(05 Nov 2022, 2:56 pm)9920up wrote The word reliant was used to highlight the need for the Solos to meet daily PVR from Darlington depot. Without the Solos, they couldn't do it. Also, when the service reductions to the 2, 4, 9, 10, 13a and 13b (and incidentally the X66/X67) were made drug 2022,  all have been stated as being temporary due to driver shortages. Currently,  Arrivas stated intent and actual operational capability do not match.

But the Solo's aren't needed to meet the daily PVR...
The MMC's cover the PVR of the 3/3a (3), 4 (2), 9/10 and 13A/13B (7), 12 (2), and 19 (2)
The Ecocity's cover the PVR of the 2/2a (5), X21 (3), X26/X27 (4)
The Omnilink's cover the PVR of the X75/X76 (3)
The Streetlites cover the PVR of the 1/5/5A/X1 (15) and 8/8a (3)
The Sapphire E400's and Pulsars cover the PVR of the 7 (10)
That's not including the standard livery Pulsars as spares. 

If everything is on the road, then they won't need the Solo's. I'd hardly say having two Solo's in a reserve capacity is 'reliant.' 

There's a difference between what has been said to be a 'temporary' service reduction and what will occur long-term. Temporary can mean 6 months or it can mean 2 years. There are no short-term plans to increase the frequencies on any of the town services. At the end of the day if they don't have the drivers what's the point in having the excess vehicles sat around doing nothing - when, or if they re-increase, them however far down the line when they have enough drivers and patronage has recovered, then they'll have to source the vehicles, probably an order of more MMC's.