Category Archives: Van Hire News

News and special offers from other UK van hire and rental companies.

Why van hire companies may refuse your UK driving licence without online access code

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Update 19 May 2015: We’ve produced a step-by-step guide showing how to get a driving licence check code.

Anyone planning to hire a van (or a car) in June, including overseas, needs to remember that the paper counterpart of the UK driving licence will no longer be valid from 8 June.

Currently, details of any endorsements and convictions are kept on the paper part of your licence, which you need to show when you hire a vehicle. However, from 8 June, this information will only be available online, so hire companies will need to check drivers’ details online when checking their licences.

This applies when for car and van hire abroad, as well as for car and van hire in the UK.

How will it work?

Although it’s possible for a hire company to phone the DVLA and check your licence details, they won’t be keen on this, as it costs around 51p per minute and is not a 24/7 service.

The only practical solutions will be online — and that means that you, the hire customer, will need to be prepared to help.

1. Share My Driving Licence

Most hire companies are going to be relying on hire customers providing them with access to their online details using a new DVLA system called Share My Driving Licence.

You will need to visit this site within 2 days of picking up your hire van or car in order to generate a unique access code that the hire company can use to view your driving licence details online.

Share My Driving Licence is free to use, but to generate your access code, you will need to provide the following information:

  • Your driving licence number
  • Your National Insurance number
  • The postcode on your driving licence

(this system doesn’t work for licences issued in Northern Ireland)

If you try to collect a hire vehicle without providing a Share My Driving Licence code, you may be able to do it on the day — but only if you have your National Insurance number with you and are able to get internet access. It’s definitely going to be easier to do it in advance.

2. Surely there’s a better way?

LICENCECHECK RealTime

LICENCECHECK RealTime is the first product to provide real-time UK driver licence checks for companies ahead of the abolition of the paper counterpart.

Obviously, the sensible solution to this problem is for hire companies to be able to check your driving licence details online for themselves, without you needing to jump through hoops beforehand.

This will be possible, but the DVLA is relying on commercial partners to develop new systems to provide real-time driving licence checks, and at present, there’s only one such system available in the UK, to the best of my knowledge.

What’s more, that system, called LICENCECHECK RealTime, was only launched at the start of March, so it won’t be in widespread use, yet.

I suspect that all the big companies will rapidly develop or buy in real-time licence checking systems like this, to avoid huge disruption to their business, and to ensure that licences are all checked properly — not just nodded through with a look at the photocard only.

However, many of these systems aren’t ready yet, and smaller van hire companies may take longer to adopt these solutions. In the meantime, you will be required to provide access to your own details using the Share My Driving Licence system, which you can find here: https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence.

You can find more information in this article on the gov.uk website.

Budget UK launches new van rental service

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Budget van rental in LondonWell-known car rental firm Budget has launched a new van hire service in London, extending its existing national van rental operation.

The new service is aimed at small and medium business users and is backed by a new fleet of 100 Volkswagen Transporters, based across London.

The vehicles will be packed with handy features including Bluetooth, folding mirrors and parking sensors; making it the perfect partner for moving large loads with minimal stress through the busy capital.

Mark Servodidio, Managing Director, Northern Europe, Avis Budget Group, commented:

“We’re confident the new service, which will offer small and medium businesses across the capital a truly flexible and cost-efficient alternative to a permanent fleet of vehicle, will further strengthen our position as a partner to London’s businesses using Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.”

Budget also offers a van rental service to personal customers from branches across the UK, and as part of a wider fleet renewal, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will also supply a further 300 Transporters and 100 Caddys to bolster this national van rental fleet.

Major rental firm adds hybrid cars to London fleet: will vans be next?

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Avis Toyota Yaris Hybrid cars

Avis has just added 100 Toyota Yaris Hybrid cars to its London car rental fleet

Car rental giant Avis has added 100 Toyota Yaris Hybrid cars to its London fleet, flagging up the growing acceptance of hybrid and electric vehicles among major fleet operators.

The Yaris Hybrid cars will initially be available at Heathrow and Stansted airports, plus major central London locations. Availability will gradually be extended to Gatwick, Luton and other key south-east locations.

As full hybrids, the Yaris Hybrids are currently exempt from the London congestion charge and boast CO2 emissions of just 75g/km. At low speeds, the cars automatically switch to full electric mode, with the engine firing up as needed at higher speeds.

Will the Avis example encourage any van hire operators to make the switch?

One problem is that with the exception of the 4×4-derived Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV hybrd (plug-in electric vehicle hybrid) — which isn’t really a normal van — there aren’t currently any production hybrid vans. All the available models are either all-electric or petrol/diesel, not hybrids.

However, given that PSA Peugeot Citroen has a diesel hybrid system which is available on cars such as the 3008 and 508, it’s not an impossible stretch to imagine that this system could be adapted to fit the Peugeot Expert van, improving its urban emissions credentials.

There’s also the Ashwoods Hybrid Transit, an aftermarket hybrid conversion for the Ford Transit that’s won widespread acceptance and makes a credible claim to reduce emissions and fuel consumption by around 15%.

Hybrid technology seems to be gaining widespread acceptance in the car world, and overcomes the core objections which face electric cars — they aren’t suitable for long distances or as an only car. I don’t see any reason why hybrid technology can’t start making in-roads into the van market, especially as cost-wise, hybrid vehicles are increasingly on a par with non-hybrid alternatives, especially when fuel and emissions costs are factored in.

How will the end of the driving licence paper counterpart affect van hire companies?

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After an initial half-baked attempt to abolish the paper counterpart of the UK driving licence in January, the government has confirmed that the paper counterpart issued with UK photocard driving licences will no longer be valid from 8 June 2015.

This has a number of important implications for van hire companies, and addressing this change will require forward planning if companies are to avoid costly and risky workarounds.

LICENCECHECK RealTime

LICENCECHECK RealTime is the first product to provide real-time UK driver licence checks for companies ahead of the abolition of the paper counterpart.

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) has issued some guidelines explaining the issues — and how they can be addressed.

Perhaps by coincidence (perhaps not), the first real-time driver licence checking system, LICENCECHECK RealTime, has also just been launched: such systems are likely to be the only viable way for firms to check licences once the paper counterpart has gone.

Here’s what the BVRLA has to say on the subject (my comments in italics):

  • The driver record held centrally by the DVLA will be the only legal source of the driver’s licensing history, penalty points, endorsement and disqualification details.
  • From 8 June 2015, fleets will have three options for checking a driver’s details:
    • They can call the DVLA’s premium rate telephone service. This costs 51p per minute and the driver must be present.
      However, I suspect this will be too slow and expensive for all but the smallest companies. Plus the BVRLA says it will not be sufficient for audit/compliance purposes as it will not provide an authenticated, timed record of the check. 
    • They can ask drivers to provide a printed copy of their licence details using the DVLA’s new Share My Driving Licence (SMDL) service, which is accessible via the www.gov.uk digital government services portal. The SMDL service is free and the details can be separately verified online by using a one-time-only DVLA access code supplied by the driver.
      The DVLA warns that handling and storing driver information brings reponsibilities under data protection legislation. In my view, it’s also clear that this approach will be cumbersome and unreliable — especially as many drivers will fail to turn up with a suitable printout from the SMDL service. To access the information, drivers need their driving licence number and National Insurance number, plus access to a computer and printer — so last minute checks could be difficult.
    • They can use an accredited driving licence verification service provider.
      Inevitably this will be the only satisfactory option for most van hire companies. Data protection, audit and compliance responsibilities will all be taken care of by DVLA-accredited licence check service providers.

The way forward is pretty clear — a subscription service offering reliable, real-time access to the DVLA’s driving licence database, with no data protection issues, and a reliable audit trail.

Introducing LICENCECHECK RealTime

As if by magic, the BVRLA’s press release hit the newswires at exactly the same time the makers of LICENCECHECK announced the launch of their new real-time licence checking software, named RealTime.

According to the firm, this is the first product of its kind that’s commercially available in the UK. It uses the DVLA’s technology to provide immediate results — previous versions of the firm’s system delivered results overnight, rather than instantly.

Example real-time driver licence check

An example of a real-time driving licence check result from LICENCECHECK RealTime (click to enlarge)

LICENCECHECK managing director Richard Brown said:

“Not only does our RealTime software make life easier for companies with fleets, but it reduces potential corporate liability considerably, and with the drive towards corporate responsibility and an awareness of their organisation’s duty of care  moving upwards in our clients’ agendas, it’s an area which can’t be overlooked.”

It takes little imagination to see the legal and compensation issues that could result from hiring a vehicle to someone without a valid driving licence — or with prohibited endorsements which they failed to declare, invalidating the hired vehicle’s insurance.

In my view, there’s no doubt that the scale of these risks means that van hire companies will flock to sign up to systems such as LICENCECHECK — although I would stress that there will be competitors in the market and the DVLA is providing an open platform to allow companies to develop their own solutions.

The only question is how many of these other solutions will be ready by June?

Winter offer: Europcar van hire from just £16 per day [EXPIRED]

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Europcar winter van hire from £16 per day

Although the weather seems to have warmed up slightly, winter is still with us — and to help you save money during the cold season, Europcar is currently offering van hire from just £16 per day.

This is a generous and long-running offer that’s available on bookings made by 29 March 2015 for checkouts until 30 June 2015 (some dates excluded, see website for details).

Europcar is one of the most flexible van hire firms around, too — hourly van hire, one-way van hire and overnight options are all available.

All Europcar rental vans includes 24-hour roadside assistance, and a choice of short wheelbase, long wheelbase and luton box vans with tail lift are available — ideal for small moves or big DIY jobs!

** THIS OFFER HAS NOW EXPIRED **

 

Terms & conditions apply, see Europcar website for details.

Van rental firm counts on Ford for ongoing growth

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T.O.M. Vehicle Rental Ford vansT.O.M. Vehicle Rental has seen remarkable growth over the last five years, growing from 1,500 on one site to 8.500 vehicles across seven sites.

Serving customers from sites in Manchester, Nottingham and Scotland, T.O.M. has added increasing numbers of Ford vans to its fleet in recent years.

T.O.M. has ordered more than 1,000 Ford vans over the last year, and the hire firm’s latest order was for 330 new model Ford Transits, which T.O.M. says is the current van of choice among many of its customers. Ford vans now account for 35% of the firm’s fleet.

James Rafferty, T.O.M.’s group sales and operations director, says that the firm buying is influenced by customer preferences and requirements:

“We adapt to what our rental customers want. We find out what they are planning to do with a vehicle to ensure we provide them with the right one.

“Ford has a great range, from small vans to large, so there is something for everyone, and our customers like them. Ford is a manufacturer which stands by its products, which gives us peace of mind, with ease of maintenance a key strength of the Transit range.”

As a long-time Transit fan myself, I’m not surprised by the success of the marque’s sophisticated all-new van range and am looking forward to getting a chance to drive the new ‘big’ Transit in the near future.

Save up to 20% on Europcar Van Hire in January sale

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Europcar van hire

Save up to 20% in the Europcar January sale

Europcar is currently offering discounts of up to 20% on van hire as part of its January Sale.

This is valid for bookings made by February 1st and completed by 30th June, with certain exclusions.

**THIS OFFER HAS NOW EXPIRED**

If you need a van for a trip to the tip, to move furniture or for a big DIY project, this could be a good opportunity. Europcar has also provided some helpful tips for driving and load a van (we have more tips on driving and loading vans):

All you have to do to benefit from the Europcar January sale discount is book online as normal*: click here to visit the Europcar website.

 

Tips for driving a van

  • Vans are bigger than cars – Be aware of the width, length and height of the vehicle when hiring a van, especially if you’re not used to driving one
  • Take corners slowly – it is possible for a heavy loads to move around if you take the corner too fast
  • Space for corners – Remember that larger vans need more room to turn so give yourself plenty of time and space when taking corners.
  • Stopping distance – Remember that the larger or heavier the vehicle, the longer it takes to stop, especially in icy or wet conditions.
  • Blind side – Watch out for cyclists and bikers who might be tempted to overtake on the blind side.

Tips for loading a van

  • Start loading your items at the front of the van and work your way to the back.
  • Spread the load evenly across the base, uneven loads can have a massive effect on a van’s stability.
  • Keep all items stacked as tightly as possible to keep everything from shifting during the drive.
  • When loading a van, place heavy items on the floor of the vehicle, and plastic and lighter things on top of the heavier ones.
  • You may have to take apart things like tables and desks in order to load everything tightly and to ensure safe transport.
  • Be careful not to scoot or drag furniture in the van as damage may occur to sofas, table legs and dresser bottoms.
  • When lifting a heavy load bend your legs not your back.

*Terms and conditions apply. See Europcar website for details.

Driving licence paper counterpart to remain in use until June 2015

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The government has announced that the paper counterpart of UK driver licences will now remain in use until 8 June 2015, extending the previous removal date of 1 January 2015.

What do I need to do?

For anyone planning on hiring a van, this means you will still need to produce both parts of your driving licence — the photocard and the paper counterpart — when you hire a vehicle, until at least 8 June 2015.

What’s happened?

Back in November, I wrote about the government’s plan to scrap the paper counterpart that forms part of UK driver licences, leaving only the photocard. The change was due to come into force from 1 January 2015.

At the time, the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) was flagging up concerns about the cost and practicality of this approach, as the planned new online system was, of course, running late, and was unlikely to be ready until the new year.

The plan was that the information contained on the paper counterpart to be available online, instead, so that individuals and businesses such as vehicle hire firms and transport operators, with a legitimate need for the information, could access it online instead. However, with hire companies needing to check thousands of licences per year, and many transport operators and staffing agencies needing to run hundreds of checks, the extra costs for businesses forced to use the DVLA’s existing driver data service would have been significant.

Lobbying from the BVRLA and the Freight Transport Association appears to have convinced the government to put back the deadline — hopefully, the extra six months will be enough for the government’s IT contractors to get their act together and finish the planned new Share My Driving Record system.

Jargon buster: van weights and payloads when moving house

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Let us show you how to move house with a hire van

If you’re thinking about hiring a van to move house, there’s lots to get your head around. Not only have you got to be aware of the maximum weight that your van can carry, but you’ve also got to understand the jargon that goes along with hiring a van.

We’ve put together a jargon buster to help you get on the road and answer the most commonly-asked questions.

Jargon buster

Large van / long wheelbase van: this is a typical large panel van that you might hire to move house, such as  long

Luton van: This is a van with a box body on the back. These are popular with small removal companies as they offer more space and a wider, flat floor with no wheel arches in the loadspace.

3,500kg or 3.5 tonne: These are the same thing, as 1 tonne = 1,000kg. Most big hire vans are described as 3,500kg vans. This means the maximum permitted weight of the van itself plus the load and any passengers is 3,500kg.

Payload: This is vital — the payload is the maximum load weight you can put in the van, including passengers.

  • For a 3,500kg panel van, the payload is typically around 1,200kg – 1,400kg
  • For a 3,500kg luton van, the payload will be a bit less, maybe 1,000kg – 1,200kg
  • These numbers vary between models. Any reputable hire company should be able to tell you the maximum payload for the van you are hiring

Overloaded: This is what happens if your 3,500kg weighs more than 3,500kg when you are stopped by the police — whether in the UK or Europe. Depending on how much over the weight limit your van is, you will be fined and/or forced to remove the surplus weight from the vehicle before being allowed to continue.

Ignorance is no excuse if you’re overloaded: you, the driver, are always liable, regardless of circumstances.

I don’t know how much any of my stuff weighs…

If you’re shifting boxes of wine or bags of cement (for example), it’s easy to know how much your load weighs. Each item is labelled with its weight, and they’re all the same.

Unfortunately it’s not so easy with household goods. You can’t realistically weigh your furniture, for example.

The solution, if you want to be sure, is to take your loaded van to your nearest public weighbridge before setting off. You can usually find details of these on your local council website (or try your nearest major recycling centre).

Vehicle rental and leasing generates £5.2bn in tax revenue each year

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vanrental.co.uk vanAccording to a new report from the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), the impact of the vehicle rental and leasing sector  on the UK economy was around £25bn in 2013, including £5.2bn in tax revenue.

The report, which was commissioned by the BVRLA from research foundation Oxford economics, measures three types of economic impact:

  • Direct: the activity of the rental and leasing companies themselves;
  • Indirect: the activity of their UK-based suppliers;
  • Induced: economic activity generated by the payment of wages to staff employed by the rental and leasing industry.

The scale of the rental and leasing industry in the UK becomes clear when you consider that in 2013, BVRLA members had 3 million vehicles on lease and 400,000 vehicles available for rental.

The main areas of direct and indirect economic activity are the businesses involved in the industry itself, manufacturers of UK-made vehicles and engines, the used car and van market, and the activity of the UK automotive dealers which supply rental companies.

It’s a people business

The report estimates that the rental and leasing industry itself employs 53,600 people directly and 263,400 indirectly, through the wider supply chain and through consumer spending.

If accurate, this claim is quite impressive, as it means that the rental and leasing industry accounts for the employment of 1 in every 88 workers in the UK!

Vehicle supply

A sizeable part of the industry’s contribution to the economy comes via its purchase of British-built vehicles, along with foreign vehicles with British-built engines. Rental and leasing companies are amongst the biggest buyers of new vehicles each year, and purchased an estimated 308,000 UK-made vehicles in 2013, which is thought to have generated £4.3bn in GDP and £1.4bn in tax revenue, as well as 90,000 jobs.

Overall, the industry purchased 80% of the British-made vehicles that were sold in the UK last year, and 20% of all British-built vehicles, including vehicles made for export.

Who needs vehicle rental and leasing?

A great many people, it seems: one of the reasons the leasing and rental industry has such a big impact on the UK economiy is that so many other businesses are dependent on its services. As a result, the sector’s gross value added (the sector’s contribution to the UK’s GDP) of £13.3bn was comparable to that of the electricty generation and distribution indsutry in 2013, which had a gross value added of around £18bn.

This kind of illustrates my point — virtually 100% of UK businesses require electricity, so the electricty generation and distribution sector is going to have a big impact on GDP, rather like the leasing and rental sector.

Putting it in perspective

However, before we get too carried away, it’s worth rembering that even the BVRLA’s £25bn headline figure is just a drop in the ocean in the scheme of things, and accounted for just 1.6% of UK GDP in 2013, when UK GDP totalled £1,606bn!