IT can be a little daunting the first time you step into a van to drive it. Look in the rear view mirror to check...uh-oh, of course, use those big door mirrors because there's a bulkhead at the back. And while vans are becoming more car-like to drive, if you're carrying a heavy load a van becomes much less car-like [...]
WITH all the new emissions regulations and clean air zones springing up around the country it’s increasingly difficult, and costly, for business operating one or more vans in our towns and cities. Luckily there is some good news with the announcement that Mercedes-Benz plan to electrify their entire commercial van range, starting with the Mercedes eVito. To be clear this [...]
NEXUS reports a 10% van rental rise as fleets prepare for the annual online retail frenzy just starting. Industry experts are predicting another record-breaking year fuelled by key Christmas commerce events Black Friday and Cyber Monday with reports suggesting £7bn will be spent online during Black Friday week. Daily rental is proving increasingly popular with logistics and courier companies looking [...]
RENAULT Trucks chose the Freight in the City Expo to unveil a host of new vehicles designed to meet the challenges of safer, more efficient and more productive operations in urban areas. The Freight in the City Expo, held at Alexandra Palace, London on 7th November, was aimed at promoting sustainable urban delivery solutions in an increasingly restrictive environment. This [...]
HARD-working van drivers are being warned that using generic email addresses can cost business by proving an unprofessional turn-off. Thousands of small British business are still using generic web based email accounts on their liveried vans because they fail to understand how easy and inexpensive it is to set up a web domain. Now van leasing giant LeaseVan.co.uk has warned drivers they [...]
ALONGSIDE the usual hazards you can encounter while negotiating Britain’s roads Autumn brings additional challenges. Darker days, wet roads, fallen leaves, and the occasional passenger of Tiggywinkles’ Toyota Hilux Animal Ambulance. The shorter days of Autumn mean local wildlife will start to venture out earlier, while we’re all still driving around. Inevitably there are collisions, which is where Tiggywinkles come [...]
WHEN leasing a van, it’s worth considering the optional extras that the lease hire company offers – including on-vehicle power. Paul Smith, commercial manager at Winton, explains the benefits of powering up the van for a multitude of tasks. When a business owner takes out a van lease agreement, it’s worth reviewing the optional extras on offer - including on-vehicle [...]
VANARAMA has launched iVan, the first artificial intelligence chatbot in use by a UK automotive company. He’s been designed to help customers find the perfect vehicle, match them with the perfect leasing product and get them behind the wheel. He’s now live on the main Vanarama site and on his own site. Stats suggest that by 2020, chatbots will power 85% [...]
World’s first ULEZ will operate from 8 April 2019 in Central London ULEZ will affect estimated 60,000 vehicles/day against 6,500/day by T-Charge 24-hour ULEZ 7 days/week will replace 5-day T-Charge NOx road transport emissions in central London estimated to fall by an additional 20% in 2019 Consultation starting later this year on extending ULEZ to North/South Circular roads in 2021 [...]
REMEMBER when you were a child and you wished you could shrink yourself down small enough to drive around in a toy car? Well, you clearly aren’t alone. Back in the 1980’s Tamiya produced the Hilux Bruiser, a hugely popular radio controlled scale model of the Toyota pickup. Somebody at Toyota GB obviously shared your childhood wish because now there [...]
TOILET breaks. Not the usual topic of conversation for Business Vans but we promise there is a connection as commercial drivers have now won the right to spend a penny. Delivery drivers have traditionally faced a personal dilemma when it comes to toilet breaks. You could ask a customer, sneak behind the shrubbery, or deviate from your route to try [...]
FORMER F1 World Champion, Jenson Button, is busy carving out a new career driving a Fish and Chip van around London. Sort of. Technically it’s a ‘Phish’ and Chip van and it belongs to Santander, for whom Jenson Button has been a brand ambassador for a number of years. It’s all part of an ongoing campaign highlighting the potential dangers [...]
