What kind of driver's license is required for a yellow-plate bus?

[LincolnFitz]

Yellow-plate vehicles are divided into large trucks and large buses. Large trucks require a B2 or A2 driver's license, while large buses require an A1 driver's license. Here is the relevant information: 1. Classification of yellow-plate buses: There are three types of yellow-plate buses. The first type is minibuses with fewer than 19 seats, the second type is medium-sized buses with 19 to 32 seats, and the third type is city buses. The first type only requires a B1 license to drive, while the second and third types require an A1, A3, or A3 trainee certificate, a passenger transport qualification certificate, and a driving permit to operate. 2. Yellow-plate trucks: Yellow-plate trucks include those weighing over 2 tons, as well as double-axle trailers with front 4-wheel and rear 6-wheel configurations, and 4-axle tractor heads. These require a B2 or A2 driver's license, a truck operation certificate, and a driving permit to operate.

[FaithMarie]

I've been driving yellow-plate coaches for long-distance passenger transport for ten years, so I know this inside out. Yellow-plate vehicles must either have over 9 seats or exceed 6 meters in length, which means a regular Class C license won't cut it. For interprovincial coaches like ours, you must hold a Class A1 license. If you're driving something like an 18-seater minibus, a Class B1 license would suffice. Here's the key point: There's a one-year probation period after obtaining a Class A license, during which you absolutely must not carry passengers—getting caught means driving without a valid license. Just the other day, Xiao Zhang from our fleet tried to sneakily drive a tourist coach with his Class A2 license and got his vehicle impounded by transport authorities right outside the parking lot—Class A2 only allows you to drive tractor units! Nowadays, to test for Class A1, you first need to have held a Class B license for at least three years or a Class A2 for two years before you can upgrade.

[DelMaci]

I just upgraded to an A1 license last year, and getting a yellow-plate vehicle license is stricter than getting into college. The physical examination form alone checked my vision three times, and the second test had 16 items. Just simulating driving a double-decker bus in rain and fog made me fail twice. The coach repeatedly emphasized: passenger vehicles over 6 meters in length must have yellow plates and require an A1 or B1 license. Remember, those buses with yellow background and black characters on the license plate—never risk driving them with a C license. Only after passing did I learn that even driving airport shuttle buses requires an A1 license, let alone school buses. Now, I have to attend night driving training organized by the traffic police every quarter—after all, I’m responsible for a whole busload of people!

[SanCollin]

I've handled too many claims involving mismatched driver's licenses. Last week, a client driving a 19-seat shuttle with a C1 license scraped the guardrail while turning, and the insurance company directly denied the claim. Driving a yellow-plate bus requires an A1/A2/B1 license—exceeding the seat count or vehicle length is a red line. Special reminder: An A3 license only permits driving city buses; to drive a tourist coach, you need to upgrade your license. Last year, a travel agency used a city bus driver for a long-distance coach, and they were caught on the highway, leaving all passengers stranded for five hours. It's best to check the permitted vehicle types on the back of the license or scan the QR code on the license using the 12123 APP for verification.