The two dates that matter now are 1 February 2027 for exemption holders, and the rail replacement rules already in force since 1 August 2026.
A correction to last month. We said that from 1 February 2027, new coaches over 22 passengers must be PSVAR enabled on any service. That rule applies only to operators holding a home to school PSVAR exemption.
1 February 2027: new coaches for PSVAR exemption holders
This rule applies only to operators holding the new home to school PSVAR exemption, which runs to summer 2030. It is a condition of that exemption, not a new rule for every operator.
- What it requires. New coaches with more than 22 passenger seats entering service from 1 February 2027 must be PSVAR enabled. This covers every new coach you buy, not only those used on school work.
- PSVAR enabled, not fully compliant. The coach must meet the main standards, including a wheelchair space and signage. A passenger lift and destination displays are not required at delivery, but the coach must be built so they can be fitted later without major structural changes.
- Exceptions. Special vehicle types already exempt under existing regulations; MoD vehicles first used before February 2027; coaches on long term private hire booked for one month or more; and specialist touring vehicles (for example for bands or sports teams) with a nonstandard layout, at least 20% fewer seats than normal and built in features such as a kitchen.
- Other conditions. Exemption holders must keep a minimum share of compliant coaches, supply a compliant coach within two calendar months of a valid request at no extra charge, and answer DfT or DVSA data requests in full.
Order timing. If a coach due in December or January may slip past 31 January, confirm in writing with your dealer or converter that it will be built to the PSVAR enabled specification.
Rail replacement: exemptions have ended
Medium term PSVAR exemptions for rail replacement ended on 31 July 2026, and no further exemptions are expected. Coaches used on in scope rail replacement must now be fully PSVAR compliant.
A separate PSVAIR exemption covers unplanned rail replacement from 1 August 2026, but December’s engineering works are planned, so that exemption will not help with them. Read the DfT regulations (PDF)
Accessible Information Regulations (PSVAIR)
PSVAIR requires audible and visible route and stop information on most local bus and coach services. It does not apply to private hire.
Current position. Since 1 October 2026, vehicles first used between 1 January 1973 and 30 September 2014 must comply when used on in scope work. Partially compliant vehicles have until 1 October 2031.
Good practice
- Include audiovisual equipment in your daily walkaround checks.
- Give drivers a written procedure for recording equipment failures during a run.
Prices are holding steady into November. November bookings average £892 per job, and by 6 November more than two thirds of October’s volume was already booked.
Vehicle class benchmarks: October vs November
| Vehicle class | Oct avg job | Nov avg booked job | Change | Oct share of jobs | Nov share of bookings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 to 16 seat minibus | £613 | £433 | down £180 | 15.7% | |
| 17 to 24 seat midi | £563 | £775 | up £212 | 14.4% | |
| 25 to 37 seat midi | £943 | £830 | down £113 | 20.3% | |
| 38 to 49 seat coach | £1,175 | £1,165 | Flat | 13.6% | |
| 50 to 53 seat coach | £1,211 | £1,283 | up £72 | 10.7% | |
| 54 to 61 seat coach | £1,090 | £1,127 | up £37 | 4.6% | |
| 62 to 70+ seat coach or double decker | £1,536 | £1,222 | down £314 | 3.3% |
Bars are scaled against the busiest class, at 19.4% of November bookings. “Flat” means a change of under 1%.
What’s changed since October
- Large coaches in demand. 54 to 61 seat coaches rose from 4.6% to 6.1% of bookings, with the average job up from £1,090 to £1,127, as Christmas party bookings call for larger coaches.
- 50 to 53 seat rates up 6%. The average job rose from £1,211 to £1,283, with share steady at 10.7%.
- 38 to 49 seat coaches gaining share. Up from 13.6% to 15.1% of bookings, with rates flat at around £1,170.
- 17 to 24 seat midi rates up. The average job rose from £563 to £775.
- Minibus work softer. 9 to 16 seat minibuses fell from 15.7% to 12.9% of bookings, and the average job from £613 to £433.
- 25 to 37 seat midis still the busiest class. 19.4% of bookings, with the average job at £830, down from £943.
Winter dispatch outlook
Corporate and party bookings for late November and December weekend evenings are starting to arrive. Suppliers with spare weekend capacity should log it now.
Christmas and New Year engineering works will drive demand for large coaches. Only coaches that meet PSVAR and PSVAIR can be dispatched on in scope rail replacement.
New operators can work with us on their own terms, taking as much or as little as suits their diary through the year.
Getting started. Register through the supplier portal, or call the supplier support line on +44 330 174 0598 to set up your account.
Register through the supplier portal Back to contents
Our Supply Partnerships Team will host a training session on Wednesday 18 November at 10am on how to win more work through the supplier portal. One supplier who learned to use the portal last month has already tripled the bookings we refer to them, generating an extra £150,000 in winter revenue.
What you’ll learn
- Submit your prices in the portal. We don’t want to keep emailing you for quotes. With your prices in the portal, we can offer customers more competitive prices and win more work.
- Get work assigned instantly. When a customer books, we can assign the job to you straight away, with no back and forth.
You can also book eCoachManager (ECM) and Don’t Travel Empty (DTE) demos or training through the operations desk, in Talk to us.
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Thank you to every operator who visited Stand 325 at the NEC Birmingham between 3 and 5 November.
DTE One live rollout
Live system feedback. Depot managers welcomed the unlimited user model and integrated driver app, especially the ability to reassign rosters in real time from a mobile device.
Onboarding schedule. Phase 1 depot onboarding has started. Suppliers who registered interest at the show are being booked for account setup through mid November.
Virtual sessions. Operators who could not travel to Birmingham can book a virtual one to one walkthrough through the supplier portal.
Book a virtual walkthroughSection 6
November supplier priorities
Three things to get done this month.
- Log festive availability. Mark weekend availability in the portal calendar now to pick up corporate evening and late night party returns.
- Keep compliance records current. Make sure your PSVAR and PSVAIR vehicle certificates are up to date in the system, so compliant vehicles can be dispatched on rail replacement.
- Prepare for winter. Check antifreeze levels, tyre pressures and battery health on standby vehicles to avoid failed departures in freezing conditions.
Section 7
Upcoming milestones
| Date | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Nov 2026 | Free portal training with our Supply Partnerships Team, 10am | Book your place |
| Late Nov to Dec 2026 | Winter private hire peak and major rail engineering works | Log weekend availability and keep your PSVAR and PSVAIR certificates current |
| 1 Feb 2027 | New coaches over 22 seats entering service with home to school PSVAR exemption holders must be PSVAR enabled | Confirm the build specification in writing for any coach due in December or January |
| Summer 2030 | Home to school PSVAR exemptions expire | Plan fleet replacement now |
| 1 Oct 2031 | Partially compliant vehicles must fully meet PSVAIR | Plan upgrades for partially compliant systems |
Next month in Operator Direct
Christmas and New Year dispatch, December’s month on month rates by vehicle class, and the countdown to 1 February for exemption holders.
Got a question you would like answered here, or a story from your depot? Email the operations desk. We read every one.
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To book the 18 November training, or eCoachManager and Don’t Travel Empty demos or training, email the operations desk.
Sources
- DfT: PSV accessible information exemption regulations 2026 (PDF)
- GOV.UK: Apply for an exemption from PSVAR for home to school coaches
- Market benchmarks: platform job data, all UK regions. November figures are bookings made by 6 November. All prices exclude VAT and tolls.
