top of page

MiDAS Car/MPV Course

Road Safety - Everyone's Business

MiDAS is the Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme, organised by the Community Transport Association U.K. (CTA) which promotes a nationally recognised standard for the assessment and training of minibus drivers.

 

It is a membership based scheme that is designed to enhance minibus driving standards and promote the safer operation of minibuses, currently there are over 5,000 member organisations throughout the UK.

MiDAS minibus assessments, Car/MPV Course

MiDAS & Car MPV Training

It’s an extension of the highly successful, nationally recognised, MiDAS (Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme). Organised by the CTA, it is a membership based scheme designed to improve driving standards and knowledge of drivers for small passenger carrying vehicles and cars. It is also intended to assist the operators of smaller vehicles in meeting their health and safety obligations.

Who can benefit from this course?

The MiDAS Car & MPV course is applicable to any organisation operating or using vehicles with less than nine passenger seats. Member organisations trained by UK Global Road Safety range from the smaller voluntary organisations with one vehicle, to larger corporate and local authorities operating large fleets.

How Does the Course Work? 

MiDAS Car & MPV operates on a ‘cascade’ approach. Community Transport Association CTA has appointed a number of Training Agents throughout the UK, who provide training for Driver Observers nominated from member organisations.

A Driver Observer delivers classroom based training to drivers, covering driving skills and passenger safety issues.

Following the training, the Driver Observer conducts an ‘observed drive’ where drivers get the opportunity to put
the skills they have learnt into practise.

It is important to understand that the Driver Observer does not deliver any on-road training, they are there only to assess.  

 

What’s involved in becoming a Driver Observer?

Anyone wishing to become a Driver Observer must undertake a thorough driving assessment conducted by a Training Agent (Training Agents should be DVSA Approved Driving Instructors). During this assessment, potential Driver Observers must be capable of demonstrating an ‘above average’ driving standard. On successful completion of their assessment, potential Driver Observers must attend a three day course for standard vehicles and a further day for wheelchair accessible vehicles. During this course potential Driver Observers will be required to pass a theory assessment, a presentation skills assessment and for those who will be training drivers of wheelchair accessible vehicles, an assessment of their practical skills.

 

What is covered in the training modules?

The course provides information and practical experience on how to undertake observed drives in an objective and consistent manner and emphasises the point that Driver Observers must not deliver any on-road training. It looks at how to structure observed drives and how to provide ‘classroom based’ safety training and refresher training.

 

The safety training, undertaken before drivers undertake an observed drive, can be delivered on a group or individual basis (although drivers will benefit far more if they are trained as a group). The training uses key
learning points from a number of areas:

  • Defensive Driving

  • Emergency Procedures

  • Passenger Awareness

  • Legal Responsibilities of Drivers

  • Passenger Safety

  • Health and Safety Awareness

  • Personal Safety for Drivers

  • Child Passenger Safety

  • Manual Handling Awareness
     

Each Driver Observer who attends is given a comprehensive observer’s manual that includes all the information from the course, along with audio visual material needed to run the safety training sessions. Driver Observer certificates are valid for 2 years after which refresher training is required.

 

The benefits of the course

Drivers who successfully complete the training programme and an observed drive will receive a nationally recognised certificate valid for 4 years, as well as the option of purchasing the comprehensive‘ Car & MPV Driver’s Handbook’.

 

Our organisations drivers use their own cars, is the observed drive compulsory?

Organisations with volunteers who use their own cars may 'opt out' of the observed drive. However, UK Global Road Safety Ltd strongly recommend that all drivers responsible for driving others in vehicles should undertake an appropriate training course for the type of vehicle being driven. Drivers who do not undertake the observed drive will have this recorded on their certificates.

However, observed drives must be undertaken where drivers are driving vehicles belonging to your organisation.

 

If we join is there a membership fee?

No, organisations joining MiDAS Car & MPV will only be required to make the following commitment:

  • To train all new drivers to the MiDAS standard and conduct observed drives, where appropriate, from the date of joining 

  • To train and conduct observed drives, where appropriate, on all existing drivers within 12 months from the date of joining (this may be extended in exceptional circumstances)

  • To allow drivers holding MiDAS Car & MPV certificates to drive on behalf of your organisation without the need for re-training. However, insurance policies and conditions will always have to be fulfilled and drivers that have previously been using their own cars may have to undertake an observed drive.

 

 

If you would like to discuss this aspect of MiDAS Training further or have questions concerning either MiDAS training in general or Car & MPV training please telephone our office.

Call on 01452 347332 or use our MiDAS Minibus Driver Training Contact Form for more information.

bottom of page