Hi, Does anyone know of a company where I can hire a small coach, with driver and trailer that can take 18 riders and bikes from Havant in Hampshire to London for the L2B and then back to Havant from Brighton. Most of the trailers seem to be too small for the number of bikes.
The ideal would be a bike rack type of trailer which I have seen on the web for hire on the Scottish borders, a bit too far for our needs.
Minibus and bike triler hire
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gary butler
Minibus and bike triler hire
Last edited by gary butler on 10 Mar 2007, 9:22am, edited 1 time in total.
Since the legal definition of a minibus is a vehicle constructed or adapted to carry between nine and sixteen passengers not including the driver, you won't find a minibus to carry 18 riders. So you'll need either one coach or at least two vehicles - and if you're going to use two vehicles, you might want to consider two trailers. That said ...
If you've got two drivers with C1/D1 entitlement (or "grandfather's rights" if there's no hire or reward element), you might be able to get away with one minibus for sixteen riders with the other two riders travelling in a 7.5 tonner (or even a LWB panel van) with the bikes. Many vans have two passenger seats in the cab - but some are cramped, so check what you're actually going to get before booking.
Sorry I can't be more helpful,
Geoff
If you've got two drivers with C1/D1 entitlement (or "grandfather's rights" if there's no hire or reward element), you might be able to get away with one minibus for sixteen riders with the other two riders travelling in a 7.5 tonner (or even a LWB panel van) with the bikes. Many vans have two passenger seats in the cab - but some are cramped, so check what you're actually going to get before booking.
Sorry I can't be more helpful,
Geoff
Ah! I see you've changed the question from minibus to small coach and driver. If you don't get a recommendation, I can only suggest searching http://www.yell.co.uk/ for "Coach Hire" and settling in with a mug or two of your favourite beverage, a notepad, and the phone (I found over 100 companies in Hampshire). I suspect that a few will have suitable box trailers or might even have "half-and-half" vehicles or quickly-removable seats to accommodate the bikes. Companies that can't help directly probably know their own market and can often point you in the direction of someone who can meet your needs.
HTH,
Geoff
HTH,
Geoff
Also consider a full size coach with the big storage bays underneath. I hiered one a couple of years ago, we got 16 bikes underneath without removing any bits, I'd calculated we would fit twenty in if we'd removed some wheels and the coach company were happy to let us put the wheels inside if they were in bin bags.
It's worth shopping around, I found the prices varied considerably, I paid £250 a day.
It's worth shopping around, I found the prices varied considerably, I paid £250 a day.