Most new vans can be specified with a speed limiter and 70mph is a common choice, as there is no logical reason a van operator should expect its drivers to ever need to go faster than that.
Of course, we all know that in the real world things aren’t so black and white, but perhaps they should be. The Freight Transport Association certainly thinks so and its Van Excellence Governance Group has appealed to van manufacturers to supply vehicles with a speed limiter set at 70 miles per hour as a no-cost option.
Following a recent meeting of the group, it was unanimously agreed that, despite recent press reports trailing Government plans to increase motorway speed limits to 80mph, manufacturers should be called upon to help play their part in managing van top speeds and to continue to restrict their vans to 70mph.
The group felt that aside from the legal implications, restricting van top speeds would also see significant fuel economy benefits. There are many other demonstrable benefits to be had by limiting vehicle speed. Repair and maintenance bills are often reduced and lowered driver stress levels are frequently cited as an unexpected bonus.
Gary Whittam, Chairman says:
“We find it impossible to justify why any conscientious van operator would allow its vans to operate above the national speed limit.
Simply put, a van travelling at 80mph will be using significantly more fuel than one at 70. You don’t need a calculator to work out that at over £7 per gallon, that’s just burning money.
Without exception manufacturers can easily limit the top speed of their vans. So the question is, why don’t they make limitation the default standard or at the very least a no-cost option?”
Operators that use 70mph speed limiters have reported very little detriment to their journey times and as Rory Morgan, GM National Logistics at Iron Mountain puts it:
“How can any business depend on drivers breaking the law to meet schedules? In these days of corporate responsibility it’s just not acceptable.”
At the risk of sounding like a boring old fart, I have to agree.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and let me know.