away with it if you pick people up from "departures" on the top level (which makes it quite a walk and complicated for your passengers), but you cant wait there and will get moved on, fined or towed away!?

Jo xxx


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