PCV stands for the passenger carrying vehicles or the public carrying vehicles. They were earlier known as the Public Service Vehicles or the PSVs. These vehicles are such that they can carry around 9 to 16 people in them. Some such vehicles are coaches, minibuses, or light vehicles that are used for ferrying people from one destination to the other for a charge. Such vehicles might or might not also include a trailer.
If you have a B category driving license that had been issued on or before January 1997, you are entitled to drive a vehicle of D1 class for private use. However, you will not be entitled to drive the same for any fare or fee. For driving a vehicle commercially, you must take a new test on PCV training. To obtain a driving license on PCV training, you must pass some tests that include both the practical and the theoretical.
There are different categories in PCV training and depending on the capacity and also the size of your vehicle; you can pursue the PCV training from a good driving training school. For instance, if you wish to drive a minibus, you should obtain the D1 license. Usually a minibus has a capacity of ferrying 8 to 16 people in one trip. Similarly, the D1+E license under the PCV training is for the vehicles that can carry 9 to 16 people in one go. It can also allow you to attach a trailer to the vehicle, but the trailer must be within the 750kg category. The D category license allows for full coach driving license that can carry more than 16 people while the D+E license allows trailers along with the vehicles.
If you wish to obtain the PCV training, you must be an adult and more than 18 years of age. You must also possess the requisite car driving license too. One of the steps also involves passing a stringent medical test and your instructor at the driving training center can help you in learning and also understanding the different parameters that you must follow and pass through for passing the test.
The test that you must appear for the PCV license involves both the theoretical and the practical knowledge. For the theory, you have to answer a hazard perception and a multiple choice section. For the practice sessions though, you can familiarize with your driving training school.