The awards in detail
Best Small Delivery Van
From florists and carpenters to specialist wine shops and courier firms – they all need something smart and small for light deliveries. Open to sub-1 tonne vans.
Best Small Trades Van
Electricians, painters, and decorators need a compact van that’s manoeuvrable in a tight corner but tardis-like inside as well as good on costs. Open to vans below 2.5 tonnes.
Best Large Trades Van
The iconic van of the trades. It needs to be spacious and reliable, comfortable to drive yet tough, tough, tough to do the job day in day out for those in professional trades, from plumbers to builders. Open to 2.5-3.0t vans.
Best Heavy Van
When you have to deliver big, then you need a heavyweight. Qualifying vans will be in the 3.0-3.5t range.
Best Pick Up
Open to both the workhorse utilitarian pick up and the smart luxury double cab – we want to find the pick up that does the best job for its customers.
Best Green Van
Environmentally focused small businesses want a van that reflects their green concerns. But is your van green enough to win? Open to all vans up to 3.5 tonnes that reduce their environmental presence on the road whether through technology (electric, hydrogen, gas, etc), or through efficiency.
Best Crew Van
Vans that come with extras. That’s extra seats for five or more plus a load area behind the bulkhead. A growing sector that cuts down operating costs for SME van fleets. Which is the best? Open to all crew vans up to 3.5t.
Best finance & service package
What’s the best one stop shop for trades wanting an all-in finance and service package? Open to manufacturer finance and service packages delivered through dealers.
BUSINESS VANS is launching the Business Van of the Year Awards 2016.
We want to find the best vans in the sector, and the best finance and service programmes available, that suit those in the trades and small businesses operating business vans.
The awards are being supported by Vanarama, the number one supplier of commercial vehicles in the UK. The Business Van of the Year Awards 2016 will highlight the winners from eight categories, ranging from Best Small Trades Van to Best Green Van as well as the Business Van of the Year 2016.
Last year’s overall winner was the Citroen Berlingo 1.6HDi L1 Enterprise 75bhp.
The awards will be judged independently by a panel of experts in the SME commercial vehicle sector led by chair Dave Bowen, who is managing director of BT Fleet.
“Those in the trades – plumbers, builders, joiners, decorators – are instrumental in supplying services to both commercial ventures and individuals, while delivery firms, farmers and so on keep our online ordered parcels arriving and ensure food gets to the supermarkets,” said editorial director, Ralph Morton.
“But with so many new vans and pick ups on the market, are they choosing the right commercial vehicles? Our awards will highlight the best there is, as well as the best dealer delivered finance and servicing package.
“I’m also very pleased to have Dave Bowen on board as our chairman. BT Fleet is responsible for over 78,000 vehicles including high profile clients such as the AA, National Grid and Thames Water – as well as BT, of course. That sort of experience and commercial vehicle knowledge will be invaluable in chairing our judges.”
The Business Van of the Year Awards 2016 features eight categories:
- Best Small Delivery Van
- Best Small Trades Van
- Best Large Trades Van
- Best Heavy Van
- Best Pick Up
- Best Green Van
- Best Crew Van
- Best finance & service package
From the category winners the judges will nominate their van of the year.
Entry to the Vanarama supported awards is open to commercial vehicle manufacturers and is online only. Van manufacturers can nominate the van or vans that they think are best in sector for the category.
The Business Van of the Year Awards 2016 entry forms are on our special awards micro site. Click here to access the entry forms and criteria.
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