Transporting children in the childcare sector

If you transport children to or from your childcare location, you need to do so safely. As the owner of a childcare organisation you are responsible for the safety of the children. The Dutch law does not state any exact rules, but it does require you to make sure the means of transport is safe and used responsibly. If you use a special motorised vehicle (bijzondere bromfiets) or a car, you must comply with the rules for these vehicles.

Electric cargo bike

There are no specific rules on the transport of children by cargo bicycle or electric cargo bike. Do you want to use your electric cargo bike to transport children to or from your childcare location? The same traffic rules apply as for a normal bike, if:

• the motor has a maximum capacity of 250 watt
• you need to pedal to move forward
• the electric cargo bike’s pedal assistance top speed is 25 kilometres an hour

You are responsible for the way your childcare organisation handles transportation.

BSO bus (special motorised vehicle)

If you want to use an electric vehicle (which does not require cycling) for your childcare organisation, you can only use the BSO bus. Under Dutch law the BSO bus (official name: Stint Bus) is a special motorised vehicle (bijzondere bromfiets, in Dutch).

If you want to transport children by BSO bus you must keep to the rules (in Dutch), among others:

• You use the vehicle, as much as possible, on designated cycle paths.
• You use the vehicle, as much as possible, in zones with a speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour.
• You determine the standard safe routes beforehand and you make sure these routes are used.
• The driver is at least 18 years.
• The driver successfully finished a training on driving the BSO bus.

The Dutch Guarantee Fund & Knowledge Centre Childcare (Waarbordfonds & Kenniscentrum Kinderopvang) regularly checks if BSO buses comply with all rules.

Transporting kids by car

In the Netherlands, you need to follow the rules for child car seats if you transport children up to 1.35 metres by car. Children taller than 1.35 metres must wear a seat belt. The number of people you transport may not exceed the number of seats in your car. You can check the numner of seats in your car on your vehicle registration card or through the RDW's online portal RDW Kentekencheck (in Dutch). It is forbidden to transport people in the cargo space of cars. You are also not allowed to transport people in car trailers.