Large places with a lot of Solo operated services

[richw]

So if I read that right 34D as a community volunteer minibus driver it looks like I may have to do the DCPC too unless we get an exemption. Hmmmm and bugger stayed away from commercial driving to avoid that but hey ho looks like the devil farts in my face again lol :roll:

Your fine as a volunteer driver as long as its non commercial and not for profit.

On the original topic Cornwall has a lot of Solos, as on many routes nothing bigger than a Solo or Vario can fit.

 

[NLC1072]

Chelmsford is full of solo routes from its city centre out.

 

[AnonymousUser1]

No. You are covered (in my view) by the existing exemption for "non-commercial carriage of passengers/goods".
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My point is that those with a pre 1997 D1 with 101 restriction _can_ attend 5 CPC days and get a D1 for H&R work.

Well worth doing, for anyone looking to get work as a minicoach driver.

they will still need to pass a D1 or D practical test to get up graded , unless there is a substantial and substantive change in the law that effectively negates to the 101 restriction on pre 97 D1 .

 

[bb21]

Another operator of Solo's is Wilts & Dorset; you see a good few in and around Poole and elsewhere. Poole also has a town centre free bus which uses SR's.

Wilts & Dorset were the first major customer for the solos I believe, and a major customer of the Optare Spectra before that. The solos were sourced as a replacement for the Metroriders. They used to be all over the places in the conurbation. The company had over 80 of them at one stage I believe, all of the M850 variety.

A lot less are floating around these days.

 

[34D]

they will still need to pass a D1 or D practical test to get up graded , unless there is a substantial and substantive change in the law that effectively negates to the 101 restriction on pre 97 D1 .

Not according to the Minister's announcement. Doing 5 CPC days supercedes the requirement to sit the D1 practical test.

 

[Teflon Lettuce]

MK Metro bought huge numbers of Solos to replace elderly Mercedes 608Ds around 1999/2000 and they've been here ever since. Arriva have started reducing them now with orders of Enviro 300s and Citaros, as well as second hand Wright Cadets, and more will go when the new electric Wright Streetlites arrive. But we are overrun with Solos at the moment. They are standard on routes 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 and 32. Centrebus also use them on routes 90/90A and Z&S have a few they use on routes 11/12. I'm frankly sick of them and the sooner they go the better. But I could say the same of Arriva themselves.

Aylesbury has quite a few Solos, with Arriva using some on route 8 and others using them on routes 3, 5, 6 and 11. Northampton has had a recent influx of them too from other depots.

explain why you're sick of solos. I used to work for MK Metro as well as travelling on the local bus services. I found the solos to be the best vehicles in the fleet to drive (even if the mercedes engined ones were underpowered for the fast flowing traffic in MK). They were certainly a driver's vehicle with smooth progressive acceleration and good predictable brakes.

as a passenger their ride quality was far superior to the darts and mercs in the fleet.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There's quite a lot of Solos in Huddersfield, especially considering that the dominant operator (First) doesn't have any- and pulled out of most routes that would've been suitable for them about a decade ago: with the result that they now regularly use deckers on the Sunday services up to Scapegoat Hill (303), a service that sees nothing but K-Line/Yorkshire Tiger Solos for the rest of the week! YT/K-Line/Arriva-in-disguise as mentioned have loads, as do Stotts- the only independent in town of note.

Solos are a pain if you have luggage but the YT ones on the 82 don't half knock on along the A629... or maybe it just feels faster because it's such a small bus!

 

[alwaystouchout]

Stagecoach Manchester appear to have acquired some, spotted a few on the Cheadle Hulme routes.