Minibuses for charities and community transport

Charities and community transport

Charity minibuses to lease or buy

CVM Group has supplied minibuses for over 30 years. We lease and sell new and used minibuses from 9 to 17 seats to charities and community transport groups, with wheelchair accessible conversions, electric options and nationwide delivery. You can lease (contract hire, 12-month minimum), take a finance lease or buy outright.

Community transport gets people where public transport can't: hospital appointments, day centres, shops and social visits. Whether you're replacing an ageing vehicle, adding to your fleet or moving to electric, we'll work with your budget, your Section 19 or Section 22 permit and your volunteer drivers.

Get a quote for your funding bid Book a consultation

or call 01489 880050

Older passengers boarding a white community transport minibus outside a community centre

30+Years' experience
9 to 17Seats
Up to 4Wheelchair positions (CVMinibus)
IVACertified conversions
UKNationwide delivery

Vehicles

Built for how community transport actually works

We supply minibuses that suit your needs: new, used and specially converted, from 9 to 17 seats.

Wheelchair accessible conversions
A ramp comes as standard, with a tail lift available at extra cost. Flexible seating layouts, and up to 4 wheelchair positions on the 17-seat CVMinibus.
See our accessible minibuses
Car-licence minibuses
Our lightweight minibuses, including the 17-seat CVMinibus, can be driven on a car licence (B) by volunteer drivers who are 21 or over and have held their licence for 2 years, when no one pays for the journey. Check the full rules on GOV.UK.
Meet the CVMinibus
Used minibuses
Quality-checked used minibuses, typically under about 5 years old, which you can lease or buy.
See what's in stock
Electric minibuses
Our electric minibus has 14 seats including the driver and 1 wheelchair position, a range of up to 263 miles (Vauxhall WLTP figure) and lower running costs than diesel.
See our electric minibus

Finance

Whichever works for your reserves

Not every charity's finances work the same way, so you're free to choose the route that fits your budget.

Outright purchase

Full ownership from day one. Suits you if you've secured a capital grant for the vehicle.

Contract hire (leasing)

A fixed monthly payment, typically over 3 to 5 years (12-month minimum). Useful if your income comes from grants and fundraising and you'd rather spread the cost than find one lump sum. Maintenance, RFL and breakdown cover are available to add; they aren't included as standard.

Finance lease

Spread the cost into fixed monthly payments instead of paying in one go. We'll explain how the agreement works, including what happens at the end.

Our team will talk you through which option fits your funding, your reserves policy and your trustees' appetite for a longer-term commitment.

Funding

Help with funding, not just finance

For most community transport charities, the vehicle decision starts with the funding question, not the vehicle spec. Our team can:

Prepare a costed quote for your grant application, before you apply. Local authority BSIP-funded schemes, the Motability Foundation and EV grant funds typically ask for one.
Talk through diesel and electric for your routes, so your bid is for the right vehicle.
Work with your Section 19 or 22 permit requirements from the start, so the vehicle you order suits how you're licensed to operate.
Give you the figures you need if you're applying for charity VAT relief.

Not secured funding yet? We can prepare your quote before you apply.

Charity team discussing minibus funding around a table

Why CVM

Why charities choose CVM Group

Sector understanding
Over 30 years supplying minibuses to schools, academy trusts, charities, community transport and care providers. Customers include Community Connexions, a Gloucestershire community transport charity.
Flexible finance
Contract hire, finance lease or outright purchase, arranged around your organisation's cash flow.
Specification handled in-house
Wheelchair access, tail lifts, seating layouts and livery, all agreed with you and handled in-house. Standard livery with your logo is built into the price; full wraps cost extra.
Credentials you can check
BVRLA member and FCA authorised (FRN 682537). IVA certified conversions, delivered nationwide. Rated 4.6 stars from 25 Google reviews.

Customer story

Hear from one of our community transport customers

Community Connexions community transport in Gloucestershire

“So it's basically a lifeline.”

Community Connexions, a registered charity with three decades of experience providing community transport for vulnerable people across Gloucestershire, has been leasing accessible minibuses from CVM Group since 2019. Their transport manager and operator particularly praise their working relationship with Livi Southern, CVM's Operations Manager, who handles their account.

“Anyone with any kind of mobility issues wouldn't be able to get anywhere. Generally, people are elderly, but not always. We've got some passengers in their 30s who for whatever reason have various different disabilities that mean they can't use any other form of transport. So it's basically a lifeline.”
Amber Deacon, Marketing Manager, Community Connexions

CVM Group currently leases 11 wheelchair accessible vehicles to Community Connexions. As they continue to grow their services and fleet, we're glad to be a trusted provider, helping them serve their community.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

The questions UK charities and community transport operators ask us most often.

Do we need a permit to run a community transport minibus?

Section 19 and Section 22 permits let organisations charge for not-for-profit transport services without holding a PSV operator's licence. The rules for each permit, and for the drivers of permit vehicles, are in the GOV.UK guidance: Section 19 and 22 permits (GOV.UK). Tell us which permit you hold, or plan to apply for, and we'll match the minibus to it.

Can our volunteer drivers drive the minibus on a car licence?

Often, yes. Our lightweight minibuses, including the 17-seat CVMinibus, can be driven on a car licence (B) if the driver is 21 or over, has held their licence for 2 years, drives on a voluntary basis for a non-commercial organisation, isn't towing a trailer, and no one pays for the journey (not for hire or reward). Weight limits apply, with an extra 750 kg allowed for disabled-passenger equipment such as a wheelchair ramp. Drivers over 70 must meet the Group 2 medical standards. The Ford Transit 17-seat accessible needs D1. GOV.UK lists the full conditions: Driving a minibus (GOV.UK).

Do you offer wheelchair accessible minibuses?

Yes. A ramp comes as standard and a tail lift is available at extra cost, with flexible seating layouts for mixed groups. The 17-seat CVMinibus can take 1 to 4 wheelchair positions, and our 14-seat electric minibus takes 1. See our accessible minibuses.

Should a charity lease or buy a minibus?

Buying suits you if you've secured a capital grant for the vehicle. Leasing (contract hire, 12-month minimum) or a finance lease spreads the cost into fixed monthly payments, which suits income from grants, fundraising and fares. Maintenance is available to add to a lease but isn't included as standard. If you're not sure yet, or still waiting on a grant, talk it through with our team: it helps to plan the vehicle and the funding together.

Can you provide a quote for our grant application?

Yes. We can prepare a costed quote for your minibus before you apply, so your bid shows the real figure. Tell us the seats, access and fuel type you need.

Can charities get VAT relief on a minibus?

Possibly. VAT relief may be available to charities on some minibuses if you can supply the right documents. Check with your accountant or HMRC first. We can give you the figures you need for that conversation, but we can't give VAT advice.

Tell us about your service

How many passengers, what kind of journeys, and where your funding stands. We'll put together options that fit.

Get a quote Call 01489 880050

Lines open Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 4pm. Prefer to book a call? Book a consultation. Or email enquiries@cvmgroup.co.uk.

Also worth a look: Wheelchair accessible minibuses · Electric minibuses · Can I drive a minibus? · Rural community transport

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Charity minibuses to lease or buy

Built for how community transport actually works

Wheelchair accessible conversions

Car-licence minibuses

Used minibuses

Electric minibuses

Whichever works for your reserves

Outright purchase

Contract hire (leasing)

Finance lease

Help with funding, not just finance

Why charities choose CVM Group

Sector understanding

Flexible finance

Specification handled in-house

Credentials you can check

Hear from one of our community transport customers

Frequently asked questions

Tell us about your service

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