Staying legal – invaluable stuff

Strong support for ban on smoking while driving

By |2013-04-17T10:32:25+01:00April 17th, 2013|Van Law, Van News|

'I'm smoking a fag...' Probably illegal and certainly attracting strong disapproval DO you light up behind the wheel and enjoy a drag while driving? Well, apart from the fact that it’s bad for your health, smoking in the ‘workplace’ – which could extend to the van you’re driving – is against the law. And now, a survey by [...]

Where can I unload my van?

By |2016-04-26T09:53:34+01:00April 5th, 2013|Van Law|

THIS is potentially the most fraught part of a van driver's day: where can I unload my van? In fact, the rules and regs around unloading your van are fairly liberal. But it's different for loading where there are all sorts of situations where it's prohibited. Some  of the rules are obvious: you can't stop to load (or unload) your [...]

Small businesses punished as London parking tickets jump 50%

By |2013-02-05T16:23:12+00:00February 5th, 2013|Driving offences, Van Law, Van News|

Over-zealous traffic wardens will write tickets during deliveries VAN operators in London are being hounded by parking wardens working for cash squeezed London councils happy to plaster van windscreens with yellow penalty charge notices (PCNs): parking tickets to most of us. As if things aren't tough enough for small business, London's boroughs inflicted a punishing 50% increase in [...]

What’s the law on safe loading?

By |2015-11-13T21:30:37+00:00January 31st, 2013|Van Law, Weights|

Driver should know the weight of their van, and the load limit - it's your responsibility ACCORDING to VOSA, vans are by far the worst offenders when it comes to overloading. The law on safe loading is enforced by random roadside checks and these show that 20% of vans are overweight. That compares with 7.5% of HGVs and [...]

Can telematics make it easier and cheaper to manage your business vans?

By |2015-11-13T21:06:20+00:00January 27th, 2013|CV Show, Tacographs|

Telematics sytems hook up with GPS and wireless communications so you can keep track of your business vans MANAGING your business van fleet is important. But is it your top priority? Probably not. Running a small business pulls you in lots of directions. So you’re unlikely to devote more time to fleet management than is strictly necessary. But [...]

What van can I drive on my driving licence?

By |2016-12-19T11:18:07+00:00January 22nd, 2013|Driving licences, Van Law|

Can you drive that van?   WHAT van you can drive depends on the type of licence for the vehicle you are driving. Get it wrong and you risk a fine, penalty points on your driving licence, or even disqualification. In addition you are likely to invalidate the van's insurance, and employers can get into serious trouble. Not [...]

New Ultra Low Emission proposals to bring London Congestion Charge discount changes next year

By |2012-11-20T15:51:24+00:00November 20th, 2012|LEZ and Congestion Charge, Van News|

  Story: COLIN DAWSON CHANGES to the discount rules for the London Congestion Charge planned for next year could benefit business van operators in the medium term. TfL is consulting on changes to the Congestion Charging scheme which would see the introduction of a new Ultra Low Emission Discount (ULED). This would replace the existing Greener Vehicle Discount [...]

Save downtime – get your van MoT tested while you sleep

By |2012-10-04T17:14:08+01:00October 4th, 2012|MoTs, Van News|

Story: COLIN DAWSON Your van isn’t earning its keep when it’s off the road. Any downtime will have a negative effect on your business and that includes MoT testing. Well, if you’re Midlands based, this could be the answer. Mercedes-Benz dealer Midlands Truck & Van is offering to MoT test your vans while you sleep. The company already [...]

Towing regulation changes will limit weights for new drivers

By |2015-07-21T16:22:24+01:00October 2nd, 2012|Towing, Van Law|

  Make sure you know the towing regulations and stick to them when using  a pick up and trailer or a van and trailer BUSINESS van drivers and operators should take steps not to fall foul of changes to the laws governing towing regulations, which come into force on 19 January 2013. The towing regulations stipulate which drivers are [...]

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