Very few van operators reach as many remote locations as the Northern Lighthouse Board, which operates more than 206 lighthouses around the coasts of Scotland and the Isle of Man plus a similar number of navigation buoys and beacons.

This demanding operating environment means that reliability and safety is even more important than usual. The NLB has recently taken on five long-bodied Vito 114CDI vans, which are based at the organisation’s operating centre in Oban, on the west coast of Scotland.

These vans are used by technicians who service lighthouses, to ferry supplies to lighthouses accessed by roads and to transport crew members for the NLB’s ships, Pharos and Pole Star.

Three of the five vans are crew van models, with a second row of seats and extra side windows. These allow up to five passengers plus the driver to be carried.

Ewen Mackerchar, its Marine Operations Manager, explained:

“We considered other options but decided on the Vito as it offered a far higher level of specification for the money, and the delivery lead time was shorter. Western Commercial provided a very professional service and handled all of our requests with the utmost efficiency.”

“We’re delighted with our new vans and can see we definitely made the right choice. The Vito is very comfortable for drivers and passengers alike, extremely well appointed and comes with a comprehensive array of safety equipment – as lighthouse operators we spend our lives helping to prevent accidents, so this is an attribute we value very highly.”

Like all Vito models, NLB’s vehicles are fitted with systems including the ADAPTIVE ESP® anti-skid programme, driver and passenger airbags and ABS anti-lock brakes.

They also benefit as standard from Mercedes-Benz Crosswind Assist technology, which ensures stability in the event of a sideways gust, Hill Start Assist — which prevents the vehicle from rolling back when setting off on an incline — and Attention Assist, which detects and warns against driver drowsiness.

Buying cheaper than renting?

Interesting, the NLB used to hire their vans. However, they found that based on planned usage scenarios, owning and operating their own vans would be cheaper.

This is a useful reminder that while renting vans is often the most cost-effective solution, this isn’t always the case, even when other benefits such as fixed rates including servicing and maintenance are taking into account.