Can a 19-seater minibus be driven with an A2 license?
2 Answers
19-seater minibuses can be driven with an A2 license. An A2 license only permits driving buses with a length of less than 6 meters and a passenger capacity of fewer than 20 people. Requirements for applying for an A2 license: 1. Age between 22 and 50 years old; 2. Must have held a B1 license for more than three years, with no record of 12 penalty points in the application period and the previous three scoring cycles; 3. Must have held a B2 license for more than two years, with no full-point record in the corresponding cycles; 4. Must have held an A1 license for more than one year, with no record of 12 penalty points in the application period and the previous scoring cycle; 5. Naked or corrected vision must be 5.0 or above; 6. Height must not be less than 155 cm.
I've been driving heavy trucks for over a decade, so I know this stuff inside out. An A2 license mainly qualifies you to operate heavy semi-trailers and large trucks—it's not meant for passenger vehicles. A 19-seat minibus falls under the category of medium-sized passenger vehicles, and by regulation, you need a B1 license for that. A buddy of mine with an A2 once tried taking on a shuttle job driving a minibus, and within days he got pulled over by traffic police and hit with a hefty fine. Safety isn't something to take lightly—passenger vehicles carry many people, so drivers need specialized training. If you're serious about driving one, you'll need to visit the DMV to apply for a B1 upgrade, pass the passenger vehicle test, and get medically cleared before obtaining the license. Driving the wrong vehicle type is high-risk—if an accident happens, you won't be able to cover the costs, and it'll hurt your personal credit. Better double-check the vehicle type before hitting the road.
