A minibus is a small bus with seats for about six to twelve people — bigger than a car, smaller than the long bus that runs through town. You might ride one to school, to a hotel, as a shuttle from the station, or on a short group trip. In British English this is a normal, everyday word. In American English people more often say van or shuttle, though minibus is still understood. Drivers, schools, and travel companies use it without thinking twice; it is not fancy and not slang. It is not a taxi, and it is not a huge coach. Though actually, in American politics you may also hear minibus for a law that ties several smaller bills together. That is a specialist use, and it probably came from a different path (from omnibus, an old word for a bill that carries many things). For almost every learner, minibus means the vehicle. Count the seats in your head: a handful of rows, not a whole city bus.