Delivering MiDAS from January 2024

There are hundreds of organisations providing MiDAS across the UK. From 2nd January 2024, the way in which you deliver it will be changing. On this page you will find all the information you need to prepare and to continue providing the updated MiDAS course.

From 2nd January 2024, you will still book and organise MiDAS courses as and when you require, whether that’s for your own drivers or the drivers of other organisations. The key difference is that instead of organising group sessions for MiDAS Standard, the theory element of the course will be completed online.

There are 4 key differences which are important for you to consider.

1. Administration

One of the key parts of the Modernising MiDAS project is to help make the administration of MiDAS easier. You may have your own internal administration tasks associated with providing MiDAS which will be dependent on your organisation. However, there are two key elements which you will need to carry out.

• Purchasing and Allocating Learner Passes – You will need to allocate a Learner Pass to every driver completing a MiDAS course. A ‘Learner Pass’ enables a driver to access the online theory course, resources and their certificate if they’re successful. Before doing so, you should take reasonable steps to ensure that the driver has a driving licence which entitles them to drive a minibus. You can purchase multiple Learner Passes and then allocate them as and when you want to use them. To allocate a learner pass, you will just need a driver’s name and email address. They will then get sent all the details they need to get started.
• Updating results – Following a Driving Assessment (and a Practical Skills Assessment where appropriate), you will need to login to update the online system with the results within 10 working days. This will trigger the system to notify the driver that their results are ready. If they have passed, they can login, complete an evaluation form and download their certificate.

Visit our Help Centre to find out more

2. Individual Practical Session

One of the key pieces of feedback we have had over the years is that not enough time is spent in the minibus. With the theory part of MiDAS now being online, we’ve introduced an additional part of the practical course. The format of the Individual Practical Session will vary as it is designed to be tailored to the needs and ability of each driver.

The main objectives of this session are to:

• Address any questions which the driver has following the online theory course
• Ensure that the driver is familiar with the vehicle
• Develop the driver’s confidence in preparation for their assessment

An Individual Practical Session should last up to 45 minutes, however, it may be longer or shorter at the discretion of the DA and the time it takes to meet the session objectives.

View the recommended framework for the Individual Practical Session

3. Online theory course

Any organisation who is presented with a MiDAS certificate should be confident that the driver has a good understanding of their responsibilities of driving a minibus and have had their driving abilities assessed to be safe, legal and comfortable. The new online course will help to achieve that by improving standardisation and ensuring that drivers are receiving the most up to date information. That doesn’t remove the need for the skills and expertise of Driver Assessors, who still have an essential role in helping drivers to apply the knowledge they’ve learnt and to check their understanding. By doing that on an individual basis, it means that drivers can focus on their own needs and the contexts within which they work or volunteer. Once you have allocated a Learner Pass to a driver, they will receive all the information they need to get started. 

Guidance for drivers who need additional support

4. Costs

As part of the new MiDAS, there will be a cost of £40 per driver (or £32 for drivers from your own organisation).  If you provide MiDAS to external organisations, this cost will likely be passed onto the organisations that are receiving training. All MiDAS registered organisations will be made aware of this so they understand what to expect from a MiDAS course and the benefits it will bring to their organisation.

Information about the change in cost

Other key things to remember

• MiDAS Accessible is not changing at this stage, other than the way which certificates work. Following the delivery of the Accessible theory and assessment, you will need to login to the online system to upload the results. This can be done at the same time as uploading the results of the Driving Assessment. This will then let the driver know that they can access their certificate.
• All drivers will be completing the same course. Even if they have previously completed a MiDAS course, they will still need to complete the online theory course, Individual Practical Session and Driving Assessment.
• The Driving Assessment is not changing. It should last up to 45 minutes and must include a minimum of 30 minutes of assessed driving.
• If you are not an existing MiDAS Provider, but are interested in becoming one, we will be releasing more information about how to do so soon! We’ll be launching an updated Driver Assessor course from April 2024.