Is your older van fit for purpose and still roadworthy?

In a recent press release, leading vehicle tracking and telematics company, Tracker, is urging businesses to assess their vans to ensure they are running a safe fleet, especially those running vans that are older than three years on. The advice comes in light of the Freight Transport Association’s (FTA) data from a March 2013 report that showed nearly half of all vans on the roads that are over three years old are no longer roadworthy.

The auto market has seen many businesses and individuals keep possession of their vehicles for much longer periods in recent years and Tracker says, “The FTA’s figures highlight the fact that businesses are holding onto vans for longer, rather than investing in a new fleet,” explains Stephen Doran, Managing Director of TRACKER. “But with 50% of vans over three years being old unfit to be on the road, some van owners may not be maintaining their fleet adequately. At a time when businesses are focusing on reducing costs, the last thing they need is for their vans to breakdown or fail their MOT, both of which can be expensive to rectify and TRACKER’s services can help avoid these costs by encouraging regular maintenance of an ageing fleet.”

So what advice or service does Tracker offer to help with those facing a possible ticking time bomb? They are a telematics and tracking business after all, so perhaps by suggesting to businesses that they should install their TRACKER Fleet telematics product would be a start. The TRACKER Fleet system allows fleet managers to set their own Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including whether vehicles are exceeding daily mileage allowances or speed limits. Plus they can be alerted to upcoming servicing dates, as well as monitoring vehicle efficiency, highlighting potential problems before adversely leading to costly repairs. You can view this product and others offered from Tracker by visiting their website here.

I have not used the TRACKER Fleet product myself, so I am in no way endorsing it, but I have had some experience with telematics and do find them very useful in many aspects of maintaining and managing fleets. Of course, this is just one cost effective option available out there for those still maintaining older van fleets. There is also the option of leasing or contract hiring a van or fleet of vans. There are many advantages to leasing a van, such as fixed manageable monthly costs, minimal maintenance costs as /when vans depreciate, potential tax advantages, and the ease of returning the van once the contract ends. Here at Low Cost Vans we offer a wide range of new vans for lease or contract hire at great prices. If this is something you've considered, please give us a call and we would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Whether you choose to go the telematics route, buy a brand new van fleet, or decide to lease/contract hire, it’s important to ensure your van is fit for purpose and remains roadworthy to avoid the hassle and expense of costly repair bills or total replacement.