Driving coach and hire transport across borders requires more than a licence and code 95. Here is market access: the community permit (EU permit), the difference between regular and occasional services, the waybill, the Interbus agreement and cabotage rules.
Introduction
Driving and rest time, the 12-day rule and dimensions are about the driving day itself. But before a tour coach can even operate commercially — and especially across a border — both the company and the tour must have the right permits and documentation. This is a separate area of regulation, based on two EU regulations and an international agreement, and it is core material for tour and charter bus operation.
Two permits: the company and the market
Commercial passenger transport by bus rests on two pillars. First the company itself (the haulier) must have access to the road transport profession under Regulation (EC) 1071/2009 — this sets requirements for a fixed place of business, good repute, sufficient financial capacity and professional competence (a transport manager with a qualification certificate). Second, for international carriage a Community licence (EU licence) under Regulation (EC) 1073/2009 must be used, which provides access to the international market for bus transport. In Denmark both are issued by Færdselsstyrelsen (the Danish Road Directorate).
- 01Transport operator licence (1071/2009) — access to the profession itself; requires business premises, repute, finance and a qualified transport manager.
- 02Community licence / EU licence (1073/2009) — access to international coach services for third-party account.
- 03Certified copies — a certified copy of the community licence is carried in each bus running internationally.
- 04Code 95 for the driver — the individual driver certificate is still an independent requirement on top of the company's permits.
Route driving vs. occasional driving
Regulation 1073/2009 distinguishes between two basic types of bus transport, and they have vastly different documentation requirements. Regular route service is passenger transport at fixed intervals on a specific route with fixed stops — it requires a proper authorisation from the authorities. Occasional transport is everything that is not regular route service: typically a group brought together at the initiative of a customer or the bus company itself (a football club, a wedding party, a tourist group). Occasional transport does not require a route licence but must be documented with a transport form.
| Type | Characteristic | Document |
|---|---|---|
| Route driving | Fixed intervals, fixed route, fixed stops | Route permit (authorisation) |
| Special route driving | Fixed route for a certain group (e.g. school pupils, commuters) | Agreement/authorisation according to regulations |
| Occasional driving | Group gathered at the customer's/company's initiative; not fixed route | Community permit + driving form |
The route form (passenger list / waybill)
For occasional international transport, the transport form — also called passenger list or in English waybill — is the central control document. It is completed BEFORE the journey begins and contains inter alia information about the carrier, the vehicle, the nature of the journey and a list of passengers. The form is taken on the bus and produced during inspections, so the authorities can see that it is lawful occasional transport and not hidden, unauthorised line transport. Transport forms are issued in booklets from the authority or organisation authorised to do so.
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