Category Archives: Vans In Business

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

How To Cut Van Fleet Fuel Costs By Up To 45%

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Evolution of Van: Efficiency and Fleet Operation

Volkswagen Frugal Fleets infographic - click to enlarge

Fuel bills are one of the biggest costs faced by van operators — and with diesel looking stuck around the £1.35 – £1.40 range (at least where I live), that isn’t going to change anytime soon.

Despite this, there are several things van operators can do to reduce their fuel bills by a significant amount — but new research by Volkswagen suggests that many van operators aren’t doing this and could cut their fuel bills by 45%!

Pull the other one!

I’m not kidding. Simple things make a big difference and the changes Volkswagen suggests fall into two categories.

Telematics & Route Planning

Drivers traditionally complain about satellite tracking, telematics and being told which route to take, but the reality is that all of these things save money. Not all drivers have the skills or inclination to do these things for themselves — and route planning for a big fleet needs centralised coordination to maximise efficiency.

Computerised route planning, satellite navigation to avoid traffic bottlenecks and telematics to record and report excessive idling, harsh acceleration and braking and other bad driving techniques will all result in a reduction in fuel costs.

Volkswagen’s research, which was conducted by commercial vehicle independent consultant Robin Dickson, found that using telematics could cut fuel consumption for a 400 vehicle fleet by as much as 35%.

Telematics are becoming much more common in large HGV fleets, but according to VW’s research, van fleets are lagging behind:

  • 80% of van drivers surveyed say that they do not have telematics fitted to their vans.
  • 58% of fleet owners say they have not considered planning efficient routes for drivers
  • 25% of drivers say they feel their routes are inefficient
  • Only 23% of drivers have their routes planned for them

Driver Training

The other element to maximising fuel efficiency is driver training. Volkswagen has identified three elements that if corrected can reduce fuel consumption by as much as 15%. Certainly, I know from my own experience that increasing or decreasing fuel consumption by 10% is pretty easy.

Here are the three factors highlighted by Volkswagen (my comment in italics):

  • Acceleration: Smooth, moderate and looking ahead – don’t accelerate to join the back of a queue
  • Cornering: Aim for smooth, controlled cornering at manageable speeds. As you approach a corner, lift off the accelerator before you start braking; this saves a noticeable amount of fuel.
  • Braking: Excessive braking and acceleration wastes fuel because you are constantly burning fuel to speed up, only to slow straight down again. Look further ahead when driving to spot slowing traffic — if you see it, just lift off the accelerator and let your speed come down without touching the brakes. 

Volksagen says that despite the proven benefits of driver training, just 18% of drivers have received training to improve their safety and efficiency.

I suspect that part of the problem is that vans can normally be driven on car driving licences — so van drivers have never had any formal driver training, except the basic training required to pass their car tests. The fact that their licences aren’t are not subject to any additional oversight (unlike HGV and PSV licences) probably doesn’t help either.

Whatever the case, the UK’s van fleet operators seem to be missing a trick here. Volkswagen’s 45% figure is perhaps a little optimistic, but I suspect that savings of 15% – 25% could be achieved quite easily in many cases. What’s not to like?

You can download the full Volkswagen fleet white paper, “Evolution of Van: Efficiency and Fleet Operation”, here.

Anglian Water To Take 500 New Vauxhalls In 2012

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Anglian Water fleet manager Nigel Allen with Anglian's new Vauxhall vans

Anglian Water fleet manager Nigel Allen with some of Anglian's new Vauxhall vans

Anglian Water is the largest water and wastewater service in England and Wales by geographic area. It has relied Vauxhall vehicles for over a decade and cars and vans from the Luton-based manufacturer currently form around 90 per cent of its 2,000-strong fleet.

Anglian Water serves a region stretching from the Humber north of Grimsby to the Thames estuary in the south, and from Buckinghamshire in the west to Lowestoft in the east. Its operators have to service 80,000km of water and wastewater pipes over an area of 27,500 square kilometres, so the demands on its fleet vehicles are significant.

Talking about the company’s current vehicles, Nigel Allen, Anglian Water’s Fleet Manager said:

“Put simply, our current fleet is the best, most cost-effective solution we’ve ever had. Vauxhall has worked closely with us to help us get to where we are today and there’s always someone on the end of the phone. We’ve been constantly impressed with the vehicles’ prices, maintenance costs and residual values.

The two major drivers for our fleet decisions are whole life costs and CO2 emissions, both from an environmental and financial point-of-view. The whole life costs of all our Vauxhall vehicles – both cars and vans – are incredibly impressive and we also see the benefit of the ecoFLEX models in our fleet, including the New Combo and Vivaro ecoFLEX.”

Anglian Water’s fleet of 2,000 vehicles includes 1,200 light commercial vehicles, 600 cars and 200 trucks and heavy vans. Around 90 per cent of the car fleet is comprised of Vauxhalls including Corsa, Astra and Insignia, and Vauxhall commercial vehicles make up more than 95 per cent of the van fleet, including New Combo, Vivaro and Movano models. Having taken delivery of 500 Vauxhalls in 2011, Anglian Water will take on a similar number of new vehicles in 2012.

Nigel continued:

“Our fleet vehicles are owned by us for four or five years. We sell the cars on once they clock up 100,000 miles and the vans when they reach 120,000 miles. Given the mileage involved, it’s important our fleet is not only efficient and cost-effective to run, but absolutely dependable.”

When any new parts are required, Anglian Water benefits from next-day delivery through Vauxhall Trade Club, which not only provides the most affordable solution, but reduces downtime as all parts are supplied under warranty and are genuine, quality Vauxhall parts that will fit first time.

In addition to the low emissions afforded particularly by Vauxhall’s ecoFLEX models, Anglian Water’s commitment to reducing environmental impact extends to its vehicle fixtures and fittings.

“Several years ago, we asked our supplier, Bott, about refitting equipment into new vehicles and they came up with a solution,” said Nigel Allen. “Today, fitting out our new models with fittings and fixtures from de-fleeted vehicles provides us with a 25 per cent cost saving, as well as the environmental benefit of not having new equipment manufactured.”

James Taylor, Vauxhall Fleet Sales Director, said:

“We are delighted to continue the long-established relationship between Vauxhall and Anglian Water. We have worked hard to provide solutions to the varying demands of the company’s fleet, from its operational support and service vans through to its business cars. Vauxhall’s relationship with Anglian Water perfectly demonstrates our capability to deliver a complete fleet solution, from a wide range of flexible and efficient vehicles through to responsive and cost-effective aftersales.”

For more information visit www.vauxhall.co.uk or www.anglianwater.co.uk.

Speed Limiters Should Be Standard – FTA

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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.

Freight Transport Association Warns Over Olympic Disruption

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The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has issued a warning about the disruption the Olympic Games will cause to its members operating in London and the need for tolerance and common sense from London’s enforcement authorities and the general public.

Speaking to the House of Commons Transport Committee, Natalie Chapman, FTA’s Head of Policy for London gave evidence to the Olympics Inquiry alongside representatives of London Councils, the Federation of Wholesale Distributors and the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association.

The inquiry was looking at the transport challenges posed by the Olympic and Paralympic Games, including the impact of Games Lanes and the Olympic Route Network on road transport in London.  Also providing evidence were Justine Greening Secretary of State for Transport & Peter Hendy, Commissioner of Transport for London.

Chapman said:

“We are pleased to assist the Transport Committee in its investigation into the robustness of transport arrangements for the Games. Without efficient logistics, there will be no Games. And without an appreciation of the likely disruption, Londoners and London’s business community will find it difficult to keep functioning.

It is therefore important that everyone interested in making this summer a success is working together to ensure an efficient supply chain is maintained.  There is a tendency not to notice freight until it doesn’t work, so the challenges of the next few months give the industry the ideal opportunity to showcase how effective and efficient it really is.”

Natalie Chapman told the inquiry that the industry was largely prepared and ready for the challenge that the Games will pose.  However, FTA members are concerned how those reliant on logistics are preparing and adapting for the challenges of the next few months.

She also raised concerns regarding the additional costs that the industry will face in servicing customers during the Games.  Many companies have had to hire in additional vehicles and drivers for the summer even if these do not foresee an increase in trade as productivity will slump due to a reduction in road speeds and an increase in congestion.

Chapman continued:

“The vast array of additional restrictions that will be implemented for the Olympics and Paralympics such as the Olympic Route Network, Games Lanes, banned turns and loading bans are likely to cause confusion even to drivers how know London’s streets like the back of their hand.  We hope that the boroughs and Transport for London will take a sensible approach to enforcement and will focus their efforts on compliance and assisting drivers.

We are of course delighted that the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Transport listened to FTA’s concerns on this issue and did not approve the increase in PCN levels to £200 as requested by London Councils and the Olympic Delivery Authority.  However, if £130 fines are issued like confetti, we will as an industry, have a very big bill to pick up at the end of the summer.

Here at vanrental.co.uk we have been warning of potential disruption and shortage of hire vans in London and the south east for some time – let’s hope that companies’ are now prepared and that with the support of the London authorities, everything will work well.

Van News: Electric Vans In Business & Market News

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British Gas put an OEM electric van on the road, Volkswagen van sales hit new highs and the Berlingo scores another repeat customer fleet refresh deal.

OEM Electric Vans For British Gas

Nissan NV200 electric van British Gas trial

A Nissan NV200 electric van being is being trialled by British Gas

British Gas has said that it will only consider buying OEM electric vans, not aftermarket conversions. Colin Marriott, general manager of the British Gas fleet was discussing the performance of a recent Nissan EV200 electric van trial when he confirmed that the utility company would only consider OEM choices:

“Aftermarket conversions can interfere with a vehicle’s reliability. Our engineers are only efficient if they are busy looking after customers. By choosing OEM products we can guarantee that if a problem occurs a vehicle is fixed quickly and efficiently”

This is a pretty sensible approach and one that is likely to be emulated by most other large fleets.

Another benefit not mentioned by Marriott is that the risk of the aftermarket converter going bust is eliminated – a problem that affected the buyers of the Ford Transit Connect electric van recently, when its converter, Azure Dynamics, closed down.

British Gas has been testing out an electric version of the Nissan NV200 at its Leicester and Newbury depots to assess which of its 14,000 drivers’ daily travel patterns are most suited to an electric van’s typical working range, including getting to and from work.

Volkswagen Van Sales Up 6.1% On 2011

Volkswagen light commercial vehicle range

L-R, Volkswagen Caddy, Amarok, Transporter & Crafter

Sales of Volkswagen light commercial vehicles are up 6.1% worldwide over the same period (Jan-Apr) last year.

The German automaker has sold 174,200 LCVs so far in 2012, up from 164,200 in 2011. Unsurprisingly, Germany was the highest volume European market for VW, with customer deliveries up 9.8% to 39,600 so far this year.

However, Eastern Europe was the biggest grower, with deliveries up a massive 35% so far this year compared to the Jan-Apr 2011. Despite this, the total sold was only 13,700 – around a third of those sold in Germany.

In total, sales of the Crafter (up 35.2%) and Amarok pickup (up 36.2%) showed the biggest growth, with sales of the more established T5 inching up by 3.5% and sales of the Caddy declining slightly by 0.2%. The T5 remains the biggest seller, with 52,700 units sold so far in 2012.

Berlingo Wins Another Repeat Customer

Citroen Berlingo Hewer Fleet Management

One of Hewer FM’s new Euro Citroen Berlingo vans

Gloucester-based Hewer Facilities Management has just taken delivery of 36 new Citroën Berlingo vans as part of its latest fleet refresh deal.

The new Euro 5 Berlingos will replace the company’s existing Euro 4 Berlingos, as Robert Willmott, Hewer FM’s Contract Manager, explains:

“We have had a long and successful operating experience with Berlingo vans, which now form the majority of our 65-strong fleet. As an environmentally conscious company, every fleet renewal time we carry out a comprehensive review to see whether there is a van that can beat the Berlingo.

To date we have continued to acquire Berlingos because of their unbeatable combination of environmental, operational, financial and driver benefits. These latest Euro 5 Berlingos are nearly 10% more fuel efficient than the Euro 4 versions they replace and their CO2 emissions are 13g/km lower.”

“Berlingos also provide us with other cost savings and productivity benefits, as they are running on 30 per cent biodiesel fuel. Also, the standard fit Trafficmaster Smartnav satellite navigation system and Trackstar stolen vehicle tracking means we have achieved additional cost savings and lower insurance premiums.”

The vans were supplied by Citroën Business Centre, Warners Citroën of Cheltenham, who arranged for a number of additions to enhance the Berlingo Enterprise’s high level of standard equipment. In addition to the standard air conditioning, Bluetooth, reverse park sensors and a dual passenger seat, Hewer’s new vans have also been fitted with a full steel bulkhead, polypropylene load compartment lining, non-slip composite flooring and roof bars.

Fiat Scores Double At Trade Van Driver Awards

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Fiat Doblo Cargo

The new Fiat Doblo Cargo won the Most Versatile Trades Van award in the Trade Van Drivers Awards 2012

Trade Van Driver is a new magazine aimed at owner drivers and operators of small van fleets, rather than the big fleet and corporate market.

It recently announced the winners of inaugural Trade Van Driver Awards – with the winning vans chosen by a combination of expert judges and a panel of readers who use vans in their everyday business.

The winners in each category were:

  • Best City Van: Citroën Nemo
  • Best Newcomer: Vauxhall Combo
  • Best Large Van: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
  • Best Vehicle Over 3.5 Tonnes: Iveco Daily
  • Best 4×4 Truck: Volkswagen Amarok
  • Most Versatile Trades Van: Fiat Doblo Cargo
  • Best Builder’s Truck: Isuzu Grafter
  • Best Small Trades Van: Nissan NV200
  • Best Alternatively-Fuelled Van: Renault Kangoo Z.E.
  • Best Technical Development: Fuso Canter Duonic Gearbox
  • Best All-Rounder: Ford Transit (what else?)
  • Editor’s Choice: Fiat Fiorino

There are not too many surprises in here, although the omissions of the Vauxhall Vivaro/Renault Trafic is a bit of a surprise. It’s always been popular with the owner-driver/small tradesmen market, but it is beginning to show its age alongside some of the newer models and is due for replacement in the next year or so. At present, the latest Transit is simply a better van.

The new Vauxhall Combo has been well received and should be a success with both SME and fleet buyers – it is of course a rebadged version of fellow award winner the Fiat Doblo Cargo. A focus on cost-effectiveness and practicality is visible, too – none of Volkswagen’s popular and desirable vans are in the list, despite their appeal to owner-drivers.

TVD editor Matthew Eisenegger is planning to present the awards to their winners at the CV Show in Birmingham later this month.

For more information visit tradevandriver.com or www.cvshow.com.

High-Flying Citroën Vans For Virgin Atlantic

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Virgin Atlantic Citroen Relay Luton vanVirgin Atlantic has taken delivery of 45 Citroën vans as part of a move to replace its entire mixed-marque fleet with Citroën LCVs.

The first order includes 22 Berlingo five-seat Crew Vans, Dispatch vans, Relay Specialist Dropsides and a Relay Specialist Luton van.

Virgin’s use of the vans varies considerably; those remaining within an airport clock up just 5,000 miles per year. At the other end of the spectrum, some take it in turns to cover a 350 mile route seven days per week.

The fleet replacement is part of a move from van leasing to outright purchasing, as Virgin Atlantic’s Logistics Manager, Matt P. Neville, explains:

“Because our vehicle usage varies so greatly we have moved away from leasing to direct purchase as it enables us to replace the vans as and when needed, rather than having to stick to a particular timetable”

The five-seat Berlingo Crew Vans will be used by Virgin Atlantic’s aircraft engineers as they keep the long-haul aircraft in operational condition. The Dispatch vans are being used for longer distance travel between airports, both in the UK and mainland Europe, to collect and deliver time-critical aircraft parts and equipment.

Most of the Relay Specialist Dropsides will used by the stores teams to carry items like aircraft wheels and tyres. The Relay Specialist Luton van, resplendent in Virgin Atlantic’s distinctive livery, will be based at Heathrow. It will be used by the facilities maintenance crew to move anything from paint to furniture between airports and other company facilities.

The introduction of the cleaner and more fuel efficient Euro 5 engines in the Citroën LCVs has helped Mr. Neville win Virgin Atlantic’s Hero Award for sustainability.

GPS Jammers Threaten Effectiveness Of Trackers

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Thieves are increasingly using GPS jammers to steal commercial vehicles and plant, according to vehicle tracking specialists TRACKER.

The company says that in the last month alone, police in Kent arrested and jailed a criminal gang in connection with the theft of 26 vans. Over an 8 month period 150 Mercedes Sprinter vans were reported stolen in the Heathrow Airport area where the gang operated. The highly organised thieves used jammers to disable tracking systems in the vehicles, leaving the criminals free to break up the vans for parts or drive them to Europe.

“The Sentinel study confirms fears that GPS systems are susceptible to jamming and reinforces the need for van owners to protect not only their vehicle but the load it carries,” says Stuart Chapman, head of TRACKER’s Police Relationship Team. “Most of the vans Kent police discovered were stolen from workmen, who suffered a loss of business, on top of having their van and tools stolen.

Don’t Depend On GPS

Unlike other stolen vehicle tracking devices which rely on GPS alone, TRACKER is resilient to jamming because it brings together GSM, GPS and VHF technology.  This unique combination has created the most robust stolen vehicle tracking device available, offering commercial vehicle owners the best protection from this growing threat.

As part of its protection against jamming, TRACKER also raises an alert if there is any attempt to jam or tamper with the system, helping to provide an instant alert of a suspected theft. TRACKER’s system also feeds alerts directly to the police in the event of a theft, enabling them to start a targeted search for the missing vehicle, before it can be disguised or exported. TRACKER is used by all 52 police forces.

For more information about TRACKER, visit www.tracker.co.uk.

Water Company Chooses Vauxhall Combo Fleet

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Anglian Water new Vauxhall Combos

Anglian Water has just taken delivery of 52 new Vauxhall Combo vans

Anglian Water has just taken delivery of the first major fleet order of new Vauxhall Combo vans.

The company, which  is the largest water and wastewaster service in England and Wales by geographic area, will take delivery of 52 New Combos for its water and sewage operators and technical staff.

Anglian Water has specified the long wheelbase variant of the Combo, giving each van an impressive 4.2 cubic metres of load capacity and a 1,000kg payload. The vans have been fitted with the 1.3CDTi diesel engine, which returns a combined fuel economy figure of 55.4mpg and has CO2 emissions of 136g/km.

Anglian Water serves a region stretching from the Humber north of Grimsby to the Thames estuary in the south, and from Buckinghamshire in the west to Lowestoft in the east. Its operators have to service 80,000km of water and wastewater pipes over an area of 27,500 square kilometres, so the demands on its fleet of vans are significant.

Anglian Water van custom interior

The interior of the vans has been custom-fitted to Anglian Water's requirements by vehicle converter Bott.

Nigel Allen, Anglian Water’s Fleet Manager, said: “The New Combo will be a great addition to our fleet. We run around 1,200 vans and continue to be very happy with the combination of whole life cost, reliability, purchase cost and aftersales service offered by Vauxhall.”

Van Excellence Wins Fleet News Award

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Van Excellence, the national accreditation scheme for van operators, has been recognised as the Best New Service at the Fleet News Awards 2012.

Van Excellence, which is managed and delivered by the Freight Transport Association, was launched in 2010 to promote high standards of van operation and driving by accrediting operators against an industry code of good practice.  In the 18 months since the scheme launched, 24 fleets have achieved accreditation to the Van Excellence Code, with 33 undergoing audit and a further 43 registering interest and preparing for audit.  The scheme announced its 100th registered member last week and now has over 100,000 vehicles within its membership.

The Guide to Van Excellence has also been launched giving advice on good practices for van operators and guidance on how to meet the standards in the Van Excellence Code

Collecting the award at the Fleet News Awards event held in London on 21 March, Mark Cartwright, Head of Vans and Light Commercial Vehicles at FTA said:

“This is a tribute to the members and colleagues that have helped to make Van Excellence a success.  There is still much to do but it is gratifying that our efforts on behalf of the van sector have been recognised by the industry.  We are all honoured at FTA by this award.”

The Van Excellence Code was agreed by operators acting as a Governance Group and requires systems to be in place to check vehicle roadworthiness, driver entitlement, load security and other safety aspects.  The standard exceeds the minimum requirements of the current law and selects and adapts the requirements of O-licensing normally applied to trucks for the van sector.

Accredited operators need to present themselves for re-audit every year to ensure standards are maintained.

vanrental.co.uk says:

Although Van Excellence is not really something that’s appropriate to the van rental market, it is a praiseworthy initiative for any fleet operator to be involved in. Large, heavily-loaded vans need to be treated by their drivers as ‘proper’ goods vehicles, not as oversized cars or mobile skips.

Although many van operators (and van drivers) do already have very high professional standards, the Van Excellence scheme enables them to demonstrate this and uphold the good reputation of white van man!

To find out more, visit www.vanexcellence.co.uk.