Category Archives: Vans In Business

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

Mercedes Retains HSS Van Fleet Contract

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HSS van fleet - Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and VitoMercedes-Benz has retained the contract to supply HSS Hire, the national supplier of tool and equipment hire and services, with its fleet of commercial vans.

In 2009, HSS selected Mercedes-Benz as its sole van supplier, having been impressed with the safety, reliability and environmental credentials of the range. As the vans come to the end of their lease, Mercedes-Benz has now secured the contract to supply all replacement units, as well as a range of new vehicles.

HSS trials have shown that Mercedes-Benz vehicles are out on the road, rather than in a workshop, for twice as long as other vans, offering better reliability and fewer maintenance issues.

In addition, the use of ECO-Start in the Sprinters has lead to a significant reduction in fuel consumption for the company; a major saving for running expenses and environmental impact.

Further reductions were also seen in the number of vehicle accidents, which dropped considerably thanks to the extensive safety systems, including Adaptive ESP® stability programme, seat belt tensioners and adaptive brake lights, all fitted as standard on Mercedes-Benz vans.

The latest consignment consists of 170 Sprinter 313CDI Long Chassis cabs as well as 25 Vito 113CDI Long Panel vans.

The Sprinters, which will be used for collection and delivery of HSS hired equipment, feature a 13ft 6” alloy dropside Arnold Clark body with a 500kg column tail lift and towing upgrades to 6300kg.

Alongside the Sprinter 313CDIs are 25 Vitos, a brand new addition to the HSS fleet. The Vitos will have tailgates, which when open provide a sheltered working area at the rear of the van, together with internal racking and storage solutions. The Vitos will be used primarily for onsite maintenance and repair of hire equipment.

Lee Jackson, Fleet Manager at HSS, said: “At HSS, safety is paramount so making sure that the vans we chose offered sophisticated safety features played a large part in our decision making process. In addition, the reliability of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and the service and support they offer will help keep us on the road and make sure we are better equipped to serve our customers.

“We’ve introduced the Vitos to our range as they offer an increased payload and better mpg, which will mean our fitters can carry more parts and attend to more customers in any one trip”.

The vehicles, sold by Enza Motors, based in Warrington, will be maintained via the Mercedes-Benz dealer network.

For more information about Mercedes-Benz vans, click here.

Vauxhall Tunes Into Sky With 70-Strong N. Ireland Vivaro Order

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Sky Vauxhall Vivaro vans in BelfastThe Luton-built Vauxhall Vivaro may not be the newest van on the block but it still has a very strong following, especially amongst tradesmen.

The ongoing appeal of the medium-sized panel van has been confirmed by an order for 70 the new Belfast-based fleet of Sierra Support Services, who provide installation services for Sky in Northern Ireland.

All 70 vans – all in unique Sky HD and Simpsons wraps – were delivered and handed over in one batch to Sierra’s fleet supplier, Fleet Financial.

The order, which was worth £2m, marks the beginning of a three-year deal. Each Vivaro is powered by the 2.0-litre 115ps engine and has bespoke racking, shelving and graphics.

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

Fleet Van News: TNT Downsizes & Masters For Loo Co

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Iveco Daily box van in TNT 5.2 tonne specTNT Experiments With Sub-7.5t Trucks

TNT Express has bucked the trend to move away from the 3.5t-6t weight category and chosen to trial 10 5.2 tonne Iveco Daily box vans at its Bradford and Nottingham depots.

Each Daily has a 5.2 tonne gross vehicle weight and has been mounted with a Cartwright dry freight box body.  They will be in operation up to six days a week for the next five years, covering approximately 30,000 miles per year. Each vehicle will be used to make up to 100 deliveries and collections per day.

Steve Davis, National Engineering Manager at TNT Express, says: “We watched the recent launch of the new Daily with interest and it coincided perfectly with this opportunity to reassess the model’s suitability for our fleet.  Despite its smaller size we’re achieving a competitive payload capacity of up to 2.1 tonnes.”

The Daily’s are loaded with all the latest safety features, including Iveco’s new ESP 9 safety system, which is fitted as standard, making New Daily one of the safest light commercials on the road.  Other safety features fitted include ABS (anti-lock brakes), EBD (electronic brake force distribution), ASR (traction control), ESP (stability control), HBA (hydraulic brake assist) to ensure emergency braking is as effective as possible, Hill Holder, LAC (load adaptive braking control), RMI (roll movement intervention) and ROM (roll over mitigation).

Power is provided by a 3.0 litre FPT diesel engine meeting the latest Euro 5 emissions legislation.  Capable of producing up to 146 hp and 350 Nm of torque, it features an enhanced EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system with a DPF (diesel particulate filter) as standard.  The exhaust system architecture and the EGR logic have also been optimised with particular attention to urban duty cycles, which should prevent the DPF problems suffered by some van operators using Euro 5 vans on urban routes.

Renault Masters Toilet Business

Toilets+ Renault Master chassis cabLeading portable toilet hire company, Toilets+ Ltd, has taken delivery of its first Renault Master chassis cabs, into its Mercedes Sprinter dominated fleet.

The Masters, six DXi 2.3 (125bp) with L3 cab and one dCi 2.3 (150bp) with L4 cab all have bespoke bodies;  the 125bps have chassis mounted small vacuum pumper unit plus the facility to carry two toilets, the higher powered Renault Master 150hp is fitted with a flatbed that can carry eight toilets and tow a further eight.

A good payload and a competitive deal from Norfolk Truck & Van clinched the deal for Toilets+ to switch from Mercedes Sprinter to Renault Master.

Toilets+ Managing Director, Mick Bowman, says: “We researched the market carefully and the Renault Master offered a competitive package.  They are performing very well on the road, the drivers like them, which is an important factor, and we are looking forward to adding more Masters to the fleet as part of our ongoing vehicle replacement programme.”

Toilets+ expects to get 250,000 miles out of each Master before it is flushed away.

Ford Transit ‘Pharmavans’ For AAH Pharmaceuticals

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Ford Transit Pharmavan for AAH PharmaceuticalsFord has produced a special ‘Pharmavan’ version of the Transit for long-time customer AAH Pharmaceuticals.

The firm, which is a major UK distributor of pharmaceutical products, needs to be able to keep its goods at ambient temperature while they are being transported. At the same time, a full-blown refrigerated van is costly overkill, as the products do not need to stay at a precise temperature in the way fresh food does.

Geoff Wright, head of corporate services for AAH, said: “Most pharmaceutical products have to be kept at a steady ambient temperature. Using a fully refrigerated vehicle with dual compartments for this role comes at a high price, including increased fuel consumption, running costs and CO2 emissions.

“When the temperature in the Pharmavan’s load bay dips below 10 deg C, the heat kicks in independently of the driver. When it nears 25 degrees, the air-conditioning brings the temperature down. The system is only in use when required making it extremely cost-efficient and easy to operate.”

Lest you think that Ford will produce special versions of the Transit for just anyone, it is worth bearing in mind that the vans were part of an order for 270 vans which join AAH’s existing 800-strong van fleet. AAH has also been buying Transits for the last 46 years, ever since the first model was introduced. The Pharmavans are based on a long-wheelbase Ford Transit 300 model.

To find out more about the Ford Transit, visit www.ford.co.uk.

Citroen Berlingo Wins ITM ‘Best LCV 2012’ Award

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Citroen Berlingo 2012 modelThe Citroen Berlingo has won the Institute of Transport Management’s ‘Best LCV [Light Commercial Vehicle] 2012’ award.

The ITM’s criteria for the award said that the winner had to “embody perennially important qualities such as reliability, cost-effectiveness and durability.”

The ITM judges were particularly impressed by the Berlingo’s environmental credentials:

“Businesses are looking for LCVs that are lighter, with lower emissions and better fuel efficiency, qualities that the Citroën Berlingo range has in spades.  In particular, the Citroën Berlingo e-HDI Airdream* models are equipped with e-HDi micro-hybrid Stop & Start technology.”

In addition, they also noted that the Berlingo “has all the equipment and space of a light commercial van” but “drives like a car”. It is the latest in a series of awards for the current Berlingo model, which has now been updated to include a range of Euro 5 engines and is also available as a chassis cab with Citroen’s Ready To Run body conversions.

The Citroen Berlingo is a popular choice with van rental companies in the small van category and has also been very successful with fleets.

*Citroen’s Airdream system is a combined regenerative power and start-stop system that is available on selected van models. Berlingo Airdream vans have Stop & Start with an advanced micro-hybrid starter/generator to restart the engine quickly and smoothly and incorporate regenerative braking to recover and store energy that would otherwise be lost.

Cut Fuel Costs With Route Planning and Driver Training

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Volkswagen Crafter vanJust 18% of fleet van drivers have had any training to help them drive more fuel efficiently, while less than 35% of fleet operators have considered the effect their van drivers’ habits might have on fuel consumption.

Only 23% of drivers have their routes planned for them and 23% of van drives feel that their routes are inefficient in terms of fuel consumption, as they often make multiple trips on the same route in one day.

The findings are the result of new research by Volkswagen to mark the launch of its new Crafter van. The message for fleet operators is clear – more active management of driver routing and better driver training can achieve significant savings in fuel efficiency and reduced mileage.

For van rental customers, route planning and good driving techniques are just as important (and profitable). Here are our tips for reducing van fuel consumption:

  • Avoid repeated trips with a half-filled van – don’t hire a bigger van than necessary
  • Drive steadily, avoid harsh acceleration and lift off the accelerator before braking when approaching a junction
  • Plan your route to avoid heavily congested areas if possible
  • If making multiple deliveries, try to plan a route that avoids too much ‘back and forth’ over the same roads
  • Keep your speed down on motorways – 60mph uses less fuel than 70mph

According to London-based Volkswagen customer Charlie Mullin, who operates a fleet of vans as part of his Pimlico Plumbers business, “there are ways to improve fuel efficiency and these can be as simple as taking the shortest routes and placing speed restrictions on vans.”

Companies operating unmarked van fleets might also want to consider a livery or logo for their vans; of the 60% of van drivers surveyed who had a company logo on their vans, 58% said that they thought this made them drive more carefully than they might otherwise.

Company Van Drivers Paying 4 Times More Tax For Private Use

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Drivers who use their company vans for personal use are paying four times as much tax as they were two years ago, according to new figures unearthed by accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young. In 2006/7, the HMRC only collected £10m in tax payments for drivers who used company vans for private mileage. In 2008/9, that figure was £40m, thanks to a change in the rules that came into effect in 2007.

What Changed?

In 2007, the rules on private use of company vans changed. Previously, private use of vans was given a benefit-in-kind value of £500 (£350 for vans over four years old). This meant that van drivers using their company vans for personal use only had to pay tax on £500 – for people on the standard 22% rate of income tax, this meant a charge of £110 per year.

In 2007, the benefit-in-kind value for private use of a company van was increased sixfold, rising from £500 to £3,000 (plus a further £500 if fuel is also provided). This meant that standard rate tax payers who used company vans for private mileage now had to pay an additional £660 per year – or £770 if their employer also paid for fuel for private use.

That Seems Unfair, Doesn’t It?

Such a big hike in tax over one year may seem unfair, but I think it’s pretty reasonable, really. Here’s why:

  1. £770 a year is still a lot cheaper than having to buy and run another car. You are getting the benefit of using someone else’s van for personal use, after all. You aren’t paying maintenance, road tax or insurance charges for it (unless you are self-employed…).
  2. Under the new system, van drivers pay a similar amount to company car drivers for the private use of their vehicles. Previously, van drivers paid much less than drivers of company cars, as a general rule.

Have you been hit by the increase in tax? Do you think it’s reasonable? Let me know in the comments below…

Save £2,000 On A New Merc Van & LDV Latest

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‘Swappage’ – No Trade-in required

For van owners, the problem with the government’s scrappage scheme was that there aren’t many vans over 10 years old on the roads. Furthermore, the scheme prevented anyone taking part who intended to finance the van using an ‘off balance sheet’ method – an approach favoured by many van operators.

Mercedes-Benz has decided to help these poor souls potential customers out by offering its own ‘Swappage’ scheme – where buyers can get £2,000 off the price of a new Sprinter 311CDi – the most popular model – regardless of how they finance it or whether they have anything to trade in.

Mercedes is meeting the cost of this itself, as it doesn’t qualify for governement scrappage payments, and is offering three finance/acquisition methods for potential buyers – operating lease, contract purchase and regular finance.

For more details, see the RoadTransport.com report here.

LDV Going Down The Pan?

It seemed like they might have had (yet another) saviour, but with the news that Malaysian company Weststar has pulled out of a deal to purchase LDV, the future looks bleak for the Birmingham-based company.

While I don’t like to see manufacturing (or any other) jobs disappearing in the UK, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that LDV just doesn’t deserve to be saved. They haven’t made a profit since time began, and their vans are, frankly, a little bit cheap and cheerful and behind the times.

To be honest, I’d rather that the money the government might spend on LDV is invested in other, already successful van enterprises – like Modec, Smith Electric Vehicles and even Vauxhall, if necessary.

Better still, I’d rather the government didn’t prop up every loss making automotive company unless there was a good reason to.

Van Makers Are “Missing a Trick” – Royal Mail

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Vehicle manufacturers are “missing a trick” by not focusing on developing low emission urban delivery vans ahead of passenger vehicles, according to Mark Cavill, Royal Mail’s carbon management programme manager.

In an article on RoadTransport.com, Cavill commented that “commercial vehicles represent the ideal platform to showcase future propulsion technology.” Apparently, Royal Mail’s vans average just 47 miles per day and most travel on predefined delivery routes – meaning that range limitations and recharging requirements are not an issue in the way that they are for privately-owned vehicles.

Royal Mail is currently working on ways to reduce its total CO2 output by 50% by 2015. At present, 40% of Royal Mails CO2 emissions are due to its road transport operations.

Source: RoadTransport.com

Wishful Thinking Doesn’t Equal Economic Recovery

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This week, BCA (one of the UK’s largest vehicle auctioneers) reported significantly increased sales in January and February.

Inevitably, comments were made about the green shoots of recovery – in this case by BCA’s head of LCV sales, Duncan Ward (as reported in Fleet News):

Are these the first green shoots of recovery? After all, used commercial vehicles are hardly a glamour buy, they are a business tool and if sales are strong it suggests there are plenty of businesses out there looking to the future.

I don’t mean to sound cynical or negative, but isn’t a more likely explanation for rising auction sales that businesses using vans are switching their purchases from new vans to secondhand vans – hence the pickup in auction sales, which are of secondhand vehicles.

Update: If you don’t believe me, then compare BCA’s used van auction results with these figures, published in Fleet News on Friday:

  • New LCV (van) registrations in January 2009: -35.6%
  • New LCV sales in January 2009: -36.6%

The same trend has been reported in the car market, both here and in the USA. Yet there are around 500,000 new cars stockpiled and unsold across Europe. If a recovery really was beginning, some of these would be shifting too, don’t you think?

In fact, that gives me an idea. Why not put all the unsold new cars and vans into auction and see what buyers would pay for them? It might temporarily weaken the secondhand market but it would provide a cracking incentive for buyers and would enable manufacturers to shift a load of stock, very quickly.