Low Cost Vans

    Getting your first vehicle used to be a right of passage – the opportunity to get about without asking for a lift; the chance to explore places beyond your local bus route, and precious moments when you could pull up at college with music blaring out the window. But it looks like this version of adulthood is becoming less appealing - or at least feasible - for younger drivers. Recent research shows that the number of teenagers with driving licences has dropped by nearly 40% in comparison to two decades ago. There seem to be different responses to this news: some rejoicing in the fact that this will mean less cars on the road, while others focus with some nostalgia about the end of the era when a car meant your ticket to adulthood. The costs certainly are prohibitive, from driving lessons through to buying and running a car. And that’s without even factoring the £1,000 + insurance that young drivers need to pay. This is certainly the perspective that the AA has, with presid...

WINTER IS HERE! It really is Narnia across the Isle at the moment. Prepare yourselves for your journey as best you can. Here's a reminder of what to stock up on for your journeys in cold weather. 7 essentials to carry in your vehicle this winter: - Snow socks, the thicker & longer the better! - Travel charger. Portable - remember the leads & to pre-charge. - Wool blanket / Hand warmers. - Food & Drink (carry a flask of hot water for tea/coffee/noodles, soup). - LED Flash / torch - with spare batteries. - Shovel - LARGE. - Windshield de-icer Staples are: first-aid supplies, jumper cables, gloves, a flashlight, duct tape and a tow strap. Check on the latest travel information, before setting off on your travels. The best places for this is with local police forces on twitter who often regularly update their information, the Met Office and the AA website. -  Met Office Link  -  Twitter List of 'most' UK localised Police Forces - see 'Members section'  - AA ...

Honda promises Electronic Vehicles (EV's), that charge in 15 minutes by 2022. Currently most 30 minute charges, re-charge to about 80%. Drivers seeking to transition to an EV will be pleased of the governments vast investment into strengthening the provisions of electric charge points across the UK. In order to meet a faster charge duration, Honda are looking to create a new battery collaboration. They hope faster charging and longer driving ranges will make the EV market more appealing and accessible to mass market. I wonder how many other manufacturers will heed the faster re-charge race and have faster charge times in future? It certainly seems the EV market will be fast expanding in the next seven years, past 2022 towards other 2025 targets. View the Low Cost Vans Electric Hybrid Range here:  http://www.lowcostvans.co.uk/electric-vans.aspx Ref:  Shane McGlaun.Slash Gear. 

It’s time once again to talk about keeping your commercial vehicle and its contents safe. It has been said before that the best way to protect your van and its valuable contents is to use common sense. If would-be-thieves can see and take stock of the tempting tools in your unattended van, then that is just asking for trouble. It’s best to store tools and equipment where they can be hidden and never leave expensive tools inside the van overnight. Of course, you do already know this, but I recently read statistics from Commercial Vehicle Direct Insurance Services , which showed that since 2008, UK tradespeople have lost over £75m due to thefts from their vehicles. That’s an astounding amount that also showed the average value of tools stolen from a van estimated at over £1,900. According to Commercial Vehicle Direct Insurance Services, the hotspots which have been hit by the most costly thefts in the past five years are: · London Metropolitan – £30.6m · Yorkshire - £10m · Essex - £5.3m ...

Confused about some road markings? Unsure exactly what that graphic on the sign actually means? Can I drive my overloaded van through there? According to a blog post on Confused.com’s website, you really can’t go using ignorance as an excuse when it comes to traffic laws. It was interesting to read motor lawyer, Jeanette Miller’s explanations on how misunderstanding road signs can land you in trouble with the law. I must admit, I have scratched my head a time or two in regards to confusing signage on the roads. Good news is, the government has now realised it needs to act and has proposed clearer - and fewer - road signs and markings. However, there is still no excuse for not taking the time to familiarise yourself with them now, especially if you are a new driver. Did you know that if you pick up six penalty points within the first two years of passing the driving test then your licence will be revoked? Yikes! Get studying those road signs carefully. You can view a few examples of co...

With summer now in full swing, many of you may be gearing up to tow the caravan or motorboat to your holiday destinations. Whether you plan to tow anything from behind your car or van,  I wanted to share the pertinent advice I read from Road safety charity, the IAM , that offer helpful motoring tips. Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger has posted some handy tips on towing techniques. Rodger said: “ Whether you’re towing a speedboat, a horsebox, a caravan or another car, there are certain rules which must be applied. It is important to recognise the challenges which come with having to control not just one vehicle, but two .” Tips for successfully towing another vehicle:  Watch the weight of the towed vehicle – this should not exceed 85 per cent of the car’s kerb weight. Excess weight will cause instability.  Check the unit you are towing is secure before pulling away, and check again after a short distance. Look for anything loose, disconnected, missing or broken.  Check ...

For those not familiar with a day in the life of a “white van” driver, a recent article published in the Huffington Post takes you on a journey of what it’s like to be behind the wheel of one our nation’s hardest working vehicles, from a female perspective no less. From what van to drive, parking, and addressing the white van man stereotype, the article titled, “White Van Man (or Woman)” written by journalist Lara Platman, gives a quick glimpse into what it’s like to be a van driver.  Click here to read the full article which was posted on 02/06/2014.

Did you know that van drivers are safer than car drivers on the road? So says an article published in the Telegraph last week. The term "white van man" has been synonymous with a reputation for being considered lane hogging careless drivers for years now. However, the findings from published government data referred to in the article, show that the often implied negative white van moniker is not only outdated but unfounded.  Although previous studies had found many people still associate van drivers as wreckless, this is not the case today or is certainly proved incorrect based on accident statistics. To read more about how van drivers are safer drivers, please read the Telegraph article written by transport correspondent Nick Collins  here . What do you think, are van drivers safer or still deserving of the "white van man" tag? Let us know your thoughts on my Twitter page or via the blog comments.

If you are a van operator, whether running your own individual business or a fleet, it’s important to stay up to date with all operating regulations and to ensure you are complying with standards of van operator best practices. A good place to find the best advice from a practical, operational viewpoint, and offering up peace of mind surrounding the operation of your van fleet is Van Excellence .  For those not already familiar with the trade association and the Van Excellence code; “Van Excellence was launched in order to promote high standards of van operation and driving by accrediting operators against a code of good practice”. Members help to promote the Van Excellence Code amongst their customers and encourage its standards to be adopted and followed throughout the light commercial vehicle sector. It is open to van operators of all sizes and business sectors and includes non FTA members. Announced at last year’s Van Excellence conference, the news that VOSA (Vehicle Operating and...

This further section of the Guide to Van Safety: Options for Improvement hopes to provide you with descriptions and examples of the activities that you can put in place to improve the safety of van operations within your organisation and the ways in which you can benefit from implementing safer management practices. It also aims to provide guidance on how to ensure that vans are operating safely and how to promote safe van operations. The measures have been split into four key sections which are outlined below. The information under these headings includes descriptions, methods and comparisons between various options. They are: • Safe Management Systems • Driver Management • Vehicle Management - Covered in last week’s guide • Journey Management This week's guide page concludes the Essential Guide to Van Safety: Options for Improvement . As we look into the final key section, I have also included a glossary of terms that may have been used during this segment. To read the latest Ess...

This section of the Guide to Van Safety  provides you with descriptions and examples of the activities that you can put in place to improve the safety of van operations within your organisation and the ways in which you can benefit from implementing safer management practices. It also aims to provide guidance on how to ensure that vans are operating safely and how to promote safe van operations. The measures have been split into four key sections outlined below. The information under these headings includes descriptions, methods and comparisons between various options. • Safe Management Systems • Driver Management • Vehicle Management • Journey Management We have already gone over the first two measures in previous week's guides and will now continue on with the remaining key sections. To read the Essential Guide to Van Safety: Options for Improvement – Vehicle Management , please click here .

This week’s Guide to Van Safety page provides suggestions for improvement, including descriptions and examples of the activities that you can put in place to improve the safety of van operations within your organisation. The measures have been split into four key sections outlined below. The information under these headings includes descriptions, methods and comparisons between various o ptions. • Safe Management Systems (covered in last week’s guide) • Driver Management • Vehicle Management • Journey Management We continue on with Driver Management this week and cover the remaining key sections in the following weeks. To read the Essential Guide to Van Safety: Options for Improvement – Driver Management , please click here .

This latest section of the Guide to Van Safety  provides you with descriptions and examples of the activities that you can put in place to improve the safety of van operations within your organisation. The measures have been split into four key sections outlined below. The information under these headings includes descriptions, methods and comparisons between various options. • Safe Management Systems • Driver Management • Vehicle Management • Journey Management We will begin with Safe Management Systems this week and continue with the remaining key sections in the following weeks. To read the Essential Guide to Van Safety: Options for Improvement – Safe Management Systems , please click here .

You need to monitor and measure safety performance to find out how successful it is. Once you have identified the key areas for improvement and risks affecting the safety of your vans, you are ready to explore some of the options for overcoming them. It is a good idea to maintain the involvement of drivers at this stage so that the most practical solutions can be put in place and ensure that consensus is reached with regard to the most appropriate method of reducing or managing each hazard. This section of the guide concludes the monitoring and measuring safety performance aspect. The conclusion focuses on possible solutions, the review process, and measuring of your progress, plus the definition of SMART targets. To read the Essential Guide to Van Safety: Monitoring and Measuring Performance (conclusion), please click here .

The Essential Guide has been on a short hiatus while I was away, but it's back now and we will continue on with Van Safety: Monitoring and Measuring  Performance. You need to monitor and measure safety performance to find out how successful it is. This section should help to get you started with monitoring and measuring safety performance. Remember, some of the benefits associated with the increased safety of van fleets include more effective van use, lower fuel costs, and not to mention, a stronger business reputation. The guide continuation will focus on identifying areas of improvement; assess causes and solutions, then, most importantly, how to implement changes. Click here to read it now.  

The process of improving the safety of your van operations is a simple cycle. It is important that there is an individual or group of people in your company who is familiar with the process and can take a lead on implementing the safety review, monitoring, and measurement of performance. Keep in mind that this is an on-going process, as monitoring your progress towards safety improvements will allow you to identify areas where further work is needed to meet targets, so you will need to go back and review these to assess whether they are too ambitious. Your business needs and requirements may change over time, thereby altering your priority areas of risk and safety measures. To read the next instalment of the Essential Guide to Van Safety that offers tips on monitoring and measuring safety performance, please click here .

This week's portion of the Essential Guide to Van Safety provides an overview of why it is important to your business and the wider community to run safe van operations. The benefits from implementing an effective system can include cost savings, improvements in performance and efficiency, improved well-being, safety and health of employees, and protect your reputation. Please click here to view the Essential Guide to Van Safety: Benefits page.

Compliance with current legislation is an essential starting point to keeping your vans safe. If your vans are not being used in accordance with the law, there is the real possibility that you will be fined and your vans impounded. The costs can be considerable and be a detriment to your business. This week's guide lists some of the main legislation that van users must adhere to, ensuring your vans are compliant. It also provides links to where you can find van-related legislation and information online. Click here to view the next section in the Essential Guide to Van Safety.

This week’s new guide topic introduces the importance of van safety. It discusses the need to promote safe van use and will encompass a step-by-step process. It starts with collecting information to develop an understanding of your current situation and then takes you through the decision-making process to developing an action plan. Finally, it helps you to identify and implement improvement actions, and then how to monitor those improvements. The aim of this guide is to provide useful information to drivers of van based vehicles (weighing up to 7.5 tonnes). To view the Essential Guide to Van Safety: Introduction, please click here .

This week's guide looks at the final two types of equipment and accessories you may need when considering your van specifications; Beacons, Blaze Bars, and Aerodynamics. Once you have completed detailed specifications outlined in steps 1 to 8, you will have completed your draft vehicle specification. Checklist : 1. Internal linings and bulkheads 2. Load restraints 3. Aids to loading and unloading 4. Lifting aids 5. Roof racks and access ladders 6. Roof vents 7. Beacons and blaze bars 8. Aerodynamics To view the Essential Guide to Van Specification: Equipment and Accessories – Beacons and Aerodynamics , please click here .