The bus driver trade has evolved from free route bus operations to a profession governed by driving licence categories, compulsory Driver CPC training and common EU rules for driving and rest time. Here we follow the tracks that can be documented in legislation and government sources — from the driving licence directive's categories to the qualification certificate (code 95) and regulation 561/2006.
Introduction
Bus driving is today one of the most regulated trades on the road: who is allowed to drive a bus, how long you may drive and what you must know are set out in driving licence rules, Driver CPC training and EU regulations. It hasn't always been that way. This article sticks to the part of the trade's history that can be documented in legislation and by the authorities — rather than guessing at dates and names that cannot be verified.
From free passenger transport to regulated profession
The need for organized public transport followed city growth, industrialization and motorized traffic: when many need to go the same way, a bus is more efficient than many individual vehicles. As buses grew larger and carried more passengers, the requirement also grew that those who sat behind the wheel could drive the vehicle safely and take responsibility for the people onboard. It is that development — from a free profession towards a law and education-regulated profession — that characterizes the history of the bus profession.
Driving license categories D and D1
One of the most visible traces in the regulation is the driving licence itself. The EU's common driving licence directive (2006/126/EF) divides vehicles into categories and bus falls under D (large bus over 8 seats in addition to the driver) and D1 (minibus designed for at most 16 people in addition to the driver length at most 8 m). Both build on a valid car licence (cat. B) and require a medical certificate (health approval for bus driving). The categories made it possible to set different requirements for age and testing depending on the size of the bus.
- 01Cat. D — the large bus (more than 8 persons besides the driver; no weight requirement).
- 02Cat. D1 — the small bus (at most 16 people excluding the driver, length at most 8 m).
- 03Both require a valid car driving license (cat. B) and a medical certificate.
- 04Commercial passenger transport also requires an endorsement on the driving licence (code 425 = category D1 and D, code 426 = D1 only).
Driver CPC training and code 95
A bus driving licence is not enough to drive commercially today. With the EU Directive on initial qualification and periodic training (originally Directive 2003/59/EC, later codified as (EU) 2022/2561) came a common European requirement for a driver qualification certificate. It is shown as code 95 on the driving licence or on the certificate itself and is obtained today through the direct initial qualification test or an intensive course of 140 hours at an approved training centre (BEK 412/2025). This tied the professional driving trade to documented training and not only to the driving licence itself.
The certificate is not a one-time approval. It is maintained with at least 35 hours of continuing education every 5 years at an approved center — so the driver continuously updates their knowledge. Part of the bus driver training is disability awareness training: transport of people with mobility impairments, wheelchair securing and use of lifts and ramps.
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