COVID-19 - helping our community
If you're a Hackney organisation delivering supplies to vulnerable people, ask about our free minibus scheme. Membership is now free of charge during the current crisis.
Find out more here...
How it works
We know how important it is to keep our prices as low as possible - helping our community to get out and about is the reason we exist. Our fees are kept low by a subsidy provided by the wider HCT Group as a social enterprise. What's more, Hackney Council provide funding to ensure we can offer even cheaper transport for groups based in the London Borough of Hackney.
Our minibuses are charged out by the hour, plus a mileage fee. We also have great discounts availble for groups travelling outside peak tme and for longer term hires.
Membership
We have an annual membership charge for voluntary and community groups.
| Membership | Hackney supported |
| £30 | Free |
We have an annual membership charge for Local authorities and statutory groups.
| Membership | Hackney supported |
| £150 | £150 |
Hiring a Minibus
Our standard rates are as follows:
| Standard | Hackney supported | |
| Hire per hour | £7.00 | £5.00 |
| Charge per mile | £1.00 | £0.80 |
| Minimum hire (not including mileage) | £28.00 | £20.00 |
If you need a driver
A fully qualified driver can be hired for an hourly rate
| Standard | Hackney supported | |
| Driver rate | £19.50 per hour | £17.50 per hour |
Big discounts for off-peak bookings
If you book a minibus for use between 7pm and 7am, you are entitled to a discounted rate for both minibus hire and driver hire. Mileage charge remains the same.
| Standard | Hackney supported | |
| Vehicle hire per hour | £3.50 per hour | £2.50 per hour |
| Driver rate per hour | £17.00 per hour | £15.00 per hour |
Big discounts for longer bookings
There are great deals available for longer bookings, with hourly rates replaced by reduced daily, weekend and weekly rates. Mileage charges remain the same.
| Standard | Hackney supported | |
| Whole day (24 hours) | £84 per day | £60 per day |
| All weekend (Saturday and Sunday) | £118 per weekend | £84 per weekend |
| All week (Monday to Friday) | £336 per week (mon-Fri) | £240 per week (mon-Fri) |
Learn to drive a Minibus (MiDAS training)
Learning to drive a minibus with our MiDAS training course can save you a great deal in driver fees:
| Standard | Hackney supported | |
| MiDAS training | £60 per person | £20 per person |
| Hi Vis Jacket (if you don't bring your own) | £5 per person | £5 per person |
| MiDAS Minibus Driver’s Handbook (helpful optional extra) | £10 per copy | £10 per copy |
If you are a Group Transport member already, no VAT is chargeable, otherwise VAT applies at the standard rate.
You can find out more about MiDAS training here
The small-but-important print
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General terms of booking
There is a minimum of 4 hours charged per booking.
If a booking is for a time that covers both normal and ‘off-peak’ hours of service, then Driver charges will be split into peak and off-peak costs and charged pro-rata.
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Cancellation charges
You can cancel your booking free of charge up to 48 hours before your booking time.
If you have to cancel with under 48 hours’ notice a fee of £30 applies (£23.00 in Hackney) applies.
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Late return of vehicles
If you return the vehicle late, a charge of £40 applies. (£35 in Hackney)
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If you make a mess
As a courtesy to the next group using the vehicle, we expect vehicles to be returned in the condition that you collected them. If we need to clean up after you, then the following charges apply:
- Vehicle returned with interior that needs sweeping out: £25.00
- Vehicle returned needing an interior valet: £55.00
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Driving yourself
To drive an HCT Group minibus you must:
- be MiDAS trained
- complete the MiDAS training within three attempts
- have a FULL driving licence
- be over the age of 21 years and have been driving for a minimum of two years
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If you have an ‘at fault’ accident
There will be an excess of up to £300 payable by Groups where volunteer drivers are responsible for at fault accidents/incidents. This does include incorrect fueling, interior / exterior damage and flat batteries (as a result of not switching off radio / lights).
Where an accident/incident has taken place whilst under your hire with your volunteer driver, they will be required to undertake a further MiDAS training course at the full cost to ensure that they are driving to the required standard. They will not be authorised to drive HCT vehicles, until they do.