Author: News Desk

Time to Brush Up on those Van Driving Skills?

Posted on by News Desk

Logistics UK has launched training for a new van driver safety course.

What’s this new course all about, then?

There are currently four million vans parked or driving about on the roads of the UK right now. With the recent boom in the delivery industry, and a general lack of van drivers, HGV and lorry operators, this course might be more important than ever.

Alongside Covid-19, Brexit, and other forces that have been mightily disruptive or resulting in heavy changes, there’s already a backlog of drivers waiting to be trained.

This course aims to propel van drivers to ensure they’re up-to-date and keeping safe as can be. Both on the roads, and for themselves. The course covers topics from loading to driver fatigue, so we think it’s a must for anyone thinking of joining the industry.

What can I expect to learn?

Well, firstly, the good news is that this is an e-learning course. So, as long as you have access to some sort of tech device that is capable of running videos, and can display texts and images, you’ll be fine. 

Although, don’t take our word for it – it’s best to contact them directly if you have questions.

The structure is quite basic and consists of only 2 modules:

  • 1: Vehicle (checks on the vehicle, fuel efficiency, loading safely and hours of the driver)
  • 2: Driver (industry, licensing, road rules, defence driving, fitness, wellbeing and safety)

If you’re a seasoned van driver, you might find yourself thinking this isn’t for you. Fair enough! However, with ever-changing rules and requirements, you never know what new fact might come in handy.

How much does the course cost?

You’ve got 3 options here, and all of them are per use:

  • £9.95 if you’re a Van Excellence Accredited Operator 
  • £12.95 for Logistics UK members
  • £17.95 for all you non-members

Where can I find more information?

Simply head on over to the Logistics UK website. You can also view details about the course here, or sign up here. You’re welcome.

What next?

We hope you’ve found this post useful. Whether you’re new to driving vans, or a seasoned van driver, the learning never stops.

Unfortunately, what also never stops, is a requirement for van insurance. 

This is where we come in. For a new van or a renewal, simply fill in this form with your details, and be amazed by our cheap van insurance deals.

Sales of Vans Have Almost Hit Record Levels This Year

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Boom, boom, boom, boom! That’s right… Van sales are booming thanks to a rise in home deliveries and the reopening of the economy.

Did online shopping cause this?

In the UK, restrictions are slowly being lifted, which is welcomed by the economy. As Brits slowly start to get back to normal (well, as normal as we can get for now), online shopping still remains at an all-time high. 

Let’s face it, even pre-pandemic, the economy saw a surge in consumers still opting to shop online, simply due to convenience. This meant more and more retailers found themselves in need of vans, as demand for delivery soared.

Why else have businesses had to invest?

Let’s not forget the introduction of many “clean air zones” scattered across cities in the UK. With many of these areas in places that would be busy delivery zones, quite a few businesses have had to invest in cleaner and greener vans. Those vans would be – yep, you guessed it – electric vans, obviously.

What about electric vans?

Of course, the demand for electric vans is only rising and has been for a while. This is due to the aforementioned areas that are “clean air zones”, and also because many retailers and businesses are aiming to be greener anyway. 

With many manufacturers introducing electric vans to their range, and several pledging to only build electric vans in the future, some would say the surge in buying electric vans was inevitable.

How do car sales compare to van sales?

You may be surprised to learn that, unfortunately, when it comes to the sales of cars, the same opportunity to boast can’t quite be applied. With many Brits losing their jobs and being made redundant in the past year and a half, demand for cars has decreased. Not to mention the fact that most people, still in jobs, may be working from home.

Add supply problems to the mix (due to Covid), and it’s no surprise that car sales are struggling forward at a snail’s pace.

What’s your situation?

And finally, how about you? Did you find yourself in need of a new van this year? If so, you may be contributing to a new record! Let us help out with your new purchase by providing you with cheap van insurance. 

There’s Another Battle: Now It’s Royal Mail Versus Amazon.

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Perhaps not quite the battle of the century like motorists versus e-scooters. but this one’s still worth mentioning. 

Especially if you’re a delivery driver. Except, we guess it’s not really a war. To put it simply, Royal Mail is making an attempt to win customers over from Amazon by introducing a new scheme offering timed delivery slots.

You might be one of the customers who choose to shop with Amazon due to their brilliant delivery options. Same-day delivery? Yes, please! Perhaps you’re one of the van drivers who end up darting about all over the place, in an attempt to get the deliveries in on time.

Now, if you’re working for Royal Mail, you may find yourself racing against time, just like Amazon drivers.

Customers will be offered a choice from a 3-tier system:

  • You have your bottom tier: this is where Royal Mail get to decide when to deliver your parcel
  • There’s got to be a middle tier: the customer will pick a delivery day, along with where the parcel should be left
  • And of course, the equivalent to Tesco’s Finest. You have the top tier: the customer gets to pick the day PLUS a delivery time

Better slap your seatbelts on, because we anticipate this will be a popular scheme for Brits. Of course, we can’t know for certain what the pricing costs will be like just yet. This will also inevitably depend on the size of the parcel, and/or how many have been ordered. Just like Amazon, it’s safe to assume a top-tier delivery option will result in a higher cost. 

Will customers be willing to switch? 

A recent survey from a popular newspaper saw results that suggested that consumers had more trust in Amazon deliveries than that of Royal Mail. On-time deliveries are naturally important to customers, and it seems Royal Mail doesn’t seem to have a good track record. 

With the significant increase in e-commerce sales due to Covid-19, many delivery companies have found themselves hiring more and more van drivers. Were you one of them? How do you feel about these additional delivery options? Perhaps they make no difference to you at all, or maybe you’re sick of racing from house to house. 

Until the new tiers launch, we can’t be sure. What we are sure of is cheap van insurance. See just how cheap we’re talking by simply filling out the form right here.

Welcome to a Week in the Life of a Van Driver

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If, like us, you’re sick of the ‘White Van Man’ outdated stereotypes and would like to read something about modern van drivers, then this post is dedicated to you, sir or madam.

A survey has resurfaced this week, so it’s doing the rounds across the internet. We thought it would be a great way to, once again, talk about the great things our van drivers are currently all about and have to put up with.

What does the typical week of a van driver entail?

Obviously, these statistics are all averages, but you might be shocked to learn the following:

  • 13.5 hours are spent on the road
  • A whopping £71 goes towards fuel costs
  • 14 hot drinks to keep the day rolling (10% prefer green tea)
  • At least 3 lunchtimes will be taken in the van
  • Nearly an hour stuck in traffic

It’s no surprise that 3 in 5 van drivers feel like they may as well live in their vans, and 1 in 4 sometimes have a nap in them. 

What about a year in the life of a van driver?

Once again, these are on average, but they may hit home for a lot of you. A van driver will:

  • Cover a colossal 16,000 miles
  • Enjoy (we use this word loosely) 47 hours worth of traffic 
  • Feast on at least 156 lunches (in the seat of their vans)

Let’s leave the stereotypes behind…

These further facts were too good to ignore, so we felt they were also worth a mention. When you think of a van driver, people are quick to picture your classic ‘white van man’.

However, your modern van drivers are quite the opposite. Take a look at these statistics:

  • 4 out of 10 van drivers who took the survey, were female
  • 31% claim to be vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian to benefit the environment
  • 40% of van drivers are considering an electric van for their next purchase

If you’d like to take a gander at the study from Lombard in more depth, you can view it here. There is further information about other subjects that were in the poll. It’s a must if you’re keen to help the environment, too.

If you do take the leap to an electric van (or even if you don’t), you can view our cheap van insurance prices, by completing this quick and easy form.

Takeaway Delivery Driver Goes Viral on TikTok

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Fame. It may not be every delivery driver’s dream, but unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) for some, you may end up getting it anyway. All it takes is a short clip (around 15 seconds) and some musical talent from our now famous delivery driver. 

The clip, which has gone viral on a social media app called Tiktok, has gained 1.8 million views so far. The video continues to gain traction and more and more people are acknowledging the talents of the blessed takeaway driver.

As you may know, when placing an order for a takeaway online/through an app, you are able to provide additional details. These details could be crucial for the delivery driver. For example, if you can only choose from an option of Flat 4 as your door number… when there’s actually a Flat 4A, 4B and 4C. 

However, this particular user on Tiktok (@kfresh420kickit), decided to upload his first video showing his hilarious demand for his food delivery. He asked the driver to:

“Knock a cool beat so I know it’s you and not a bad guy.”

Not your everyday delivery instruction, huh?

You can view the viral clip below: 

@kfresh420kickit♬ original sound – kfresh420kickit

Now, we’re willing to bet that takeaway shops and delivery drivers get strange requests like this all the time. Perhaps, asking the chef to write their favourite joke on the inside of their pizza box. Or, to climb in through the window and deliver the Amazon goods straight into the kitchen. We’re sure they’re a lot more interesting than that, too.

In this case, the brave driver delivered the tasty goods, as well as a barrel of laughs, by singing and thumping a drumbeat on the door. Okay, we’ll be honest, it isn’t like the poor fella is the new Mozart, Eminem or even Justin Bieber, but he can definitely drum along to the tune of Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes. And successfully, too. Surely that’s talent, otherwise, we don’t know what is. If you’re not sure what song that is, you can listen to it here.

If your dreams don’t quite involve fame, singing or dancing, you can keep it real right here. Or, if you’re thinking about becoming a delivery driver and need to insure your van, simply get a quote by filling out this form (singing a tune not required).

A nation divided: are you tickled pink or seeing red?

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Ignore the terrible colour puns, but we’d be telling a white lie if we said we didn’t smirk whilst writing it.

Last week we had drivers versus e-scooters. This week it’s a bright pink van.

Yep, you read that correctly. A pink coloured van in Stoke-on-Trent has divided the nation on where it should be parked – and its colour.

Now, we’re all for colourful vans, to be honest. Perhaps, the brighter, the better? But that doesn’t mean we look down our noses at a neutral palette. We show no prejudice to any van and its paintwork colour here…

However, some of you have declared a worker’s van sporting a rather dashing bright pink colour, to be a ‘monstrosity’. So much so, that neighbours have been leaving notes on the windscreen, asking for it to be parked elsewhere. We only wish we could state they were polite notes.

Are we looking through rose-tinted glasses at this situation?

We’ve seen several brightly coloured vans in our time; from sunshine yellow to boastful oranges, sky blue to royal purple. Some would argue their eye-catching presentation is a positive tool for advertising. After all, you’re a lot more likely to stare and pay attention to a fluorescent pink van, than a bleak grey one. 

The worker, who had parked the unsightly considered van on his street, faced criticism for not having it outside his own home. However, his reasoning seemed just: he didn’t want to congest his street, and felt he’d parked it in the best place to avoid this. His neighbours, feeling the van was an eyesore, considered the reason to be a pitiful excuse. 

And so, the pink van has divided the nation. In colour, and parking position.

Would you leave a (not so polite) note, or speak with the man himself? The comments section (scroll down to the bottom) might leave you feeling blue, or perhaps you might be a green-eyed monster and want a shocking pink van yourself. 

If you’re considering updating the paintwork on your van – to a lovely snowy white or loud lime green – we don’t judge.

However, we do judge van insurance deals, and if they’re not cheap, we don’t want to know about it. Thankfully, we’ve collected all the best deals right here. Fill in the form and see for yourself!

E-Scooters & Van Drivers: What You Need to Know Now!

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Van Drivers, Take Note!

Here’s a crucial piece of information to note about e-scooters.

New Classification Alert: E-Scooters

E-scooters have now been classified in the same category as motor vehicles.

What does this mean for you?

You might face increased risks when filing personal injury claims.

A Scenario to Consider

You’re on your usual delivery route.

Suddenly, an e-scooter appears, zooming towards you from the wrong direction!

Consequently, in a split second, you’re forced to swerve.

The Consequences of Swerving

Result?

Whiplash.

Severe, painful whiplash.

Now, here’s the kicker:

A new loophole could prevent you from claiming legal aid.

This is particularly true for claims under £5,000.

The Growing Trend of E-Scooters

Not good news, right?

E-scooter usage has spiked.

They’re eco-friendly, sure.

But, let’s be honest—they can be quite a nuisance.

Safety and Legal Concerns for Van Drivers

For van drivers, e-scooters are not merely annoying.

Moreover, they pose serious safety risks.

Additionally, they threaten your right to legal aid.

Regulations and Usage

Despite their modest top speed of 30 miles per hour,

e-scooters are permitted on roads and bike lanes.

This is part of around 50 rental schemes.

These schemes are meant to last a year.

Currently, 31 regions are participating.

Environmental Motives Behind E-Scooter Integration

The push for these schemes?

The initiative aims to reduce private vehicle use following Covid-19.

Safety Concerns and Public Feedback

Safety concerns are immense.

Not every rider prioritises safety.

Have You Seen an E-Scooter Lately?

So, have you encountered any e-scooters lately?

Or do you perhaps rent one yourself?

Impact and Monitoring

The impact of e-scooters in public spaces is currently under review.

Therefore, if you’ve had a close call or want to share your thoughts,

now is the ideal time to contact the UK’s Department of Transport!

Whichever side of the battle you find yourself on,

at least you know you’re covered with cheap van insurance costs.

Simply fill out this form and let us take care of the rest.

Are You Britain’s Next Van Driver of the Year?

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We all think we’re the world’s greatest drivers – but not many of us can demonstrate this. Unless you’re a model van driver on the streets, adhering to every rule and speed limit out there. Oh, and can you recite van legislation like it’s a nursery rhyme?

Let’s face it, van drivers don’t have the best rep when it comes to their driving skills. News articles each week yell about another unfortunate debacle involving the driver of a van…  However, we know and firmly believe there are plenty of van drivers out there who are actually deserving of a medal. So, if you’re reading this, and you’re wondering if we’re talking about you, well then… How can you be put to the test to prove that you’re actually the best? Oh, there’s a way.

Logistics UK’s annual hunt for the UK’s next best van driver is here once again. This will be the seventh year the competition has taken place. Intrigued? Well then, get your competitive boots out from the back of the van and read on…

The contest is described as challenging, and only the best and knowledgeable van drivers should enter, if they dare. The contest involves a mix of practical and theory based tests. Van drivers will need to be fully rehearsed in the latest driving regulations and legislation (safety wise and pretty much anything relevant to vans), to take part in the theoretical side to the challenges. 

The practical challenges will include safe driving and challenging manoeuvres, alongside observation tests. If your concentration skills aren’t up to scratch, then perhaps being an observer might be better than a contestant. Sounds like fun, right?

The event this year is in Ashby-de-la-Zouch and takes place on the 10th of July. You have until the 2nd of June to register for the event, so if you’re reading this before the 2nd, then hurry on over to this link and sign up. 

You will need to pass risk assessments and licence checks to be shortlisted to the final 15 contestants, so make sure you have the time and evidence to put into this. If you’re thinking a competition for the UK’s best van driver isn’t quite for you, well then, we have the next best thing: cheap van insurance deals. What more could you want, right?

Tailgating: Avoid Fines From The Latest Driving Law

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Are you guilty of tailgating?

Okay, own up.

Maybe you’ve done so in the past.

Perhaps, that one Tuesday when you were running late and the Nissan Micra in front of you was crawling along at a snail’s pace?

The Nissan needed a hint, or you were going to fall behind on deliveries. 

Or, perhaps reading the above makes you angry.

Are you on the side of van drivers who absolutely hate tailgating?

Have you ever fallen victim to it yourself? 

Well, whether you’re guilty or not, you may want to rethink driving too close to other cars.

This is solely down to the latest driving law that may be on the cards and introduced very soon.

A law that penalises drivers who might be driving, let’s say, a little too close for comfort. 

And surprisingly, it’s you, the drivers, who are backing these proposals from recent campaigns.

Nearly 90% of motorists would happily support these plans to hand out fines to offenders, as it would unequivocally promote and increase road safety.

Do you agree that more needs to be done?

Recent results from trials surrounding tailgating indicate a likelihood of the new rule catching potentially thousands of offenders.

The UK government trialled the technology that would be used to catch tailgaters in Northamptonshire, specifically across the M1.

The tech is able to detect whether motorists – yes, that even includes you in the Ford Transit there, sir – are keeping a 2-second gap from the vehicle in front of you.

And this is at all times! 

Tailgating is a potentially risky and major problem for drivers on the road, especially for our lovely, innocent drivers.

Did you know it was listed as the reason for nearly 600 severe accidents in the previous year?

Tragically, in 28 of these, death was the result for some people.

Perhaps this is an excellent time for the government to put these proposals into action, especially with recent campaigns gaining so much support.

So, what do we think?

Not worth the risk, eh.

The last thing you want after being out and about in your van is to come home to a letter stating you’ve been caught tailgating.

Safer roads are something we definitely stand for – that, and cheap van insurance, of course!

Weighty Mistakes: How Overloading Your Van Could Cost You Thousands

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Van weight.

This week’s latest news comes to us from the wonderful town of Reading.

You may have heard about an unlucky driver who was fined a whopping £6,000 for breaching restrictions to do with his van’s weight. 

Thankfully, not all of us who breach weight restrictions can expect a £6,000 fine.

The Mercedes Sprinter driver had overloaded his van by 900 kg.

So, not just by a smidgen then.

Unlucky for our Sprinter driver, a weighbridge found an excess weight of 25.7%.

The Public Protection Partnership (PPP) quickly spotted how low the van was to the ground.

It was clear the van was under strain.

We’re sure you already know this:

but it is against the law to breach weight restrictions,

and unfortunately, the driver’s defendant company found themselves paying over £6k for the sorry mistake. 

Do you know how much weight you’re legally allowed to have in your van? 

Avoid the fines and stay up to date with the latest laws.

The DVSA may carry out spot checks.

So here’s an easy reminder of how you can stay safe and know just how much you should be carrying:

  • Your van’s gross vehicle weight (GVW) minus (-) your van’s unladen weight.

Let’s explore an example:

  1. GVW is 4000 kg. Unladen weight is 2250 kg. 
  2. Therefore, 4000 kg – 2250 kg = 1,750 kg. 
  3. So, 1,750 kg is the most your payload can weigh.

It’s important not to forget that the payload weight also includes any excess luggage and passengers, too.

How you load your van could also affect the overall weight,

as you want to make sure you’re not putting too much weight at the front to cause an overload.

Learn More About Van Weight Limits

If you’re unsure about how much weight you’re carrying and want to check within the limits,

you can visit your local weighbridge. 

If you’re new to van driving, it’s essential to get acquainted with the basics.

Therefore, you should consider exploring the latest government guidance.

This guidance encompasses all aspects, from loading to effectively driving a van.

Additionally, it provides comprehensive details to enhance your understanding and skills.

It serves as a valuable resource for ensuring you operate within legal standards.

There’s even a handy video.

Access further information and visit the site here.

Whether you’re new to driving a van or know all the rules and regulations like the back of your hand,

we’ve got you covered with insurance.

So, if you’re on the lookout for cheap van insurance,

take a couple of minutes out of your day to see just how much we could save you right here.

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