Fleet Van Feruary 2013 by Fleet News

FleetVan B E S T P R A C T I C E F O R B R I TA I N ’ S L I G H T VA N O P E R AT O R S

F ebruary 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan £5 where sold

First drive: Vito Sport Dualiner

Mercedes-Benz adds a dash of LCV bling

Case study: Apetito

Hot meals company creates specialist vans to cut costs

Industry spotlight: SMMT

Nigel Base plans to put SMMT at the heart of van fleet sector

HONOURED: BEST OF THE VAN FLEET INDUSTRY Fleets, manufacturers and suppliers collect their awards – all the winners inside

Editorial Editor-in-chief Stephen Briers 01733 468024 stephen.briers@bauermedia.co.uk Deputy editor Simon Harris 01733 468308 simon.harris@bauermedia.co.uk Associate editor Trevor Gehlcken Contributors Mark Cartwright, John Charles, Ben Rooth, Chris Lowndes (photographs) Production Head of publishing Luke Neal Production editors Andrew Ryan Alan Salt Designer Charlotte Boon Advertising Commercial director Sarah Crown 01733 468320 B2B commercial manager Sheryl Graham 01733 468256 Account managers Lucy Herbert 01733 468800 Heidi Rogers 01733 468269 Lisa Turner 01733 468345 Marcus Woods 01733 468269 Business development manager Stuart Wakeling 01733 468342 Head of project management Leanne Patterson 01733 468332 Project managers Angela Price 01733 468338 Kerry Unwin 01733 468327 Telesales/recruitment b2brecruitment@bauermedia.co.uk 01733 468275/01733 468328 Events Event director Chris Lester Event manager Sandra Evitt 01733 468123 Event organiser Kate Howard 01733 468146 Publishing Managing director Tim Lucas 01733 468340 General manager Ian Richardson 01733 468555 Group marketing manager Bev Mason 01733 468295 Office manager Vicky Meadows 01733 468319 Group managing director Rob Munro-Hall Printing: Headley Brothers Ltd, Kent © 2012 Bauer Consumer Media Ltd ISSN 0953-8526. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. You can purchase words or pictures for your own publications. Phone 01733 465982 or email syndication@bauermedia.co.uk. Fleet News will not accept responsibility for unsolicited material. Editor cannot accept responsibility for statements by advertisers and contributors whose views do not represent those of the publisher. Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation Copyright: Bauer Consumer Media Ltd

CONTENTS 4 I Best practice: Van Excellence Many fleets are close to achieving accreditation.

6 I Insight: Licence changes

Driving licence checks can end picture confusion.

8 I News digest

A round-up of the stories you may have missed.

11 I Van sales analysis Volkswagen grabs second spot.

14 I Operations: Road charging Will it ultimately be a price worth paying?

19 I Risk and safety: Tyre management

Save lives and money with a sturdy tyre policy.

25 I Remarketing

Record values as stock remains in short supply.

29 I Cover feature Fleet Van Awards 2012

All the winners from the prestigious awards.

42 I Fleet case study: Apetito

Hot meals delivery company studies wholelife costs of using electric vans.

44 I Industry spotlight: SMMT

Disconnected groups come together to present a united voice.

46 I Driven

Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport, Peugeot Bipper, Isuzu D-Max, Renault Trafic long-termer.

NEXT ISSUE – March 2013 Special report Running a green fleet

Spotlight

Citroën on the future of van design

Running costs analysis

We look at small panel vans. Which is the right one for your fleet?

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2013 3

B e n c h m a r k i n g b y t h e F TA Va n E xc e l l e n c e

Van Excellence is gaining ground with smaller fleets Survey shows many more companies are already close to achieving accreditation By Mark Cartwright, head of LCVs, Freight Transport Association he start of a new year is always a good time to look back at how things went in the previous 12 months and to look forward to this year’s aims. I think it’s safe to say that Van Excellence started to make its mark during 2012. There are now more than 120 operators on the scheme who between them have in excess of 160,000 vans or around 5% of the total number of vans on the UK’s roads. You’ll have spotted the Van Excellence logo being proudly displayed on vans run by AAH

Pharmaceuticals, Clancy Docwra, Iron Mountain, the National Blood Service, and many more. Interestingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, most of the fleets involved so far are on the large side. These are the kind of operators who quickly understood the reasons for the scheme and how it was a natural fit with their corporate demands for compliance, safety and efficiency. Over the past few months, however, we have seen an increasing interest from smaller fleets and this expansion of the scheme is clearly something we’d wish to build on through 2013, supported by the development of our free fleet guides (www. fta.vanfleetguides.co.uk) and our Van Excellence

Pre-use defect checks Our drivers are not required to carry out pre-use checks

Our drivers are trained to carry out pre-use checks and we have an auditable process to ensure defects are reported and rectified

Our drivers are expected to carry out pre-use checks, however we don’t monitor the process

Speed limiters We have not considered fitting speed limiters to our vans

All new vans are fitted with speed limiters restricting the maximum speed to no more than 70mph

We are considering requiring all new vans to be restricted to no more than 70mph

4 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

conferences (fta.co.uk/events/van_excellence_ conferences) We wanted to understand what was holding back some of the smaller fleets in considering Van Excellence. We were pretty confident the pricing (£550) wasn’t too much of an issue, but what was it? Majority support aims We surveyed a number of operators across a wide range of fleet sizes and types of operation to explore the issues. We soon established that, while a high percentage understood and supported the aims of Van Excellence in providing an operational best practice framework, quite a few of these supporters had some doubts about their ability to meet the standards required for accreditation and were reticent about starting the process. An operator who prefers to remain anonymous summed it up by saying: “We think we’re doing OK but really don’t fancy spending time to find out that we’re not up to scratch.” So let’s look at the kind of operational standards we found among the respondents. One of the cornerstones of Van Excellence is roadworthiness. The Van Excellence Code calls for operators to ensure roadworthiness by using pre-use defect checks and establishing a cycle of duty of care inspections – given the extended cycles quoted by manufacturers – it is unlikely these will correspond with the service schedule. Just 6.5% of respondents didn’t have a pre-use inspection cycle in place; 26% did but admitted they didn’t always fully monitor the process, while more than two-thirds had a robust process in place to ensure pre-use checks were performed and findings recorded and acted upon. Speed limiters Three-quarters of respondents also claimed to have processes to ensure vans were maintained in accordance with makers’ recommended service intervals and had some form of periodic duty of care check. Van Excellence accreditation also calls for operators to ensure their vehicles are speedlimited to no more than 70mph (ideally for all their fleet, but at least for new vans). More than 56% of respondents already require all their new vans to be restricted and a further 20% were seriously considering the benefits to safety and economy of fitment. While there are some other requirements within the Van Excellence Code around vehicle standards, mainly covering loading and load security, more than half of respondents were already operating at a standard likely to satisfy

Licence checking

EDITOR’S COLUMN

Other

We check licences annually with the DVLA

Simon Harris, deputy editor, Fleet Van n our interview with the SMMT’s commercial vehicle specialist Nigel Base (page 44), he raises a concern shared by many in the industry over plans to require UK-based van manufacturers and bodybuilders to seek Type Approval on basic vehicle modifications. Under legislation set to hit N1 category vehicles from April this year (and N2 vehicles from October 2014), any modification – including ply-linings or racking – would have required separate Whole Vehicle Type Approval, which would have been a huge and fatal financial burden for many van conversion companies.

We carry out a ‘paper’ licence check manually

Driving assessments No assessments carried out

New drivers undergo a driving assessment by a competent person in an appropriate vehicle. Periodically repeated

New drivers are appraised by an experienced staff member before being permitted to drive on company business

our accreditation teams with a further 20–25% looking like they could fairly easily step up to the standards if required. It was a similar story when we looked at the requirements in respect of drivers. The basic mantra we use is: “Do you know your drivers are qualified? Do you know they are competent? Do you know they are fit to drive?” Virtually all those who replied checked driver licences – 58% checked direct with DVLA at least annually and checked high-risk drivers more often; 38% did at least a paper check annually. Similarly, more than a third of operators carried out a formal assessment on new company drivers repeated periodically while a further third had at least some form of appraisal by an experienced staff member before being allowed to drive on company business. Fitness to drive was also taken seriously by the majority of businesses with 64% requiring drivers to complete a regular written declaration that they are permitted to drive, are properly licenced, are medically fit and are not under the influence of drink or drugs. A further 32% only carried this process out with new joiners. Again a pretty satisfying result; we can identify something like two-thirds of operators are already close to or are meeting the standards required.

“More than half of respondents were already operating at a standard likely to satisfy accreditation” So what can we conclude? I guess the overview is that many smaller operators are probably closer to the standards required of a Van Excellence accreditation than they thought. For those who aren’t quite there, it may be a relatively straightforward process to become so; indeed the pursuit of Van Excellence may serve to be the catalyst for improvement. All of which fits rather neatly with our Van Excellence strapline – Raising Standards, Recognising Excellence. n For further information on Van Excellence see www.vanexcellence.co.uk or email info@ vanexcellence.co.uk

“This is a great example of the industry working together” Luckily, the SMMT, in partnership with other interested parties and industry bodies, has successfully lobbied for concessions than mean basic modifications will not be included in the legislation. According to the SMMT, the process has achieved a result that will see around 80% of vans sold in the UK avoid the burdensome Type Approval requirements, with another 15% of the market benefiting from an enhanced process of application and approval of multiple vehicle types. This is a great example of the industry working to protect the businesses that are important cogs in ensuring the country can function day-to-day.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2013 5

Insight Driving licence changes

Licence checks can end this picture confusion Police, insurers and drivers have all been caught out by ambiguous wording on the driving licence By Michael Pace, partner and head of motor law and PI team at Andrew & Co LLP he two-part driving licence was first introduced in 1998. Since then, applicants have had to provide DVLA with a passport type photograph, which is mounted on the pink plastic card element of the licence. What many people don’t know is that this photo card expires after 10 years. That’s to say the photograph expires, not the entitlement to drive. Very little has been publicised about this issue and consequently there is thought to be at least 1.4 million driving licences sporting an out-of-date photograph, which could render the drivers liable for a fine. But the DVLA appears in no great hurry to be doing anything about it. However, some police forces and insurance companies are aware of the problem and false information is rife. Most people know that when they pass their driving test they’re entitled to drive a car until they’re aged 70. If they haven’t read the small print on their license they’re probably unaware of the almost hidden information at 4(b) on the front of the photo card.

Licence valid Although the photo card design changed slightly from January 19, the date at 4(b) and its explanation on the reverse of the card, remains the same. The words are ‘licence valid to’. (DVLA website uses the words ‘the expiry date of your licence’.) And this is where confusion occurs, and where overzealous police officers and some insurance company employees have misunderstood the true meaning of the description. Local police officers have asked me what offence, if any, is committed if a person continues to drive after the 4(b) date passes. I’ve heard stories of such drivers being considered to have committed the endorseable offence of ‘driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence’, contrary to s.87 RTA 1988. If this were true, the police would have power to impound any vehicle being driven at the time and

6 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

impose points on the licence. It would also mean that insurance policies would be invalid as the driver is required, under the terms of any insurance policy, to hold a valid driving licence. For the record, the above is wrong. The correct offence is found at s.99 RTA 1988 and is ‘failing to update details on a driving licence’. This is a nonendorseable offence, carrying no points but could incur a fine. Insurance remains in force The licence, even with an out-of-date photograph, is still valid, in that the holder can continue to drive vehicles in the classes displayed on the back of their photo card right up to the date they expire (shown in column 11 on the rear of the card). Equally, insurance policies continue to remain in force. The confusion, I suggest, comes from the use of the words ‘licence valid to’. And I can’t see that the new design photo card, which came into effect last month, will dispel this confusion as the same words are used. We shall therefore continue to have ‘confused’ policemen and insurance employees. So any van driver charged with the wrong offences should seek legal advice and enter a ‘not guilty’ plea at court. This also applies if you face a summons alleging you were driving without insurance. Fleet managers should have policies in place to inspect the driving licences of all employees driving vehicles on company business, whether it’s their own van or belongs to a fleet. This annual check should not only review the entitlement to drive a particular class of vehicle, but should also look at the date at 4(b), so as to protect the company from any unnecessary involvement should problems arise following an accident, for example. It would also negate the possibility of companies being charged with aiding and abetting. First port of call The DVLA website and www.gov.uk should be your first port of call to try and understand the rules. It’s not surprising, however, why there’s so

“Van drivers charged with wrong offences should seek legal advice and enter a not guilty plea” much ambiguity when you read a DVLA pdf that says in one breath: “The date in 4b will show the licence expiry date” and then overleaf states: “The expiry date of your licence will be shown on the front in section 4b and the expiry date of your entitlements will be shown on the back of your licence.” As I’ve said, I can’t see the new photo licence design rectifying this confusion and van drivers and fleet managers will need to keep their wits about them. I’m not going to go into the other changes post January 19, which mainly affect motorcyclists, lorry, bus and minibus drivers and those towing trailers. Suffice it to say, if you’ve got to tow something with a small van you’ll be well advised to check the small print of the new rulings to avoid falling foul of the law. Again, if in doubt, visit the DVLA or www.gov.uk website.

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The month in news w w w.fleetnews.co.uk /vans/

News digest T F L A G R E E S C O M P E N S AT I O N F O R VA N O P E R AT O R S Transport for London (TfL) has agreed to compensate van owners who were incorrectly advised to change their vehicles. It sent inaccurate information to van owners about compliance with changes to London’s Low Emission Zone, which led to many replacing their vans needlessly, according to local government ombudsman Dr Jane Martin. In her report, she says TfL “made several fundamental errors in notifying owners”, including failure to make adequate checks or to give prominent warnings in its letters that vehicle owners should make their own checks.

N E W L O O K F O R R E N A U LT K A N G O O Renault’s Kangoo van will get a fresh new look from June, along with improved efficiency and new technology. The revised Kangoo has a bolder front-end, with new light clusters and a different grille design, but the improvements should also mean lower running costs for fleet operators. The dCi 75 and dCi 90 (both equipped with stop-start technology) offer combined-cycle fuel consumption of 65.7mpg (equivalent to 112g/km of CO2). To help drivers reduce their fuel consumption further, the latestgeneration engines available for Kangoo come with a gearshift indicator as standard, as well as an ECO mode that can achieve fuel savings of up to 10% by acting on engine torque, the gearshift indications and accelerator pedal mapping.

ONLINE SHOPPING REVOLUTION INFLUENCES LCV MARKETS Shoreham Vehicle Auctions says there are signs online shopping trends could be rubbing off on the van market. According to managing director Alex Wright, the majority of online shopping is delivered to the consumer in a van and the forecasted extra demand for home deliveries starting in November saw a drop of 157% of vans less than two years old selling at auction. The figures were released by the National Association of Motor Auctions (NAMA) and showed from a total of 4,082 LCVs sold in November, itself a drop of 43% compared to October 2012, just 129 were less than two years old. In December, 154 vans aged less than 24 months were sold at auction from a total of 3,551 LCV vehicles available, also the lowest number of sales recorded in any month in 2012. This reinforces that fleets, in particular daily rental companies, were not defleeting as home delivery companies looked for extra delivery capacity in the run-up to Christmas. “Home delivery fleets top up their capacity with short-term daily rental vehicles during late November and December and so there are very few sub 12-18 month old vehicles coming into the used market,” said Wright.

FLEETS POSITIVE ABOUT ELECTRIC N I S S A N VA N Nissan has received positive feedback from the fleet industry on its new e-NV200 electric van. Five leasing companies, six major fleet operators and three used value guides visited Nissan’s Barcelona production facility and drove the new e-NV200, a diesel NV200 and the Leaf. The group met the e-NV200 development team and was able to give its thoughts on all aspects of the vehicle, including how it envisages it fitting into a fleet strategy. Nissan also shared its overall EV vision including product creation, development and future EV plans. All delegates reacted positively to the 100% electric van’s driving and performance characteristics with many keen to put the vehicle into immediate use. “We were blown away with the response and we already have leasing companies and fleet operators who want to trial the vehicle, and some who want to order a fleet of vehicles for urban delivery use,” said Matthew Dale, Nissan’s national LCV sales manager.

8 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

VA N D R I V E R F I N E D F O R N O T D I S P L AY I N G ‘ N O S M O K I N G ’ S I G N A van driver has been handed a £200 fine for not displaying a ‘no smoking’ sticker on his new vehicle. Freddie Beasley, from Cleankill Environmental Services, had just picked up the brand new van from a garage when he was pulled over in a joint police and council operation to clamp down on dangerous vehicles, according to the Daily Mail. Council officers spotted Beasley wasn’t displaying a ‘no smoking’ sticker on his van and he was given an on-thespot fine of £200. He tried to explain that he had only just picked the new van up from a workshop where workers had painted the Cleankill logo on the side and that he was driving it back to the firm’s HQ in Surrey, but still received the fine.

Model update

What’s changing.... A round-up of what is being launched and which models are getting an upgrade

Sport Van variant on offer from Ford Improvements to Master van range Renault is making a number of improvements for its Master van range. The 2.3 dCi powerplant now has fuel consumption improvements of up to 3.8mpg, with the core-selling dCi 125 up by 3.3mpg. CO2 emissions now start at 194g/km and are down by an average of 16g/km. To achieve these savings, Renault’s engineers focused on: n Thermal management with an improved water circuit for faster starting

n New oil and power steering pumps n Low fuel-consumption tyres n New gearbox lubricant For enhanced cabin comfort, a selection of new, easier to use and better-equipped radios are now available. Bluetooth and USB connectivity are now standard features across the range, while Sport versions come with a CD player and MP3 playback. Optional air suspension is also now available for the majority of the front-wheel drive range at £2,000 ex-VAT.

Ford is offering the all-new Transit Custom in a range-topping Sport Van variant with a dynamic new exterior style. The new model includes a body kit and a fully colour-coded exterior, with body-colour bumpers, side mirrors, door handles and body-side mouldings. The stylish appearance is finished off with 18-inch alloy wheels on low profile 235/50 tyres, and the signature twin bonnet stripes in a contrasting colour. Sport Vans are equipped with the most powerful version of the Transit Custom’s Dagenham-built 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel engine, delivering 155bhp and 284lb-ft of torque. All vehicles also feature a short-wheelbase van bodystyle, with a 2.9-tonne gross vehicle weight.

Amarok gets a power upgrade Volkswagen is offering a power upgrade for the Amarok 4x4 pick-up. The new variant ups the power from 163bhp to 180bhp. In addition to the extra power, towing weights have been increased from 2,800kg to 3,000kg. A new eight-speed auto version has also been launched with a towing weight of 3,200kg. Prices for the new models range from £18,795 to £25,105.

Electric delivery van launched A new electric mini-van has been launched by ePower Trucks. The Mia U is designed for urban deliveries. At 1.64m wide and 3.19m long, its tight turning circle makes it ideal for narrow city streets. It has a range of up to 62 miles even when fully laden and a top speed of 62mph. The batteries can be recharged in five hours and it costs less than 1p per km in fuel. The lithium ion phosphate batteries can also be quick-charged – a 10-minute charge will give the vehicle an additional 8km of autonomy. The batteries are warrantied for three years or 50,000km and the vehicle is warrantied for two years. Prices are available on application.

10 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

Van sales analysis Winners and losers

VW grabs second spot Vauxhall loses its runner-up position in a year when LCV sales drop 7.9%

By Trevor Gehlcken he buoyant van sales figures of the past few years came to an abrupt end in 2012 as the true depth of Britain’s economic woes began to make themselves felt. As the UK is now under threat of a triple-dip recession, sales of vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight fell by 7.9% last year, after climbing by 19% in 2010 and 16.7% in 2011. Unlike car registration figures, LCV sales are notoriously difficult to analyse. For example if, say, British Gas decides to upgrade its fleet in one go, the whole sales table will be skewed in favour of the manufacturer which wins the deal. But one fact is certain – as money gets tighter, British fleets are increasingly looking to the premium manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz to supply their needs, much in the same way that shoppers are flocking to John Lewis stores after realising that cheapest is not always best. The big shock of 2012 was that Vauxhall lost the number two slot it had enjoyed since records began to German rival Volkswagen. As Vauxhall’s sales fell by 20.86% despite the launch of the new Combo, Volkswagen’s sales dropped by a more modest 2.4%, giving the manufacturer a comfortable 4,441 unit lead over the homegrown firm. Alex Smith, commercial vehicle director at

Volkswagen, said: “We are proud of another strong sales performance in 2012 and particularly for achieving a record market share in volatile economic conditions. “This excellent performance is thanks to the durability and efficiency of our model range, as our customers know Volkswagen’s stronger residual values and economical engines give them lower running costs and save money in the long run.” Star performers “The Transporter, Crafter and the Amarok were all star performers and increased sales in their respective sectors in 2012,” he added. “In addition, our professional fleet teams and dedicated Van Centre network continued to work hard to support our customers and provide the most competitive service possible.” Ford, as usual, maintained its top slot with sales of 62,372 units and with a new Transit due to go on sale this year, the manufacturer is expected to keep up the pressure. Mark Ovenden, Ford of Britain managing director, said: “More people choose Ford over any other vehicle brand in the UK and as we face similar, difficult market conditions in 2013 we will look to satisfy the needs of our business customers by strengthening our vehicle range still further and providing the best sales and service offering in our dealerships.”

LCV SALES FIGURES Manufacturer Ford Volkswagen Vauxhall Peugeot Mercedes-Benz Citroën Renault Nissan Toyota Fiat Land Rover Mitsubishi Iveco Isuzu Great Wall Renault Trucks Hyundai Isuzu Trucks Mitsubishi Fuso Mini SsangYong Other imports Total light CV

2012 % 62,372 26.03 30,956 12.92 26,524 11.07 21,272 8.88 21,055 8.79 18,379 7.67 14,710 6.14 10,136 4.23 7,747 3.23 7,060 2.95 5,917 2.47 4,853 2.03 3,593 1.50 2,762 1.15 476 0.20 476 0.20 379 0.16 248 0.10 155 0.06 86 0.04 58 0.02 427 0.18 239,641 100.00

2011 70,226 31,716 33,514 19,328 19,495 17,275 19,382 10,854 8,391 8,130 6,209 7,341 3,628 2,431 7 588 677 199 190 0 4 567 260,153

% % change 26.99 -11.18 12.19 -2.40 12.88 -20.86 7.43 10.06 7.49 8.00 6.64 6.39 7.45 -24.10 4.17 -6.62 3.23 -7.67 3.13 -13.16 2.39 -4.70 2.82 -33.89 1.39 -0.96 0.93 13.62 0.00 6,700.00 0.23 -19.05 0.26 -44.02 0.08 24.62 0.07 -18.42 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,350.00 0.22 -24.69 100.00 -7.88

“I predict that by 2016 we will take the number two slot behind Ford” Steve Bridge, Mercedes-Benz Biggest mainstream winner of 2012 by far was Peugeot, which saw sales rise by 10% to take fourth slot. Fleet director Phil Robson put the success down to the firm’s ideal range of fuelefficient vehicles and a renewed fleet focus. He told Fleet Van: “Fleet buyers can come to our dealers and get expert advice on which vehicles to choose. This way we have seen downsizing from the bigger Boxer into the Expert and Partner and now Partner is our biggest selling van. After all, if you only need a large panel van a few times a year it is cheaper to buy a smaller van and hire a bigger one on the occasions when you need it. “All our vans offer amazing fuel economy and low CO2 emissions and they have proved to be totally reliable, which together makes an unbeatable fleet package.” Disadvantage The biggest unknown quantity for 2013 is the imminent arrival of the new Mercedes-Benz Citan. The German manufacturer already occupies the number five position behind Peugeot without having a small van to sell and bosses have made no bones about the fact that they are aiming to unseat Volkswagen once the new vehicle gets established. At the Citan’s launch, Steve Bridge, UK van sales and marketing director at Mercedes-Benz, told Fleet Van: “At present we don’t have a small van to sell and this puts us at a disadvantage as a lot of fleets want solus deals which include large and small vehicles. I predict that by 2016 we will take the number two slot behind Ford.” The new Mini Clubvan also goes on sale for the first time this year – another unknown quantity which could well make its presence felt among those who remember and love the old version. There are some interesting moves in the lower regions of the chart too. Great Wall, which launched the Steed pick-up last year, saw a staggering 6,770% increase, although admittedly from a modest seven units in 2011 to 476 last year. Pundits will be closely watching the fortunes of Isuzu, which has just launched the new D-Max. At the launch, managing director of importer IM Group, Paul Tunnicliffe, confidently predicted that this vehicle would head the 4x4 sales list. With a new Ford Ranger on sale against it, time will tell whether this boast will come true. In 2012, the D-Max and its outgoing predecessor the Rodeo, sold 2,762 units, a rise of 13.62% on 2011.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2013 11

VAuxhALL COMBO

LOADS BIGGER. COMMERCIAL VEHICLES The Wheels of Business 777 mile range based on combined fuel economy of 58.9mpg (4.8 litres per 100km) and full fuel †Reference ‘Miles Better’ relates to distance per tank of up to 143 miles further than previous model.

• Class-leading payload up to 1000kg* • Miles better range of up to 777 miles† • What Van? Light Van of the Year 2013

Call 0845 7400777 or visit www.vauxhall.co.uk/vans tank of 60 litres (13.2 gallons). *Reference ‘Loads Bigger’ relates to additional 1.01m3 max load volume more than previous model.

SPREADING THE COST OF CUTTING JAMS Van operators could face higher costs as a result of increased road charging in the future– but will this ultimately be a price worth paying?

By Ben Rooth wo simple facts speak volumes about why “road charging” is an option worth considering. Congestion on Britain’s roads is currently costing businesses £8 billion a year. And, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), this figure will rocket to £22bn by 2025 unless something is done. Congestion charging, road pricing, road user charging, pay-as-you-go driving – call it what you will – is now firmly on the Government’s radar. For van operators, road charging looks certain to remain a burning issue for years to come. Put simply, their profits are likely to be hit as these initiatives become more popular. Every time they get behind the wheel, they will find themselves paying to drive on certain new roads. But unless this country’s ageing road infrastructure receives investment in the near future – which is supposed to be levied from road charging – it could become increasingly difficult for those van operators to carry out their jobs effectively. In December 2012, the Government announced that the Department for Transport (DFT) was beginning a feasibility study into whether private sector companies could own new roads – and how new road building projects could be funded. The DFT's findings are expected to be published “before the summer”. It is understood that the Government has committed not to toll parts of the existing road network and is looking at tolling schemes to fund “new capacity”. John Cridland, director general of the CBI, says the Government must show “bold thinking” in securing new sources of funding to help support economic growth in the long-term. He says: “Every day, people up and down the UK lose time and money because of our clogged-up roads. Gridlock is an all too familiar tale of life in the UK, and one that is already costing us £8bn a year. “With public spending checked, the case for new funding solutions is even more compelling, and the Government recognises this. “Infrastructure matters to business, and delivering upgrades to our networks is one of the highest priorities for the CBI to get the economy moving again.

“It’s clear we need a gearchange in how we manage and pay for our road network in the 21st century. A lack of investment means we are really struggling to increase road capacity, let alone adequately maintain what we already have.” Existing road charging initiatives There are currently isolated examples of road charging in Britain, including the Dartford Crossing, the Severn Bridge, the M6 Toll, and the London Congestion Charge. The Dartford Crossing connects the M25 across the Thames estuary and charges van drivers £2.50 to use, while they pay £12.40 to cross the Severn Bridge between England and south Wales. The cost for a van driver using the M6 Toll varies from £7.22 to £11 depending on the time of day and length of the journey. By contrast, the London Congestion Charge (LCC), results in van drivers paying between £9 and £12 – depending on whether they are registered to drive in the zone and choose to pay before or after the journey – for a day’s unlimited use. Drivers make payments online or at designated outlets in order to drive in central London. When this was implemented in February 2003, it was the first time that a “booth-less” road charging initiative had been successfully implemented in Britain. Another government consultation concerning road charging “issues” concluded at the end of January. This sought motorists’ opinions about how penalties could be enforced for those motorists who fail to pay when using any booth-less initiatives established in the future. The European Commission has also previously stated its commitment to establishing road charging initiatives in EU member states as a method of driving down carbon emissions and reducing congestion in cities.

“Infrastructure matters to business, and delivering upgrades to our networks is one of the highest priorities for the CBI to get the economy moving again” John Cridland, director general, CBI

14 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

Operations Road charging

“In principle, congestion charging is a great idea but only if the charges applied are set at a realistic level and the money generated is reinvested into the infrastructure” Peter Rimmer, managing director, Fleet Dynamic Peter Rimmer is managing director of Wiganheadquartered Fleet Dynamic, which specialises in consultancy, fleet management, training and vehicle supply and rental, as well as being chairman of a branch of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) based in England’s north-west. Rimmer says: “The main issue regarding congestion charging is how the charges are applied and money raised when implemented. “While in London it has proved to have had a very positive effect on traffic entering the capital, it does seem that the revenue raised has not been reinvested into the infrastructure of the capital – either on the roads or other forms of public transport. “An argument many were making was that if the congestion charge was to deter travellers off the roads, they would find alternative methods of travelling across the city and hence the congestion would simply be shifted elsewhere. “I’m also aware that some drivers have found the charging method unfair and felt it discriminated against the poor while benefiting the wealthy. “So, in principle, congestion charging is a great idea but only if the charges applied are set at a realistic level and the money generated is reinvested into the infrastructure.” Rimmer is equally forthright in his views regarding the M6 Toll: “It is a must during busy periods but vastly under utilised at any other point which would indicate the pricing mechanism for this road isn’t working as intended. “And the M6 is still heavily congested despite the introduction of the toll road.” Rimmer also highlights another source of concern to professional drivers which might ensue from increased road charging schemes. He says: “If road charging became widespread throughout the country, there is little doubt that other neighbouring roads would see an increase in traffic, particularly if there was no advantage or disadvantage to the journey time. “In fact, the neighbouring roads could be used as a means of cutting through particular bottleneck’s which potentially could have a detrimental effect on road safety.”

£8bn

The annual cost of congestion to British industry

Future road charging initiatives In July last year, the DFT announced that plans to upgrade parts of one of Britain’s most congested roads – the A14 – would potentially be funded by tolls along with taxpayer contributions. The move is intended to tackle congestion on the dual carriageway that crosses the east of England from the M1 and M6 to the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich. The proposals include a bypass around the Cambridgeshire town of Huntingdon as well as two new roads which would be built parallel to the A14 north of Cambridge for local use. Transport policy and research organisation the RAC Foundation has broadly welcomed the DFT’s

decision to take forward the A14 enhancement scheme while considering alternative ways to fund it. Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “Ministers have gone further than before by opening the possibility for tolling existing roads and not just brand new capacity – in this case a widened section of the A14, a critical international trade route. “Faced with the necessity to generate new funds for infrastructure, this news demonstrates that government is being innovative in its thinking. “We would hope that work on enhancing the A14 starts sooner rather than later and certainly before 2018.” Has road charging now become essential? Unsurprisingly, opinions differ surrounding this question. Paul Watters, head of public affairs at the AA, says drivers do not regard current road charging initiatives to be successful – and they don’t want any more. He explains: “They consider they pay enough tax and these schemes do little to ease congestion. “Just take a look at the Dartford Crossing or central London charging zone. “Consequently, it’s not sensible for more road charging schemes to be introduced – there’s no public trust in who will run and operate the roads and what the deal is. “More than 80% of those surveyed in a recent poll carried out by the AA stated that they distrust the Government with their money should road charging be introduced. “Some new road infrastructure schemes are desperately needed and so tolls may be supported but only if the deal is a fair one. “At Dartford that was the arrangement with the bridge but the drivers were betrayed – once it was paid for, the Government kept taking the toll.” Jonathan Pearce, marketing manager of Northgate Vehicle Hire, which has more than 52,000 vans on rental nationwide, welcomed the fact that the government is now actively looking at ways of resolving congestion issues. He says: “For businesses of all sizes, road charging is a direct charge to them and this can be difficult to budget for. “Many businesses, especially SMEs, often find themselves having to pass additional charges on to customers, making them less competitive. “The other option is for them to absorb the costs themselves which leads to their margins becoming even tighter. “But Britain’s road infrastructure faces many issues like potholes to ever-increasing usage and this is resulting in more congestion. "It’s for these reasons that I was pleased to see there was an investment focus on roads in the latest coalition budget.”

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2013 15

BUTCHER? BAKER? CANDLESTICK MAKER?

it’s official. tHE NEW MiNi clUBVaN is a cUt aBoVE tHE coMpEtitioN. We’re pleased to announce that the MINI Clubvan has driven off with the WhatVan? Editor’s Choice Award. Recognised for combining stylish good looks and practicality, the MINI Clubvan was praised for bringing something unique to the small van market. So, whatever your business, make it your business to discover the award-winning MINI Clubvan for yourself.

find out more at www.mini.co.uk/clubvan

Official fuel economy figures for the new MINI Clubvan Range: Urban 32.1-64.2mpg (8.8-4.4l/100km). Extra Urban 54.3-78.5mpg (5.2-3.6l/100km). Combined 43.5-72.4mpg (6.5-3.9l/100km). CO2 emissions 152-103g/km.

MINIMALISM

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Don’t lose money through out-of-date practices Managing your LCV fleet effectively will cut costs and improve safety Ensuring drivers are familiar with their vehicles is good practice

he ‘workhorses of the fleet’, light commercial vehicles (LCVs), are purchased to create wealth. However, the reality is that many businesses lose money on their fleets through out-of-date practices. Dave Freeman, LCV specialist at Alphabet, provides food for thought on savvy LCV fleet management. The past decade has seen a huge increase in corporate legislation and responsibility for LCV operators. These developments have had an impact in three key areas of fleet management: n vehicle choice n operational costs n duty of care Vehicle choice Vehicle selection is important for a company’s image. Vans of various shapes, sizes and stylish trims can add value. Equally, a prestige marque may support a company’s brand values e.g. a MercedesBenz suggesting a quality organisation. The choice of engines available allows companies to match usage to the most appropriate power unit. In the world of LCVs, diesel is king and dual-fuel vehicles have found little favour outside the London congestion zone. The temptation could be to take the cheapest option, but in terms of total costs this could be a mistake.

Fleets should consider driver training

Given the right conditions, discounts on LCVs can at times be staggeringly high. LCVs tend to be part of a volume game, with manufacturers often keen to support incremental sales. This may be good news if the intention is to keep the vans for all of their useful lives, but as part of a managed fleet it can lead to issues when trying to organise orderly bulk defleets in terms of resale value. Operational costs Don’t skip on linings; vehicles without ply lining are perceived to have not been as well looked after, therefore they may not retain their value so well. Vans which have had seat covers fitted to ensure the interior is better preserved and certain levels of specification are being actively sought out by used buyers such as side loading doors, power steering and central locking. For those looking to keep their vehicles as long as possible, depreciation may seem irrelevant, but age and mileage may have a huge impact if careful and accurate maintenance provisions aren’t accrued. Tyre use can be very high for hardworking vans and routine maintenance can prove extremely costly for highmileage vehicles. Remember that a van is making no money while off the road, therefore using a budgeted courtesy van

when servicing is being undertaken is worth considering. Duty of care The increasing duty of care responsibilities of the fleet operator can be bewildering. Racking is a good example of this, with issues relating to fit out, weight and ease of use all having great importance when it comes to health and safety considerations, so you need to be prepared. Driving licence checks also need to be carried out to ensure the right kinds of licences are held by the driver for the right type of vehicle. Driver risk assessments are increasingly important, thus large fleets should seriously consider driver training as their exposure to accidents is obviously higher. Accidents, in turn, can have significant impacts in terms of repair costs, vehicle downtime, negative PR and potential legal action. Ensuring drivers are familiar with their vehicle in terms of size and weight is also good practice. A simple sticker or guide can avoid mistakes in terms of over-ladened vehicles and width/height restrictions. It is little wonder that with the growing complexities of managing an LCV fleet, many operators are choosing the outsourcing route to guide them through this particular labyrinth.

R i s k a n d s a f e t y Ty r e s

Save lives and money with tyre management Experts advise fleets to introduce a sturdy tyre policy

ATS has a strong history of supporting van fleets

“With more than 40% (1.6 million) of approxiBy Trevor Gehlcken hen you consider that the only mately four million business vehicles on the UK’s parts of a vehicle which actually roads calculated to be LCVs, it means that extraptouch the road are four areas of olated across the fleet there could be as many as tyre each about the size of your 400,000 vans being driven with at least one tyre palm, it can be too easily taken which is illegal.” Tyres inspected by Kwik-Fit technicians were for granted. Worn or illegal tyres can lead to extra fuel costs typically under- or over-inflated, tread was below and more accidents, all adding to the usual or close to the 1.6mm legal minimum across the headaches faced by fleet operators, so the intro- central three-quarters of the breadth of the tyre duction of a sturdy tyre policy is of utmost impor- and around the entire circumference, tyre wear was irregular – which may indicate tance. a wheel alignment or vehicle Van drivers should be instructed loading problem – and tyre walls to give their tyres a quick visual were damaged. inspection each morning before Lambert warns: “Tyres in poor setting out to flag up any immediate decrease in tyre life problems such as cuts or nails, caused by under-inflation condition compromise road safety. In the event of a crash involving a while a more detailed check, vehicle being driven on business, including tyre pressures, should be tyre condition will be one of the issues looked at made each time the vehicle is filled with fuel. But how many fleets actually follow this advice? by investigating police officers. A failure to have a Too few, according to Peter Lambert, sales record of checks carried out could leave compadirector at Kwik-Fit Fleet, which won the Supplier nies wide open to court action.” Some commercial vehicle fleets ensure drivers of the Year title at the 2012 Fleet Van Awards. He says: “Initial tyre safety checks by Kwik-Fit undertake daily vehicle checks – including tyre technicians on LCVs result in 15% of vehicles condition – and best practice would indicate that inspected requiring an average of 1.75 tyres, drivers should be reminded to check tyre condiusually because the tyres they are replacing are tion every time they fill up with fuel. Lambert said: “The European Union estimates illegal. That means an average of one tyre requires that 9% of all road crashes involving fatalities are replacing for every four vehicles inspected.

25%

attributable to tyre under-inflation and an estimated 41% of accidents with physical injuries are linked to tyre problems. “However, ensuring that tyres are in good condition during their working life is not just about safety on the roads. “It is also calculated that average under-inflation of 3-9psi produces an increase in fuel consumption of up to 10% and a decrease in tyre life of 25%. Additionally, incorrect tyre pressures increase vehicle CO2 emissions. “Tyre care should not be an option, but an essential part of good fleet and driver management.” ARI Fleet UK has also noticed major problems with the tyres of the vans which it manages. Almost a quarter of vehicles on ARI Fleet UK’s books had tyres replaced last year because they were either illegal or had sustained damage due to driver-induced maintenance shortfalls. ARI in the UK manages 55,000 vehicles with LCVs accounting for just over a third of the fleet (36%). Data from ARI reveals that last year a total of 25,432 tyres (75.11% of the total of 33,861) were replaced as a result of ‘normal wear and tear’ and punctures. Of the 8,429 ‘damaged’ tyres (24.89%) replaced by ARI – including as a result of under- or over-inflation and blowouts – a total of 1,164 tyres (3.44%) were replaced because they were

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2013 19

R i s k a n d s a f e t y Ty r e s below the 1.6mm legal minimum across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tyre and around the entire circumference. Additionally, a total of 2,312 tyres (6.83%) were replaced due to sidewall damage, 1,856 (5.48%) due to uneven tracking and 1,131 (3.34%) due to irregular wear, issues that may have occurred due to a failure by drivers to correctly and regularly check their vehicle’s tyres. Applying the data to LCVs on the books of ARI, it potentially means that more than 2,100 ‘damaged’ tyres will have been replaced ahead of schedule. Richard Minshull, head of operations at ARI, said: “A little over three-quarters of tyres on our vehicle fleet are replaced due to ‘normal wear and

Peter Lambert, sales director at Kwik-Fit Fleet: ‘there could be as many as 400,000 vans being driven with at least one tyre being illegal’

tear’ and unrepairable punctures (both ‘normal’ place. In fact, in many cases, they could be spending significantly more. tyres and run flats). Tattersall says: “The cost of tyres, particularly “However, that means almost a quarter of tyres are replaced prematurely for a variety of reasons the larger, wider fitments, and the cost of running some big vans is not dissimilar to the cost-perand that is costing fleets money. “Industry surveys continually tell us, as do our mile of operating some trucks. Vehicle running customers, that cost control is their number one costs are unlikely to come down dramatically, so it is important fleets focus on priority. However, the biggest cost getting as much life out of their facing companies is that drivers – tyres as possible, and this is best and too often managers and direcachieved by partnering with a tors – are failing to implement professional service partner who measures to manage them effeccan offer advice on tyre choice, tively. This then translates into and back that up with regular and driver abuse of vehicles of which thorough fleet checks.” tyres is one of the most obvious Lee Kelly, sales manager – examples.” national car, at ATS Euromaster, Simon Tattersall, head of national says: “Van tyre management truck at ATS Euromaster, believes tends to be better where a that over the past year, larger company has a fleet manager fleets have become much more or a site manager responsible aware of the costs associated with for the vehicle parc, and with van tyres. whom a service provider can have He says: “Whereas at one time Simon Tattersall, a close working relationship, to vans were very much at the ATS Euromaster enable regular fleet checks to be bottom of the rung as far as tyres organised. and tyre awareness was “The majority of professionally-managed van concerned, particularly in fleets with a heavy truck concentration, many of these operators are now fleets are now focusing on the fact that tyres are an important part of the vehicle, and therefore realising the cost of running vans can be high. “Consequently there is a lot more focus being they are investing in fitting quality tyres from put on partnering with a reliable service provider, recognised brands. This has also led to the fitting which can help them to extract the maximum of cold weather tyres, especially in the home delivery sector, to ensure greater safety and performance from every van tyre in their fleet. “We are also seeing a move away from van improved performance due to the nature of fleets buying lower cost tyres and instead investing operations which must be able to deliver to end in more mid-range and premium products. As customers in all conditions. “This is something we are actively supporting vans become increasingly higher-powered and fleet utilisation continues to rise, so tyre perfor- and helping fleets to implement, supported by our tyre hotel network for seasonal storage. mance becomes ever more paramount.” “It’s an unfortunate fact, but you tend to see the Many van operators are finding that going down the budget tyre route does not necessarily mean worst condition tyres and the cheaper brands they are spending any less on tyres than they being fitted by owner-drivers where purchase would if they invested in a quality tyre in the first price is the number one concern.”

“Many operators realise the cost of running vans can be high”

Choose tyres on wholelife cost performance With budgets still tight, it can be tempting to choose cheaper tyres in an effort to reduce initial outlay, but time after time this proves to be a false economy, according to Michelin’s head of fleet, Dave Crinson. Crinson says: “We know fleet managers who have gone down that road, only to come back to us saying it has cost them more in the long run because the tyres have worn quickly or been damaged. Where’s the sense in buying tyres at a lower price if you have to buy twice as many? “We always say that drivers, owner-drivers and fleet managers should look at wholelife costs to ensure they are getting value for money.” Fleet managers should also be sure to educate drivers on techniques to reduce damage. Approaching kerbs slowly and with the tyre as near to perpendicular to the kerb as possible can prevent damage to the tyre and prolong tyre life. Crinson adds: “There are some fairly

simple measures every fleet manager can take to ensure their fleet is as effective as it can be. For example, an under-inflated tyre will wear out far quicker than a correctly inflated tyre so it is essential that pressures are checked regularly. “Typically 20% under inflation will cause a reduction in the tyre’s life of around 25% and increase fuel consumption by 2% so from both the safety and cost points of view it pays to correctly maintain tyre pressures.” From November last year, all tyres must carry a label rating them in three areas: fuel efficiciency, wet grip and external noise. The scheme displays the wet grip and economy results through a colour-coded graduation from green to red, as well as a score from A to G, where A is the highest and G the lowest – although not all grades are used for each of the ratings. The difference between each grade means a reduction or increase in fuel consumption of between 2.5% and 4.5%.

20 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

Van Excellence Conferences 2013 Encouraging Excellence – no matter what your van ﬂeet looks like In 2013, FTA will unveil a unique series of Van Excellence Conferences focused around a variety of issues relevant to van operators, including: ● ● ● ● ● ●

managing operational costs reducing fuel spend vehicle speciﬁcations – best practice and common mistakes future van technology VOSA’s view of enforcement in the world of vans current and upcoming legislative issues

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Prices Early Bird price of £285 + VAT per delegate if booked before 28 February FTA members £325 + VAT ﬁrst delegate/£275 + VAT subsequent delegates Non-FTA members £385 + VAT ﬁrst delegate/£345 + VAT subsequent delegates

29 October DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro, Dunblane

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Fleet Van Awards salute the very best in the business

an manufacturers, suppliers to the commercial vehicle industry and fleets gathered in London in December for our verdict on who was the very best in the business during 2012. Our panel of judges with expertise in the various fields that touch the light commercial vehicle industry in the UK deliberated for many hours over the companies, organisations and vehicles vying for Fleet Van Awards in their respective sectors. As ever, in a sector where professionalism is becoming increasingly important, the standard of entries was exceptionally high. The judging process is always a fascinating exercise for those involved, discussing how those entered have reached their positions. Vehicles are more capable than ever of doing their assigned jobs, with higher levels of safety and better fuel economy than ever before. Fleets were able to demonstrate commitment to the highest standards in terms of operation, innovation and safety. Meanwhile suppliers have been ensuring they have a better understanding of the very specific needs of van operator clients. It is a genuine privilege for Fleet Van to reward these achievements that set the standards that others in the industry should aspire to.

Guests at the Fleet Van Awards luncheon in London show congratulate the best in the business

MEE T T HE JUDGE S CATEGORY JUDGES

Stephen Briers, editor-in-chief, Fleet News

Simon Harris, deputy editor, Fleet News

Trevor Gehlcken, associate editor, Fleet Van

John Maslen, brand director, Sewells

George Alexander, Editor, Glassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide to CVs Phil Cane, delivery operations manager, Sainsburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Mark Cartwright, head of LCVs, FTA

Dale Eynon, head of fleet operations, Environment Agency

Mark Lovett, head of CVs, LeasePlan

Alastair Houston, regional director, Northgate Vehicle Hire

Ken Brown, editor, Red Book LCVs & motorhomes, CAP

Fleet managers John Maslen Stephen Briers Mark Cartwright Suppliers John Maslen Stephen Briers Dale Eynon Phil Cane Manufacturers Trevor Gehlcken Simon Harris Stephen Briers George Alexander Alastair Houston Ken Brown Mark Lovett

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2013 31

Fleet safety champion of the year (Public) W INNER:

NHS Blood & Transplant JUDGES’ COMMENTS “NHS B&T has maintained safety as of paramount importance in a highly pressured high risk environment. A glowing example for others to follow.” Larry Bannon (right), national fleet services manager, NHS Blood & Transplant, accepts the award from Sabastiano Fedrigo, director of Fiat Professional

FIN A LI S T S

Gateshead Council South Central Ambulance Service Walsall Housing Group Wakefield & District Housing

Fleet safety champion of the year (Private)

W INNER: Enterprise

JUDGES’ COMMENTS “Enterprise demonstrates a great commitment to developing a safety culture across a large and diverse fleet where transport isn’t its first discipline.” Enterprise’s John Jones (left) receives the award on behalf asset director John Farrell from Jon Lawes, divisional managing director of Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services

32 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

HIGHLY C OMMENDED DPD MITIE Group

FIN A L I S T S Andrew Page E.On Iron Mountain J Murphy & Sons

Sponsored by

Commercial vehicle of the year W INNER: Ford Ranger JUDGES’ COMMENTS “The Ranger is an innovative product that stands out in its sector as a fresh and unexpected leap forward by Ford. It is a huge advancement on the old model and deserves to take the title of Fleet Van commercial vehicle of the year.”

FIN A LI S T S

Fiat Fiorino Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Volkswagen Caddy Volkswagen Transporter

Steve Fletcher (left), Ford’s fleet operations manager, is presented with the Ford Ranger’s award by Ian Smith, sales director at FMG

Fleet van manufacturer of the year W INNER:

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles JUDGES’ COMMENTS

Alastair Hemmings (left), Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ national fleet manager receives the award from Jon Lawes, divisional managing director of Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services

“Volkswagen has strength in depth in its product range, an excellent network of van specialists providing back-up support to fleets, solid residual values on all its vans and good manufacturer support through its funding operations. It also has a highly-trained and dedicated fleet team.”

HIGHLY C OMMENDED Ford

FIN A L I S T S Citroën Fiat Mercedes-Benz Renault

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2013 33

Small public sector fleet W INNER:

Wakefield and District Housing JUDGES’ COMMENTS “Wakefield and District Housing demonstrated a very strong commitment and investment to improve driver and vehicle safety to very high standards.”

HIGHLY C OMMENDED Gateshead Council

FIN A LI S T S

NHS Blood & Transplant Walsall Housing Group

Rick Young (right), fleet manager of Wakefield and District Housing receives the award from Sebastiano Fedrigo, director of Fiat Professional

Large public sector fleet

W INNER:

South Central Ambulance Serivce JUDGES’ COMMENTS “SCAS continues to be one of the safest bluelight fleets in the country due to its relentless focus on driver culture and minimising accidents. It applies best practice in all operational areas and shares its ideas with other trusts. Innovative and class-leading.”

LEFT: Richard Kersley (right), team leader vehicle commissioning unit, South Central Ambulance Service receives the award on behalf of head of fleet Rick Stillman from Ian Smith, sales director of FMG

34 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

Sponsored by

Small private sector fleet W INNER: Rhodar

JUDGES’ COMMENTS “Rhodar has created a working environment where safety has become embedded in the company culture from board to driver. Its passion for safety and constant search for improvement and innovation means its fleet operates at an exceptional level of safety.”

RIGHT: Rhodar’s chief executive Jason Davy (centre) and group transport manager Steve Haigh (left), receive their award from Sebastiano Fedrigo, director of Fiat Professional

Large private sector fleet

W INNER: DPD

JUDGES’ COMMENTS “DPD displayed continued excellent performance in a fast-growing, fast-moving business. A very strong safety culture.”

Barry Gill (left), company transport manager, DPD UK, receives the award from Jon Lawes, divisional managing director of Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services

HIGHLY C OMMENDED Enterprise

FIN A L I S T S Andrew Page E.On J Murphy & Sons

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2013 35

Innovation in fleet safety

W INNER: Balfour Beatty JUDGES’ COMMENTS

“Balfour Beatty’s Zero Harm initiative, supported by driver profiling, telematics and driving simulators, demonstrates massive commitment and investment. It has delivered tangible results.”

FINALISTS Gateshead Council Rhodar

Clive Brocklehurst (right), head of commercial operations, Balfour Beatty Fleet Services, is presented with the award by Ian Smith, sales director of FMG

Driver management initiative W INNER: Rhodar

JUDGES’ COMMENTS “Rhodar’s ‘Beyond Zero’ Safeguard scheme has demonstrated massive reductions in accident rates using a company-wide approach. Use of an innovative and effective board game coupled with new drivers’ handbook, telematics and licence checking has produced outstanding results.”

Steve Haigh (right), group transport manager at Rhodar, receives the award from Sebastiano Fedrigo, director of Fiat Professional

HIGHLY C OMMENDED Iron Mountain

36 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

Sponsored by

City van of the year

W INNER: Fiat Fiorino JUDGES’ COMMENTS

“An excellent dealer network for back-up support and evidence of large corporate wins, plus strong engines, good volume load space and competitive running costs – particularly on reducing downtime and SMR – put the Fiorino out in front. In a three-horse race, investment by Fiat in its market offering puts it ahead by a nose.”

HIGHLY C OMMENDED Citroën Nemo

FIN A LI S T S

Ford Fiesta Van Peugeot Bipper Vauxhall Corsavan

Sebastiano Fedrigo (right), director of Fiat Professional, receives the award from Ian Smith, sales director at FMG

Small van of the year W INNER:

Volkswagen Caddy JUDGES’ COMMENTS “The Caddy is consistently good across all the key judging criteria. It’s desirable, has strong residual values and is the only one in the shortlist to have ESC as standard. A real allrounder, this solid, safe vehicle also has strong driver appeal.” John Rawlings (left), press and PR manager at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles receives the award from Jon Lawes, divisional managing director of Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services

HIGHLY C OMMENDED Fiat Doblo Cargo Nissan NV200

FIN A L I S T S Citroën Berlingo Peugeot Partner Renault Kangoo Vauxhall Combo

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2013 37

Medium panel van of the year W INNER: Volkswagen Transporter JUDGES’ COMMENTS “In a sector where there has been little change yearon-year, the Transporter retains its crown due to its strength of product, excellent residual values, the offer of ESC as standard and good back-up from dealers and Volkswagen.” Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle’s national fleet manager Alastair Hemmings (right) is presented with the award by Ian Smith, sales director of FMG

FIN A LI S T S

Mercedes-Benz Vito Renault Trafic Vauxhall Vivaro

Large panel van of the year W INNER:

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter JUDGES’ COMMENTS “The Sprinter wins on the basis of its driveability, high level of standard equipment, rock solid residual values and competitive running costs. It also benefits from 24/7 servicing and roadside repairs from the excellent truckbased dealer network.” Andrew Lawson (left), Mercedes-Benz national fleet sales manager, receives the award from Jon Lawes, divisional managing director of Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services

38 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

HIGHLY C OMMENDED Volkswagen Crafter

FIN A L I S T S

Ford Transit RWD Nissan NV400 Renault Master Vauxhall Movano

Sponsored by

Pick-up truck of the year W INNER: Ford Ranger JUDGES’ COMMENTS “The Ranger is a vehicle which covers both workhorse and lifestyle markets equally impressively. It is available in a full range, from RWD single-cab to 4x4 double cab. It is better equipped, with more technology, especially for off-road driving, and also benefits from the support of Ford’s comprehensive dealer network.”

HIGHLY C OMMENDED Isuzu D-Max

Andrew Page (left), Ford’s national contract hire and leasing manager, receives the award from Ian Smith, sales director of FMG

FIN A LI S T S Mitsubishi L200 Nissan Navara Toyota Hilux

Green van manufacturer of the year

W INNER: Ford

JUDGES’ COMMENTS “Of the three manufacturers that entered this category, Ford’s core van offering is the most competitive on CO2 emissions. The company also takes a holistic approach to the environment with its manufacturing processes, recycling commitment and use of renewable energy. It sets an excellent example.”

LEFT: Steve Fletcher (left), Ford’s fleet operations manager, receives the award from Jon Lawes, divisional managing director of Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services

FIN A LI S T S

Fiat Vauxhall

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2013 39

Supplier of the year W INNER: Kwik-Fit

JUDGES’ COMMENTS “Substantial investment has given Kwik-Fit a leading position in the independent van SMR and tyre replacement sector. It has dedicated a lot of time and effort to the people side of the business which has resulted in outstanding levels of customer service. Also notable is the heavy investment in training staff – also key to improving service standards.”

FIN A LI S T S

ATS Euromaster Nexus Vehicle Management

RIGHT: Peter Lambert (left), fleet director, Kwik-Fit Fleet, is presented with the supplier of the year award by Jon Lawes, divisional managing director of Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services

Van fleet management company of the year W INNER: Hitachi Capital JUDGES’ COMMENTS

Mike MacDougall (right), head of sales at Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services, receives the award from Sebastiano Fedrigo, director of Fiat Professional

40 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

“Excellent testimonials, strong growth and innovations such as its clear, functional dashboard give Hitachi the edge. This company gets under the skin of its customers to understand their needs and priorities and that is resulting in client savings. Its fieldbased engineer approach is unique and its duty of care goes beyond the realms of fleet management and into driver training.”

HIGHLY C OMMENDED LeasePlan

FIN A LI S T S

Arval BT Fleet GE Capital Fleet Service Ogilvie

Sponsored by

Safety initiative of the year W INNER:

FMG for Ingenium Dynamics JUDGES’ COMMENTS “FMG shows a high level of driver safety management with its innovative system. A comprehensive range of algorithms to score the driver even includes weather and road conditions. The need for physical intervention by the manager is seen as a positive point; it’s more engaging and means safety is an on-going conversation.” FMG’s client development director Kevin Gordon (right) receives the award from Sebastiano Fedrigo, director of Fiat Professional

HIGHLY C OMMENDED

GreenRoad for its Driver Improvement Loop

FIN A LI S T S

ASL for ASL Vision

Van rental company of the year W INNER: SHB HIRE

JUDGES’ COMMENTS “Although SHB is a less well-known brand, it is a highly innovative one with a number of initiatives that will please van operators. Excellent testimonials, a wide range of in-house managed services and its commitment to training apprentices mean SHB is a great example of a successful British company. It is challenging the established way of doing rental.” Paul Street, director of SHB Hire (right), is presented with the Rental Company of the Year award by Ian Smith, sales director of FMG

HIGHLY C OMMENDED Europcar

FIN A LI S T S Burnt Tree

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan February 2013 41

Fleet case study Apetito

FOOD FIRM MAY HAVE APPETITE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Hot meals delivery company studies wholelife costs of using electric vans

By John Charles petito delivers thousands of hot meals every day to some of the most vulnerable people in society, so an efficient vehicle fleet is critical to its business. The Trowbridge-based company has taken the established concept of meals-onwheels to a new level with its now 350-strong fleet of specially-designed Chefmobil vans. The fleet’s Citroën Berlingo and Nissan NV200 vans have each been specially equipped with three ovens and a fridge to ensure hot and tasty meals are delivered to elderly and vulnerable residents either through a local authority managed mealson-wheels service or to private customers. Additionally, Apetito, a global organisation with 50 years’ experience in frozen food and catering solutions, provides a service to hospitals, care homes and day centres which sees prepared meals delivered for heating. In total the company prepares around one million pre-cooked meals each day in the UK. However, it is the company’s unique Chefmobil fleet which is at the cutting-edge of home delivery that, as Apetito logistics manager John Sayers says: “Enables food to be at its best at the point of delivery.” Working with long-time partner Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services, the Chefmobil was developed to meet Apetito’s three objectives of: ■ Minimising vehicle downtime ■ Reducing vehicle operating costs ■ Further improving meal quality Prior to the launch of the Chefmobil, Apetito, which has been a contract hire with full maintenance customer of Hitachi Capital since 1999, operated vans with traditional ‘hot lock boxes’. Demand for meals-on-wheels is growing to the extent that Apetito has seen its fleet of ‘community

meals vehicles’ expand by around 50 in the past two years, with further expansion in the pipeline. Additionally, with its fleet of Chefmobil vans based at 34 locations nationwide serving local markets, the company believes electric vans could have a role to play in delivering its service in the near future. Apetito has already trialled some electric vehicles and has closely assessed an electric version of the NV200, which Nissan plans to launch in the UK next year. Sayers, who is in charge of the fleet, says: “We believe that electric vans could have a role to play on the Chefmobil fleet with our mileage patterns. The vans typically operate from a specific base where the meals are loaded and they deliver food to residents in an urban environment in a twohour time frame before returning to their depot. “We are looking at the wholelife cost of the electric vans and their configuration to see if they can accommodate the ovens and fridge we require.” Apetito selected the Citroën Berlingo and NV200 diesel vans, which operate on a five-year replacement cycle, based on a variety of factors including wholelife costs, monthly rentals, gross vehicle weight and safety demands, but critical to the decision was the models being fit for purpose in terms of accommodation of the ovens and fridge. The Chefmobil incorporates three separate independently-timed ovens to heat meals. The oven configuration is designed to stagger cooking times. The multi-chamber design, which was first introduced in 2006, means the Chefmobil never holds meals for longer than 45 minutes in a typical two-hour delivery. Every meal is evenly cooked The system also means the initial temperature doesn’t need to be as high as traditional systems,

“Consistency of food quality and delivery are essential to our operation so the Chefmobil vans have a key role to play” John Sayers, Apetito 42 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

ensuring the meals retain their nutrition, flavour, appearance and aroma, says Apetito. Once the cooking cycle has completed, the oven switches to a ‘hot-holding’ phase that ensures every meal is evenly cooked and delivered at the optimum temperature. The ‘hot-holding’ phase of the system is significantly reduced when compared to traditional regeneration systems, says Apetito. The fridge is used for chilling desserts. The conversion also improves health and safety as the ovens are powered by a vehicle’s engine management system, unlike the old system which used bottled gas. The development of the triple oven and fridge system has additionally helped Apetito improve cost-efficiency as the Chefmobils have a greater capacity – 57 main meals and hot desserts – so are able to carry more hot meals and desserts per vehicle than previously. Importantly, the conversion work undertaken by Hitachi Capital sees drivers able to operate the microchip-controlled ovens with one touch of a screen next to them in the cab. And a secure digital card records diagnostic data on the ovens and fridge, including historical temperature information, to provide customers with a robust audit trail. All drivers are trained to use the equipment prior to getting behind the wheel of a Chefmobil. That, says Sayers, helps avoid unnecessary maintenance costs caused by operator error. Sayers says: “Chefmobil provides Apetito with the most advanced mobile regeneration and delivery system available.” As, he explains, minimising vehicle downtime is essential for business success: “The service is critical to the daily well-being of thousands of people so assurances on delivery are a prerequisite for the local authorities and the people who purchase our service. “The development of ‘plug-and-play’ ovens means that if an oven chamber is broken, the vehicle itself is not necessarily off the road, which has been the case before.” He adds: “The Chefmobil is safe and easy to use, but we are always looking for design improvements to make operations hassle-free.”

Fact file

Company: Apetito Logistics manager: John Sayers LCV fleet size: 350 LCV brands on fleets: Citroën, Nissan Funding method: Contract hire Operating cycle: Five years

John Sayers: Enabling food to be at its best at the point of delivery

Demand for home delivery in all its forms – perhaps most noticeably from the major supermarkets and internet shopping – is increasing and community-based meals-on-wheels is no exception with an ageing population and a health care service that aims to ensure people remain in their own homes for as long as possible. Sayers says: “We are in a fast-changing market and our ability to respond, which includes driving down costs in partnership with Hitachi Capital, is vital. A fully functioning and reliable fleet is integral to our business model. “The Chefmobil vans are a product of a longstanding relationship with Hitachi Capital. It understands the Apetito business and has worked to achieve a truly innovative and practical solution that has delivered significantly greater reliability and reductions in vehicle downtime and overall running costs as well as better meal quality.” The regeneration temperature of meals must be above the legal limit of 75°C or 82°C in Scotland with the minimum serving temperature at 63°C in both cases.

Meals regenerated by traditional systems are at their optimum temperature at the end of the regeneration phase. Therefore, by the time the delivery window begins, the meals have started to lose their temperature and nutritional value. Optimum quality However, the Chefmobil splits the delivery window into three shorter segments; ensuring meals are at the legal optimum temperature on delivery. Sayers says: “Three oven chambers in one vehicle means cooking starting times can be staggered to ensure that all meals are at their optimum quality at the point of delivery. “The Chefmobil is recognised as the most advanced community meals system in the sector. Not only does it ensure we deliver delicious meals in the best possible condition, it makes regenerating meals safe, simple and economical.” Proper maintenance While Hitachi Capital has developed specialist skills in its own workshops to convert the vans

into Chefmobils, Apetito requires specialist garages to maintain the vehicles in accordance with manufacturer recommendations. Sayers says: “Working with Hitachi Capital, as soon as we know where a Chefmobil will be based, we make sure we have appropriate suppliers in place to maintain the vehicles at its operating location. Hitachi trains new suppliers to make sure the vans can be maintained properly.” He adds: “We have been able to synchronise vehicle servicing and inspection and take a proactive approach to maintenance, using suppliers local to a vehicle’s operating location to minimise downtime.” Apetito uses Hitachi Capital’s online vehicle management system, Capital Control, to give it password-protected access to up-to-the-minute fleet management information. Sayers says: ““Vehicle usage is monitored and, in order to optimise efficiency against contract terms, vehicles may be re-allocated to other depots.”

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PUTTING SMMT AT THE HEART OF THE VAN WORLD Disconnected groups come together to present a united voice

regularly to discuss topics that concern them and there are By Trevor Gehlcken he relationship between the people who make also several ad hoc study groups set up to look at particular vans and the people who operate them has issues such as the forthcoming Whole Vehicle Type Approval, aftermarket issues, skills shortages and communications. historically been an uneasy one. While topics of a competitive nature are strictly out of On the one hand are the manufacturers who pay millions of pounds in R&D costs to improve bounds, the various members are free to voice concerns their products, while also facing an ever-increasing moun- about more general issues and it is from these meetings that tain of costly EU legislation and a continual buffeting from the Base takes his brief. It is then up to him to translate words into action. vagaries of the international money markets. On the other hand sit the fleet operators who complain about increasing front-end prices, high running costs and Coherent voice But why, we ask, should the body which was set up basically sometimes questionable vehicle reliability. Meanwhile, in the middle sit the franchised dealers who to represent the vehicle manufacturers, be so keen to help do their best to fend off vehement criticism when something the UK’s van fleet operators who, after all, have their own representative bodies such as the Freight Transport Assogoes wrong. But a new phenomenon is emerging – a single coherent ciation (FTA) and the Road Haulage Association (RHA)? Base says: “All the groups which represent the UK’s van light commercial vehicle industry joining the two opposing sides with a voice that carries weight and a degree of profes- industry need to keep close and present a coherent voice to Government and the EU because what concerns one body sionalism that used only to be dreamt of. concerns us all. It is my job to put the Look back to the year 2001 and we see SMMT at the centre of the van world – and that the van industry as a credible force that means talking to the big fleet operahardly existed at all. LCVs on fleets were tors and sharing their concerns, through largely lumped in with cars or heavier people like the FTA and RHA.” commercial vehicles, white van man was Anyone who believes that the SMMT is being roundly castigated and health and far removed from the day-to-day running safety concerns were largely ignored. of their fleets may well be mistaken. It is, In the intervening years, there has been for example, one of the firms which organa gradual realisation on the part of both van ises the CV Show at the NEC in Birmingham, manufacturers and operators that, like it or the annual event which showcases all the not, their fate is inextricably linked. So to latest van models and developments and join together to form a single unit seems Nigel Base, SMMT attracts hundreds of exhibitors. Without the obvious step. such a show, fleet operators would have to One of the major figures helping to mould this new, vibrant band of LCV heroes is Nigel Base, travel abroad to find such a wealth of useful new products who joined the Society of Motor Manufacturers (SMMT) last and information. Then last month the SMMT helped organise its first-ever year as commercial vehicle manager. And it is largely due to his drive and enthusiasm that many CV Forum at Westminster, at which some of the industry’s up-until-now disconnected groups are banding together to major movers and shakers were joined by various transport experts and Robert Flello MP, chairman of the All-Party make their voices heard. Parliamentary Freight Group, a committee made up of members of all parties from both the Houses of Lords and A clear vision Base has spent a lifetime in the transport industry, including Commons, which aims to explore and report to Government spells at BRS, Scania and Azure Dynamics and he still retains on a wide range of matters. Several top level industry concerns were raised and a Class 1 HGV licence. And he has a very clear vision of what passed on to the MP for consideration. he wants to achieve in his position at the SMMT. Base says: “The SMMT is involved in many discussions In an exclusive interview with Fleet Van, he says: “The truck manufacturers historically dominated the CV side of the both at ministerial and EU level and it is only by representing SMMT, but with around 50,000 trucks a year sold in the UK the views of everyone that we will be heard. “We must get rid of the old white van man image and and 300,000 vans sold, I soon realised that the van side was under-represented. This is something I have been working present ourselves as a highly professional body. If we don’t regulate ourselves then the Government or the EU will do it hard to put right, although there is still some way to go.” All the vehicle manufacturers belong to the SMMT, along for us and that will affect both us as manufacturers and your with most of the big bodybuilders and converters. They meet readers as fleet operators.”

“We must get rid of the old white van man image”

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Nigel Base: ‘If we don’t regulate ourselves, the Government or the EU will do it for us’

Industr y spotlight SMMT

Nigel Base on... MOTS One of the SMMT’s major concerns is the low first MOT test pass rate of 3.5-tonne gross vehicle weight vans, which was reported recently as 50%. Nigel Base says: “This failure rate is not acceptable and we must all work to improve it.” The problem stems from the fact that most vans can now be driven 25,000 miles between services, meaning that unless vehicles are checked regularly, items such as brake pads and discs and light bulbs may perish in between times. Base says: “Most of the faults are easily fixed and should be picked up either by drivers or fleet managers on regular checks.” The HGV industry suffered a similar problem some years ago and after a major campaign by all representative groups, the figure is down to 35%. But, Base says: “Many LCV fleet operators see their vans as big cars and operate them as such – and that just doesn’t work. “Vans should be inspected regularly and small items fixed on the spot. I would like to see vans MoT tested from their first year, not from the third year as at present. Bearing in mind the high mileages many of them do, I believe that is the right way to go.” O-LICENCES & TACHOGRAPHS For several years now, Eurocrats have been threatening to introduce O-licences and tachographs for vans under 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight, a move which would have a massive impact on the UK van fleet industry. Indeed this threat was one of the major reasons why the FTA introduced its Van Excellence programme last year. So is such a momentous piece of legislation likely? Base says: “O-licences for vans have been on the horizon for some time now. The EU sees van operators as a soft target. This sort of legislation comes along with shorter driver hours and mandatory speed limiters and we can all feel the noose tightening. “However, I believe if this did happen it would not be such a bad thing for the industry – it would certainly raise the professionalism of UK van fleets, although they would have to adapt and change their operations quite drastically.” Base also believes that there should be a separate driving test for 3.5-tonne vans. WHOLE VEHICLE TYPE APPROVAL On the EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) rules for 3.5-tonne vans which take effect on April 29 2013, Base says: “What this will mean is that a lot of the smaller converters will just disappear, which in turn means that there will be less choice for van fleet operators. “There will be a massive upheaval but at the end of the day fleets will get a more professional service, although potentially more costly.” As Fleet Van went to press, the SMMT announced it had won concessions so that WVTA would not be necessary for basic conversions. For more information, go to www.fleetnews.co. uk/fleetvan/

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First drive Mercedes-Benz Vito Spor t Dualiner

Behind the wheel Whenever a vehicle like this is delivered for testing the editor invariably casts a quizzical eye in my direction and asks why I didn’t choose a more ‘fleety’ model. But the needs of Britain’s van fleet operators are many and varied – and are becoming more and more so as time goes by. Therefore vehicles such as this are increasingly becoming the norm rather than an oddity. And bear in mind that a stylish and shiny van will speak volumes about the firm which has its name emblazoned on the side. It’s like a kind of free advertising, really. As you’d expect with Mercedes, this van is built with impressive quality. All the doors shut with a mighty and satisfying clunk and everything in the vehicle has that built-to-last quality. The seats are typical German fare – they feel like slabs of concrete when you first sit on them but after a hundred miles or so you realise that they are in fact comfortable and supportive. I did start to remove the rear seats just for curiosity’s sake, but changed my mind when I realised how heavy they were. It’s a job for two strong men. But even with these seats in place there is still a creditable 3.0 cubic metres of cargo space in the back. Take them out and this figures rises to 5.2 cu m. Such is the power on offer and the smoothness with which it is delivered that it is easy to nudge above the legal speed on the motorways so care must be taken here. The silky smooth driving experiences was, however, slightly marred by a heavy clutch action and rather light power steering which gives the van a certain vagueness on the corners.

Specification Gross vehicle weight (kg): 3,050 Power (bhp/rpm): 163/3,800 Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 265/1,600-2,400 Load volume (cu m): 3.0-5.2 Payload (kg): 895 Comb fuel economy (mpg): 37.7 CO2 emissions (g/km): 198 Price as tested (inc-VAT): £26,395

Metallic paint, alloy wheels and side bars help the Sport Dualiner stand out

Vito adds a dash of LCV bling Versatile van doubles up as a five-seat people carrier Need to know n 3.0 cu m of cargo space with rear seats in place n Removeable rear seats n Stability control as standard

By Trevor Gehlcken he Sprinter has proved to be such a massive success for Mercedes-Benz that its smaller brother the Vito tends to get overlooked. But there’s certainly no overlooking the variant on test here – the Sport Dualiner – which is a proper bobby-dazzler, clad in metallic paint, side bars, smoked glass side windows and alloy wheels. This particular van is, to be honest, aimed mainly at the retail market – small business owners who are doing well and want to treat themselves – but it does have a couple of fleet uses. For example, it seats five in comfort plus 3.0 cubic metres of cargo space in the back, so if your fleet gets involved in, say, picking up high profile clients from the airport, you couldn’t do it in more style than this. The rear seats can be removed too, although it takes the strength of Samson to do it, so this vehicle could double up as a dedicated van and a people carrier for varying fleet purposes. And, of course, if you refer back to our feature in the January 2012 edition entitled “Speculate to accumulate

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on your van residuals”, you’ll find advice from Glass’s Guide CV editor George Alexander suggesting that buying one of these vehicles for the fleet and offering it as a prize drive for the person who achieves the best fuel economy in the previous month will immediately start paying dividends in terms of fuel spend. Most of the manufacturers are offering sporty vans now as the trend catches on, but while Ford, say, offers its Transit Sportvan with a standard 140bhp engine and lots of extra shiny bits, the Mercedes has beefed up its 2,143cc offering to a meaty 163bhp. If you really want to fly (and probably end up with a load of drivers with no licences) the Sport X model is cranked up to a whopping 224bhp. The Vito Sport Dualiner weighs in at £26,395 inc-VAT and offers as standard six-spoke alloys, metallic paint, airconditioning, comfort seats, full wall panelling, leather steering wheels, twin side sliding doors, chrome side bars and sport floor mats and tinted glass. As with all Mercedes vans, this model has as standard Electronic Stability Control, plus ABS brakes, acceleration skid control, electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist.

“Mercedes has beefed up its offering to a meaty 163bhp”

Verdict

As a niche vehicle in fleet, this van stands proud. Get one to offer as a prize drive as stated above and just watch the staff fight over it – and save yourself fuel money at the same time.

Driven Peugeot Bipper Professional HDi 75

‘Professional’ boost for Peugeot Lion badge vanmaker is heading for 10% market share Need to know n 1.3 HDi introduced last year n Standard sliding side door n Standard air conditioning and Bluetooth

By Trevor Gehlcken t’s been quite a while since we’ve had a Peugeot on test here at Fleet Van, so the lion badge on the front of this Bipper city van made a welcome addition to our little test parc. While we’ve been testing other manufacturers’ products, Peugeot has been cranking up its fleet sales story to fever pitch, the result being that the French firm has overtaken its partner Citroën to take fourth place in the UK sales charts with a rise of 9.88% last year. One of the ways in which Peugeot has been courting British fleet buyers is by offering a range of vehicles with the moniker ‘Professional’, which – surprise surprise – is aimed at business users. This means that you get equipment such as air-conditioning, half-height bulkhead with mesh grille and a Blue & Me Bluetooth hands-free kit all thrown in for the standard price. Also included in the £11,805 ex-VAT price of the van on test here – the Bipper Professional HDi 75 – is remote central locking, electric windows, electric The Bipper Professional HDi 75 has a 1.3-litre diesel engine

heated door mirrors, ABS brakes and a side sliding door. Sadly electronic stability control (ESC), which helps prevent sideways skids, remains on the options list at £240. The Bipper was originally launched in 2008 and appeared at the same time that the old Partner grew in size to accommodate this smaller van. From the word go the Bipper was a great hit. Alongside its twin brothers the Citroën Nemo and Fiat Fiorino, it has won a raft of awards over the ensuing years and has delighted owners with its low front-end cost, frugal running costs and relatively large load area. In fact, it’s one of the Fleet Van staff’s all-time favourites. Under the bonnet is a perky 1.3-litre common rail diesel engine – upgraded last year to Euro V emissions standards – which offers 75bhp at 4,000rpm and 140lb-ft of torque at 1,750rpm. This equates to a combined fuel economy figure of a very reasonable 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 119g/km. In the rear, the Bipper swallows 2.5 cubic metres of cargo – just half a cube less than the old Partner – and payload is 660kg.

“Bipper has delighted owners with its low front-end costs”

Verdict

Peugeot is offering some cracking fleet deals at present and with vans like this in the range we can well see why its sales are booming. It’s nul points, however, for the fact that you have to pay for ESC.

Behind the wheel We’ve driven lots of versions of this van over the years and we’ve loved them all – the Bipper is one of those vehicles that puts a smile on your face as soon as you get behind the wheel. It’s built as an urban delivery van so can squeeze into all sorts of little spaces and in fact feels a bit like a fairground dodgem when out on the road – maybe not such a good point in fleet terms as it might tempt drivers to use the accelerator a little too much. Talking of accelerators, we have yet to achieve anywhere near the claimed 62.8mpg from any of these vehicles. The problem is that the official figure is calibrated indoors on a rolling road with no wind resistance so is highly unlikely to be replicated in real life. We reckon a figure somewhere in the mid-50s is more likely – but even so that’s not a bad return for your money. In the cab, the Bipper isn’t exactly bristling with storage space as you’d expect in such a small vehicle, but there are two coffee cup holders in the centre console and a handy document clip which pops up from the top of the dash. The driver’s seat, meanwhile, is hard and supportive and has an adjustable lumbar support bar, which is a really useful addition for any older drivers who suffer back problems. Mind you, the seat is rather small and makes you feel as though you are sitting on it rather than in it. In the rear, the Bipper has a side sliding door as standard which is useful for loading even such a small vehicle and there are six loadlashing eyes to keep things in place. Our van was also fully ply-lined, which as any regular reader will know is a must in the Fleet Van book of van fleet management.

Specification Gross vehicle weight (kg): 1,750 Power (bhp/rpm): 75/4,000 Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 140/1,750 Load volume (cu m): 2.5 Payload (kg): 660 Comb fuel economy (mpg): 62.5 CO2 emissions (g/km): 119 Price as tested (ex-VAT): £11,805

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First drive Isuzu D-MA X 4x2 single cab

Behind the wheel Sometimes after driving top spec test vehicles, climbing aboard the more basic versions proves a big disappointment. However, in the case of the D-Max, our week behind the wheel proved enjoyable, apart from on one longish trip when my cargo requirements exceeded the ability of a two-seater pick-up truck. There isn’t a lot of extra room in the cab for anything apart from two adults and a coat or two. This problem apart, the cab is chunky and well built. It features big comfortable seats and even four coffee cup holders (how many cups of coffee can two people deal with at once?), along with four handy grab rails and plastic wipe-clean flooring. In the back, the load area looks massive, the tailgate is chunky and solid and there are 12 tying-in points to keep loads in order – four inside and eight outside – along with a frame behind the rear screen to stop loose items flying forwards into the cab. The engine fires up with a meaty growl, but the noise is well dampened so under way its hardly audible. There is plenty of power available to give this truck a good turn of speed, but the gearchange is slightly rubbery, thanks partly to a curious gearstick which is about a foot in length. Although this two-wheel drive model wouldn’t have the go-anywhere ability of a 4x4 version, it is still capabile of a variety of terrain thanks to its ground clearance. At the launch last year we drove the four-wheel drive version and found that ot will cope with a lot more than the average driver will ever dare throw at it.

Specification Gross vehicle weight (kg): 2,900 Power (bhp/rpm): 163/3,600 Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 295/1,400-2,000 Load volume (cu m): n/a Payload (kg): 1,128 Comb fuel economy (mpg): 38.2 CO2 emissions (g/km): 195 Price (ex-VAT): £13,729

D-Max comes with a 7ft-plus load area

Reliable load carrier will steal sales Workhorse comes with ESC and five-year warranty Need to know n 163bhp with 295lb-ft n Five-year warranty n Towing limit of 2,500kg

By Trevor Gehlcken t’s all very well testers swanning about in super stylish 4x4 trucks with leather seats, fancy alloys and side bars (as we do occasionally), but in the real world of fleet, readers are much more likely to be buying “cooking” versions like the Isuzu D-Max 4x2 single-cab on test here. The D-Max has replaced the old Rodeo and is available in single, extended and double-cab formats. While this model may lack some modern refinements such as remote locking, carpets and a clock, it certainly makes up for these shortcomings with a massive load area and a fine build quality that promises a good few years of solid reliability ahead. To prove it, Isuzu offers a five-year warranty. At the D-Max 4x4 launch last summer, Paul Tunnicliffe, managing director of importer IM Group, predicted this truck would eventually lead the sector. It’s a tall order bearing in mind it is up against the new Ford Ranger which has just been voted LCV of the Year at the Fleet Van Awards. But this new truck is certainly head and shoulders above the old Rodeo – and bear in mind too that the rival Volkswagen Amarok is only available in 4x4 format at present. Isuzu’s aspirations may, however, be thwarted by its smaller number of dealers. The 4x2 shares the same 2.5-litre twin turbo common rail diesel powerplant engine as the more upmarket versions and offers a meaty 163bhp and 295lb-ft of

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torque at between 1,400-2,000rpm, which translates on the road into a massive amount of low-down grunt. Meanwhile, fuel economy is a reasonable 38.2 mpg on the combined cycle and emissions nudge just in under the 200g/km hurdle. But it is in the rear end that this truck excels, with a load area measuring 2,305x1570mm – that’s a whopping seven-and-a-half feet in length in old money. It will also tow a 2,500kg braked trailer, although bear in mind that to do this you’ll need a tachograph. For the basic price of £13,729 ex-VAT you get as standard ABS and electronic stability control (ESC) – top marks for that in the Fleet Van Safety Book – front, side and curtain airbags, electric windows, airconditioning and a CD player.

“This truck is certainly head and shoulders above the old Rodeo”

Verdict

A great truck with high build quality, a low price and ESC as standard, which always scores a big round of applause from Fleet Van. Just watch the D-Max steal sales from its rivals this year.

L o n g - t e r m t e s t R e n a u l t Tr a f i c S p o r t 115

Sport by name, not by nature Long-term Trafic is a good looker which provides ample power Need to know n Capable of carrying flat-pack furniture n 115bhp feels adequate n ‘Sport’ adds styling enhancements

By Trevor Gehlcken he dull hours between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve are traditionally filled with trips to the hellish aisles of Ikea and the completion of odd jobs that have been waiting to be finished throughout the previous year. Our band of testers pitched enthusiastically into these tasks and invariably our new long-term test van – the Renault Trafic Sport – was called upon to help out. In fact there was a veritable queue of people who all suddenly had a curious yen to try out this van. Firstly, Ikea in Nottingham was divested of around £700 worth of really heavy goods by yours truly and number one son who had just moved into a new house. The trip from my home in Essex (around 350 miles there and back) proved that the seats in our van are comfortable in the extreme as, despite the fact that I tend to suffer from twinges on long trips owing to my advancing years, none were in evidence on that journey. The van has a low rear step too, making it easy for me to slide the long (and incredibly heavy) flat-packed packages in and out. There are plenty of lashing points too, so everything was still in one piece when we arrived

case Renault didn’t add ply-lining to the rear end, back at my son’s house in Oakham. which in the Fleet Van book of good LCV manageAnother tester needed to move a fridge freezer ment is an absolute must. We haven’t caused any while yet another wanted to take a load of rubbish damage in the cargo area yet but when lugging to the local tip, although it took him a fair time to around heavy loads it’s all too easy to create a persuade a surly character manning the gate that reverse “ding” from the inside he wasn’t dumping trade waste. out, which is virtually irrepairSo after a busy couple of able and will immediately knock weeks our van, which originally about £500 off the value of the came to us with just 200 miles Gross vehicle weight (kg): 3,005 vehicle. As ply-lining costs only on the clock, now reads 2,500 Power (bhp/rpm): 115/3,500 about £300, it’s an addition miles and in that time we have Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 221/1,500 worth having. begun both to appreciate its Load volume (cu m): 5.0 We also didn’t get electronic good points and to discover its stability control (ESC), which still not-so-good ones. Payload (kg): 1,080 remains on the extras list. Most The van is labelled ‘Sport’ Comb fuel economy (mpg): 40.9 of the vans we test nowadays which might put fleet buyers off CO2 emissions (g/km): 180 have it and I feel rather naked but in fact the engine only Price as tested (ex-VAT): £20,930 without it. On the plus side our pumps out 115bhp – no “loony van is fitted with rear parking toons” acceleration here. But sensors, which are worth their those 115 horses are unleashed weight in gold in my opinion. at such low revs that this van There are certainly no comfeels lively in the extreme and I plaints about the Trafic’s drivahave yet to think to myself that I bility. Apart from the fact that need any more. you can’t see out of the back, you The ‘Sport’ moniker refers may as well be driving a large more to the looks of this van – MPV. It’s the ideal size for a van more bling than zing you could that’s driven as everyday transsay – and in that respect Renault port – big enough to swallow has done a splendid job. Our lots of cargo but still small enough to fit into Trafic is kitted out with a nice metallic paint job, parking spaces at the supermarket. built-in foglights and alloy wheels and is bound to We are at present in the process of carrying out attract lots of bids when sold off at the end of its a detailed fuel economy test on the Trafic so first fleet life. we’ll be letting you know just how frugal it is in As with all our test vehicles, the manufacturer the next issue. decides which added extras to give us and in this

Specification

“Our Trafic is bound to attract lots of bids when its sold off”

The Sport moniker refers more to the looks of the van than the engine

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Van running costs

City vans

By Simon Harris ity vans are ideal vehicles for multi-drop, urban routes that may be relatively close to base and outright load-lugging ability isn’t the highest priority. They need to be easy to drive and park and nimble in traffic, as well as economical to run. The sector is split into two camps. There are compact cube vans from Citroën, Fiat and Peugeot, all based around the Fiat Fiorino platform, and the others are car-derived which look more stylish and have extra appeal for drivers. Here we list a comparison of city van models on an operating cycle of four years/80,000 miles. Citroën Nemo 1.3 HDi Enterprise

Citroën has a strong reputation as a van manufacturer, although the Nemo is a shared project with Fiat. It is certainly up to the job, and this Enterprise model comes with standard air conditioning, Bluetooth and rear parking sensors, along with features available on lower grade models. Its maximum braked towing limit of a tonne is also higher than its Peugeot- and Fiat-badged siblings. Fiat Fiorino Cargo 1.3 Multijet SX

Essentially the same van as the Citroën Nemo and Peugeot Bipper, Fiat was the leading partner in the development of the vehicle, so it shares its engine and dimensions with those models. Fiat Professional, the commercial vehicle division of Fiat Group Automobiles, has certainly made efforts to take the van market seriously in recent years and its back-up and support are very good. Ford Fiesta Van 1.5 TDCi Trend

The Fiesta Van has a new front end for 2013 with a different radiator grille design, said by some to mimic an Aston Martin grille. But that would be where the similarities end, and that’s no bad thing for a van operator. The Fiesta remains economical, good to drive, and has a useful cargo compartment.

Mini Clubvan 1.6D Cooper Looking at the front-end price, the Mini looks quite expensive and while its parent company is big in the fleet market, there is no history in commercial vehicles. But there are many virtues to the Clubvan. The 112bhp 1.6D engine is pokey and, like its car siblings, the van is fun to drive. Running costs are also very low thanks to its slow depreciation. For fleet operators where distinctive vehicles help advertise the brand, it could be a good choice. Peugeot Bipper 1.3 HDi SE

The success of the Bipper is evident in the sheer volume of them on the road in the livery of brands which are household names. Vans such has the Bipper are very practical for their size and have allowed many fleets to downsize when replacing vehicles. This means companies gain all the benefits of lower cost and improved fuel consumption, and the Bipper should be on the shortlist of any organisation seeking a small van. Vauxhall Corsavan 1.3 CDTi 75 stop-start Optional stop-start technology on the car-based Corsavan helps give it a boost in official fuel consumption which could pay dividends on multi-drop urban routes where it would often normally be idling in stationary traffic. The Corsavan doesn’t feel its age either (we first saw this generation in 2007) and it provides a good environment for the driver as well as modest running costs for fleet operators.

FACTFILE List price (£) Power Torque Load length Load width Load Height Load volume Payload GVW max towing CO2 MPG total* + delivery (bhp) (lb-ft) (m) (m) (m) (cu m) (kg) (kg) (kg) (g/km) (ppm) Citroën Nemo 1.3HDi 75 Enterprise 12,738 75 140 1.52 1.47 1.21 2.5 660 1,750 1,000 119 65.7 26.3 Fiat Fiorino Cargo 1.3 Multijet SX 12,275 75 140 1.52 1.47 1.21 2.5 610 1,700 600 119 62.8 26.2 Ford Fiesta Van 1.5 TDCi 75 Trend 13,097 75 136 1.3 1.28 0.81 1 513 1,535 750 98 76.4 24.03 Mini Clubvan 1.6D Cooper 13,988 112 199 1.15 1.03 0.71 n/a 500 1,685 750 103 72.4 24.56 Peugeot Bipper 1.3 HDi 75 SE 12,023 75 140 1.52 1.47 1.18 2.5 660 1,750 600 119 62.8 25.96 Vauxhall Corsavan 1.3 CDTi 75 stop-start 12,413 75 140 1.26 1.26 924 0.92 550 1,690 1,200 103 70.6 24.26 * Running costs over 4yr/80,000-mile period. For full van running costs across a range of lifecycles, go to www.fleetnews.co.uk/costs/van-running-costs/

50 February 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

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