Category Archives: Vans In Business

News and information relating to the use and function of vans by UK businesses.

Used Van Values Continue To Fall

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BCA Commercial vehicle auctionUsed van values fell by 3.6% (£154) to £,4075 in August compared to July, although performance improved against the CAP average by more than 1% to 99%, according to the latest figures from BCA Auctions.

Compared to last August, the picture is more interesting. Although the average used van value is marginally higher than in August 2011, at £4,075 versus £4,056, the average age is 7.5% higher at 58 months, and the average mileage is 5.6% higher, at 78,167 miles.

In other words, used van buyers are paying more for less, a trend I also reported last month.

The underlying problem is that low new van volumes since 2008 mean that there is a shortage of good quality used stock entering the secondary market. This trend has yet to bottom out, as Duncan Ward BCA’s General Manager – Commercial Vehicles explains:

“The market remains short of good quality, ready to retail used vans, and this is set to continue for some time to come.  Writing in BCA’s 2012 Used Car Market Report, Professor Peter Cooke suggests there is a potential shortfall of some 375,000 first-time used LCVs in the marketplace, as a result of the low new LCV volumes since the onset of the recession in 2008.  The effects of this are already being felt but will hit hardest in 2013 and 2014 when replacement volumes reaching the used market from the fleet and lease sector will be exceptionally low.”

The average also hides a wide divergence between mediocre also-rans and top-quality used models, according to Ward:

“Buyer confidence remains fairly fragile and trade buyers are looking for a quick turnaround and often buying to order, rather than speculating on vehicles. This results in the very best retail vehicles often making exceptional money, while vans in poor condition may struggle for attention. ”

None of this should really be a surprise, as it’s quite clear that UK economy is stagnating at best and contracting at worst. Small businesses of the kind that buy new and used vans will be hardest hit and suffer the biggest difficulties when it comes to cash flow and finance availability, meaning that van replacement cycles will be stretched out as long as possible, especially for non-transport users with low mileage usage patterns.

August is traditionally a weaker month for demand — it will be interesting to see if the trend reverses or stabilises this month, but when cash-strapped buyers are paying more for older, more worn vehicles, downwards pressure on prices is pretty much inevitable.

Vauxhall Movano Scores Two New Fleet Deals

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Vauxhall Movano Police Protected Support Units or riot vans

Vauxhall Movano Police Protected Support Units

Vauxhall has won two new fleet deals for its large van model, the Movano.

The Luton-based van manufacturer has sold a batch of 24 Movanos to National Windscreens and has been selected by the Welsh Police Authorities to provide a number of new Police Protected Support Units (PSUs) — what most of us would call riot vans.

I predict a riot

The specification for the Movano Police PSU vans includes ballistic windscreens, a radiator protector, rough road package, deployable windscreen protection, Tyron run-flat tyre bands, and a double cell.

The PSU order is part of a larger deal with the Welsh Police Authorities to provide around 9,000 new vehicles to North Wales Police, Dyfed Powys Police, South Wales Police and Gwent Police over the next four years.

Chipped but not cracked

Two of National Windscreens' new Vauxhall Movano vans

Two of National Windscreens' new Vauxhall Movano vans

National Windscreens is the UK’s largest independent automotive glass fitter and operates nationwide. It has recently ordered 24 Movanos to supplement those already on its fleet.

Six of the 24 Movanos in L1 H1 FWD 2.3 CDTi (100ps) manual specification have already been supplied by Vauxhall retailer Drive Central Bristol and are already on the road, serving customers around the country. Another six vans will be delivered, along with six Vauxhall Astra 1.7 CDTi Active models.

The Movanos include optional rear parking sensors and have been supplied in white before being racked out internally and feature the new National Windscreens livery following the company’s recent rebrand.

“We are delighted with the Vauxhall Movanos already on our fleet,” said Phil Lomas, director of National Windscreens.  “After an in-depth comparison exercise for our fleet vans, it was clear that the Movanos offered incredibly good whole life costs and provide a flexible and very usable load space suitable for our bespoke requirements. In addition, driver visibility is excellent, which makes low speed manoeuvres much easier.

“The reliability of the Movano is very impressive and reduces vehicle downtime, which is costly for a business like ours. The support from Vauxhall and the local retailer has been superb, including its aftersales offering.”

For more information on the Vauxhall Movano, visit www.vauxhall.co.uk.

TNT Continues 5t Trials With Volkswagen Crafters

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Volkswagen Crafter TNT 5-tonne box van

The 5-tonne VW Crafters purchased by TNT for its trial

Back in March, I reported that parcels operator TNT was trialling 10 5.2-tonne Iveco Daily box vans at its Bradford and Nottingham depots, with a view to using them instead of 7.5t trucks.

TNT is continuing to trial 5 tonne box vans and has now announced a further trial of 1o 5-tonne Volkswagen Crafters at its Bristol depot.

The vans have received a box conversion by Altrincham specialists Cartwright, to the specific requirements of TNT. The Crafters will be based at TNT’s Bristol depot, and were purchased through Volkswagen’s Van Centre in Manchester.

Commenting on the company’s plans to consider a move to 5 tonnes, Steve Davis, National Engineering Manager TNT Express Services UK & Ireland, said that the company would make a decision in the next 12 months:

“Once a decision was made to re-evaluate our current fleet we researched the market place to find manufacturers of five-tonne vehicles that fit the company’s requirements.

We will be monitoring the cabs over an average annual mileage of around 30,000 miles and hope to make decisions about our van capacity and vehicle range in the next 12 months.

As with all our fleet vehicles, the Crafter will be assessed on a variety of points including fuel economy, operational activity, ease of maintenance and driver evaluation.”

TNT delivers up to 150 million items per annum and has the largest individual share of the national market. I don’t know how many 7.5-tonne trucks it currently runs, but the contract to replace the majority of them with 5-tonne box vans would be a big win for any manufacturer, even if it was split into several tranches.

As I’ve discussed previously, rigid sales in the 3.5t – 6.0t and 6.0t – 16t weight categories have seen big increases this year; it will be interesting to see whether the search for lower costs and more careful compliance (in terms of overloading) drives ongoing popularity for the van-sized 3.5t-6.0t class.

Van Excellence Operators Now Have Certification Option

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The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has now expanded its increasingly popular Van Excellence Code to include two certification options, one for managers of freight van fleets and one for managers of passenger van [minibus] fleets.

The Freight Transport Association is offering two brand new training courses for van operators, the Certificate of Excellence for Van Operators and the Certificate of Excellence for Passenger Van Operators.  The courses are based on the guidelines contained in the association’s Van Excellence Code, which was written with advice and support from many of the UK’s best van fleets and represents an ideal basis for the safe and legal operation of vans and light commercial vehicles.

One course is for individuals managing or supervising freight van fleets, and the other for those managing or supervising passenger van fleets, and both are aimed at raising standards across van operations.

FTA’s Van Excellence scheme was launched in 2010 to promote high standards of van operation and driving by accrediting operators against an industry code of good practice.

Mark Cartwright, FTA’s Head of Vans and LCVs, said:

“Any organisation operating vehicles as part of its business activity must ensure the safety of drivers and the public, as failure to do so can have serious consequences.  These courses will provide van operators with a wealth of best practice guidance for operating safely, legally and efficiently and are designed to help raise standards across van operations.“

The courses cover areas such as vehicle maintenance systems, vehicle administration, driver licensing, securing of loads, speed limits/limiters, towing equipment and driver identification, behaviour and competence.

All delegates will undertake an assessment at the end of the course, and on successful completion will be issued with an FTA Certificate of Excellence, valid for a period of three years.

For more information, visit www.vanexcellence.co.uk.

Olympic Route Network Ends Midnight 14 August

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The operation of the Olympic Route Network ends at midnight on Tuesday 14th August, following the completion of the Olympic Games.

Transport for London (TfL) today confirmed that the Olympic Route Network (ORN) will end operation and enforcement at midnight on Tuesday 14 August when the vast majority of athletes, officials and media will have departed the UK following an extraordinary Olympic Games. Roads will return to normal between the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The 109-mile ORN, which includes 30 miles of Games Lanes in London, has ensured all athletes, officials and the world’s media got to their events on time and helped to keep London moving. ORN measures including stopping and parking restrictions end at midnight on Tuesday. All Games Lanes will be taken out of use overnight ahead of Wednesday morning’s rush hour, although all white line road markings will take a little longer to remove. All physical measures on the ORN will be removed by the morning of  Thursday 16 August.

Paralympic Route Network

Of course, the Paralympics is still to come and TfL will be operating a special route network for these games. However, the PRN will be considerably smaller. TfL has now published some guidance for motorists about the PRN:

  • The PRN is considerably smaller than the ORN and is focused on the east of London
  • It will have only 8.7 miles of Games Lanes on the routes between the City of London, where the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) will be based, the Olympic Park and other venues, including ExCeL, the North Greenwich Arena, Greenwich Park and Royal Artillery Barracks
  • The physical build of the PRN will begin overnight on Saturday 25 August, but it will not come into operation until 06:00 on Wednesday 29 August, the opening day of the Paralympic Games
  • The PRN and Games lanes will end operation and enforcement one day after the end of the Paralympics at midnight 10 September, to aid the efficient departure of athletes, officials and media

You have been warned!

For more information, visit the www.getaheadofthegames.com website.

Renault Launches Britain’s Top Tradesman Competition – Win A Van

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Renault Master rear-wheel drive model with twin wheels

The winner can choose any of Renault's van range, up to the value of £27,000.

Renault UK has teamed-up with Screwfix and national newspaper the Daily Star to help find ‘Britain’s Top Tradesman 2012’ and offer the lucky winner a brand new Renault van worth up to £27,000 on the road.

As Europe’s number one van brand for the last 13 years in a row, Renault is the perfect partner in the country-wide search for the nation’s premier tradesman which last year attracted more than 3,000 entries.

The annual competition is open to all types of tradesmen, whether that be builders, plumbers, electricians or handymen, and seeks to crown someone who not only provides exceptional standards of service, but who also goes that extra mile for customer satisfaction.

Whoever wins the 2012 title will be entitled to select a van up to the value of £27,000 from Renault’s award-winning range. One of Renault’s 100% electric Kangoo Van Z.E vehicles would be ideal for an electrician, for example, while a team of hard-working roofers or glaziers could make excellent use of a Renault Master Crew Van.

“The past twelve months have seen many tradesmen diversify and experiment to improve their business – from embracing new technology to be more efficient, to welcoming young apprentices into their business”, commented Screwfix marketing director John Mewett.

“Tradesmen really are the foundation of any community, ensuring homes and businesses are fit for purpose. This competition has been created to recognise them and the vital work they carry out.”

In addition to the tremendous value and workmanlike qualities of Renault’s LCV range, new Renault  vans come available with the 4+ package – meaning four years warranty, roadside cover, servicing and finance if applicable.

Phil York, Renault UK Marketing Director said

“We are delighted to be working with Screwfix and the Daily Star newspaper by offering a van to the winner of the 2012 Top Tradesman of the Year competiton.  I am sure the winner will find the perfect match for their business needs from our extensive range of vans”.

Tradesmen wishing to enter the contest have until 8th October to submit applications, after which selected regional finalists will go head-to-head. The grand final to determine Britain’s Top Tradesman 2012 will be held in November at an, as yet, unconfirmed location.

To lodge an entry, either visit a Screwfix store or go online at www.screwfix.com/btt

For more information regarding Renault vans visit www.renault.co.uk/vans

Poole Steel Firm Chooses 100% Isuzu Fleet

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Cumberland Reinforcement's Isuzu Grafter 3.5t

Cumberland Reinforcement's 3.5t Isuzu Grafter

Dorset-based steel stockholder Cumberland Reinforcements has completed a move to a 100% Isuzu-based fleet. After two years of running the marque’s heavier 7.5t and 18t trucks, it has completed its fleet renewal with a 3.5t Isuzu Grafter.

The Poole-based firm operates its vehicles within a 100 miles of its base and specified a flatbed body for its 3.5t Grafter, in a similar specification to the heavier Isuzus.

One of the advantages of the Grafter — like Toyota’s Dyna — is that it is essentially a small truck, rather than a heavy van. This means that it is well suited to demanding work and its cabover configuration maximises the load bed length without increasing overall vehicle length.

Martin Cumberland, the company’s managing director, explains:

“We find that the Isuzu trucks are excellent workhorses for our type of business, giving us everything we need. In addition, we also receive excellent support from the local dealer Ferndown Commercials, which is not only close at hand, but also gives us first-class service.”

For more details on Isuzu commercial vehicles, visit www.isuzutruck.co.uk.

Payload Swings Helphire Deal For 50 Fiat Ducato Transporters

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Fiat Ducato Transporter

One of Helphire's new Fiat Ducato Transporters. The company chose the model primarily because of its low weight.

Accident assistance specialist Helphire Group plc, has just taken delivery of the first of 50 new Euro 5 Fiat Ducato-based transporters as part of its fleet replacement programme. The first vehicle is scheduled to go into active service at its Leicester depot this week.

The company, which has its head office in Bath, has specified 50 Fiat Ducato 33 B2B chassis 2.3 130bhp MultiJet II Euro 5 transporters built by UK industry experts KFS Special Vehicles Ltd.

The vehicles will be supplied by Fiat Professional dealer, Guest Truck & Van Centre in Birmingham, which enjoys a very strong relationship with Helphire Group plc.

All the transporters – in metallic Aluminium Grey – will be used to transport the Group’s vehicles throughout the national network of over 20 branches and four operational contact centres across the UK.

The KFS converted Ducato-based transporters come with a generous standard specification and include aluminium deck and bearers, load tested loading ramps, recessed tie rings and a maximum payload capacity.

In addition, all transporters will be equipped with options including metallic paint, dual passenger seat, extended wiring loom, uprated battery, normal size spare wheel and a Techno dash board.

Tim Bailey, Fleet Services Director, Helphire Group plc says:

“Running a fleet of over 8,000 vehicles and needing to move them from A to B, more often than not one car at a time, creates a number of challenges for us. Our fleet ranges from the smallest cars right up to the top of the range prestige and sports vehicles, so ensuring we have sufficient flexibility and maximum load weight on any transporter is essential.

We ultimately chose the Fiat Ducato as the base for our replacement transporters as it delivered the best load weight without sacrificing power or driver comfort and at a cost that we found very workable.  In addition to this, we have a very good relationship with Guest which helped us to explore a number of options that eventually led to the Ducato being chosen.”

Ford Joins FTA Van Excellence Scheme

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Ford has become the latest van manufacturer to join the Van Excellence scheme, which is run by the Freight Transport Association and aims to encourage high standards of van operation.

The blue oval joins Mercedes, VW, Nissan, Fiat and Isuzu in becoming partners in the scheme, meaning that more than half the vans sold in the UK are now made by Van Excellence partners. As Mark Cartwright, the FTA’s Head of Vans and LCVs explains, the next target for Van Excellence is van dealers:

“We’re delighted to welcome Ford as a Van Excellence Partner. Together with existing partners Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, FIAT and Isuzu our manufacturer partners now represent over half of the UK’s annual registrations. Their support is invaluable particularly as we develop a Van Excellence accreditation scheme for dealers.”

The FTA scheme was launched in 2010 to promote high standards of van operation and driving by accrediting operators against an industry code of good practice.

Accredited operators are those who have successfully demonstrated that their fleet management and compliance systems can meet the demanding standards of the Code of Van Excellence, the voluntary code of practice for van fleet operators.

The importance of Van Excellence continues to be well recognised within the industry and continues to grow, as new members which have also recently joined include Carillion Construction, South Devon Healthcare Trust, Daniel Contractors and Corporation of London.

Van Excellence was awarded the Best New Service Award at the 2012 Fleet News Awards.

Earlier this year, Hertz joined Van Excellence and individual van rental operators are welcome to join the scheme. You can find out more at www.vanexcellence.co.uk.

Olympic Route Network Delivery Planner – Online

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As I mentioned recently, the Olympic Route Network in London could cause havoc for freight deliveries during next month’s Olympic Games.

Transport for London (TfL) has now launched an online route planner for London that will take into account traffic congestion and the real-time restrictions being imposed by the Olympic Route Network. Operators can enter the date and time of their planned journeys and see the nearest permitted stopping points to their destinations.

Once the ORN (and later the Paralympic Route Network) kicks in, live data on traffic conditions and restrictions will be fed into the route planner every five minutes, which should provide you with a realistic view of the chaos your drivers will have to negotiate while Olympic ‘VIPs’ swish by in underutilised Zil lanes…

You can find the Freight Journey Planner on the TfL website.