fleet van september 2013

FleetVanB 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 September2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan £5wheresold

Driven:FordTransitCustom

Econetic version cuts fuel consumption to class-leading 46mpg

Casestudy:NHSBT

How Blood and Transplant fleet is saving money

Insight:Safeloading

Bad practices put your drivers at risk. Follow our tips to a safer fleet

‘ONCEFLEETSTRYOURPRODUCTSTHEYWILLBUY’ Fiat CV boss Seb Fedrigo’s bullish claim about his latest models

4 I Vehicle off-road timeSimple steps can cut your van fleet’s downtime

6 I News digest Stories you ought to know from the last month.

12 I Fleet Van Awards It’s time to sort out your entries for the LCV industry’s benchmark awards.

14 I Racking and ply-lining There has never been a better time to pick up the right conversion at the right price.

18 I Risk: Safe loading Bad loading practices put drivers, pedestrians and vehicles at risk – read our do’s and don’t’s

23 I RemarketingAuction experts predict stable summer prices.

28 I Case study: NHS Blood and TransplantBlood donation transport fleet drives down accident rates with driver training.

32 I Cover feature Fiat Professional Fiat CV boss Sebastiano Fedrigo is confident his latest models will be a hit with fleets.

34 I DrivenFord Transit Custom Econetic, Ford TransitCustom Sportvan, Renault Trafic Sport.

38 I Running costsMedium-wheelbase panel vans compared.

CONTENTS

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan September 2013 3

NEXT ISSUE – OctoberFleet Van SummitAll the latest from our big annual event

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Case studyBalfour Beatty Fleet Services shows how ‘smart’ driving choices could save millions

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EditorialEditor-in-chiefStephen Briers 01733 [email protected] editorSimon Harris 01733 [email protected] Associate editor Trevor GehlckenContributorsJohn Challen, Mark Cartwright, John Charles, Chris Lowndes (photographs)

ProductionHead of publishingLuke NealProduction editorsAndrew RyanFinbarr O’ReillyDesignerCharlotte Boon

AdvertisingCommercial director Sarah Crown 01733 468320B2B commercial managerSheryl Graham 01733 468256 Account managersWendy Cowell 01733 468046Lucy Herbert 01733 468800Lisa Turner 01733 468345Stuart Wakeling 01733 468342Marcus Woods 01733 468269 Head of project managementLeanne Patterson 01733 468332Project managersAngela Price 01733 468338Kerry Unwin 01733 468327Telesales/[email protected] 01733 468275/01733 468328

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4 September 2013 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

Get on top of off-road time

Well-run fleets do everything they can to limit the costs of vehicle downtime

By Mark Cartwright, head of LCVs, Freight Transport Association

an operating costs are always at the forefront of operators’ thoughts yet so often we see a key component of cost management neglected.

Van operators are becoming more switched on to managing their fuel spend, residual values, etc. but still almost half of respondents to a recent Van Excellence survey admitted they failed to manage their planned and unplanned vehicle off-road (VOR) time. This figure is, at least, an improvement over the feedback received in a similar survey last year when only a third of respondents measured VOR.

Given that many operators would put the cost of having a vehicle off the road as being in the hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds per day, it is surprising that more operators aren’t taking more positive action to manage their exposure.

at Iron Mountain. “We also look at how we can move vehicles within the fleet to even out use. By adopting a pro-active approach, we’ve reduced our maintenance costs while minimising the disruption of planned VOR and maintaining high safety standards.”

Accidents and breakdowns were identified as the causes of most unplanned disruptions to vehicle availability and, perhaps understandably, they were seen as being more difficult to manage. Delays and hold-ups at dealers and repair agents were a common theme among respondents; something the services provided by Van Excel-lence partner Leaseplan’s UPtime and R2C aim to address.

Against that background, it’s not surprising that one of the key pieces of advice from major oper-ators is to get to know your maintenance providers and ensure they understand your business.

“We use specific dealers who understand our

VIn exploring this issue it is useful to distinguish

between planned and unplanned VOR time. We would include regular servicing/maintenance and ‘duty of care’ inspections as planned and time off road due to breakdown, collisions, delays in servicing/maintenance and repair schedules as being unplanned.

Year-planner provides a simple solutionPlanned VOR time should be a ‘known known’. Operators of heavy commercial vehicles have long mastered the use of a simple year-planner to manage services, preventive maintenance inspections, VED dates, etc. When looking to mini-mise the impact of planned events, there are a number of recurring strategies reported.

“We liaise carefully with the lease provider to schedule maintenance out of hours where it will have the least disruption to our business,” says Rory Morgan, national logistics general manager

n case some of you missed the comment column in a recent Fleet News, the issue was using speed limiters to control drivers’ speed.

Usually, limiters are set at 70mph, particularly if the fleet is a heavy user of motorways. Sometimes it’s 60mph while, in a few cases, the limiter is calibrated to 56mph.

In addition to preventing exces-sive speeds, fuel is also saved – a vehicle travelling at 60mph instead of 70mph uses up to 9% less fuel.

However, fleets can run into problems with unions and drivers citing a breach of their rights and safety concerns if this technology is fitted to their vans.

The European Commission could be about overrule this argument. It is proposing that all vehicles are fitted with speed limiters in an attempt to cut road deaths.

It’s a laudable aspiration and those fleets which have already fitted speed limiters say that, combined with driver training, they do help to reduce accident rates.

But transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin plans to fight any attempt to mandate speed limiters. His department describes the proposal as “Big Brother nannying by EU bureaucrats”.

I’m not a fan of nannying either, but if this helps to save lives, then surely it’s worth considering rather than dismissing it out of hand like the DfT appears to be doing.

Stephen Briers, editor-in-chief, Fleet Van

EDITOR’S COLUMN

“If they can save lives then surely speed limiters are worth considering”


I

“Adopting a pro-active approach has reduced

maintenance costs while minimising the disruption of planned VOR and maintaining

safety standards” Rory Morgan, Iron Mountain

operation,” says Geoff Wright, fleet services manager at Celesio Group UK.

“We operate a standard fleet and where possible schedule our planned maintenance out of hours to minimise impact.”

The old management axiom – you can’t improve what you don’t measure – rings very true for those operators better managing their fleet availability. The use of daily VOR reports and the agreement of KPIs and SLAs with maintenance providers were common themes among some of the larger fleets’ replies.

However, probably the single most effective weapon an operator can use to reduce unplanned VOR is the humble pre-use defect check.

Terry Barfield, of Chelmsford District Council, confirms: “We would advise any operator looking to maximise fleet availability to ensure their drivers carry out pre-use checks.”

Planned maintenanceThat view is echoed by David Walton, transport manager at Alsford Timber: “It costs us over £150 per day if we have a van off the road due to unfore-seen circumstances. We have well established processes to ensure our drivers inspect their vans each day before use along with a planned main-tenance programme. Along with driver training, this keeps our unplanned VOR to a minimum and forward planning minimises the impact of planned maintenance.”

Amey goes a step further by requiring mainte-nance providers to attend site first thing in the morning to rectify any defects found prior to their

vans going out to their duties. Julie Davies, compli-ance manager at Amey, says: “This level of service from our providers, coupled with effective pre-use inspections, allows us to maximise the availability of our fleet.”

Reducing breakdowns was seen as vital. The costs and business disruption must be factored into the decision on when to replace vehicles.

Minimising operational stressMinimising the operational stress on the vehicle and ‘engineering out’ potential causes of VOR time also need to be considered. Several operators reported benefits with the adoption of automatic transmissions, speed/rev limiters and more easily repairable vehicle specifications, etc.

With so many operators’ work-load being time- critical, there can be no reason not to do every-thing possible to eliminate unplanned VOR time and reduce the duration of all VOR time.

Mark Lovett, head of commercial vehicles at Leaseplan, says: “Since the launch of our UPtime product we’ve seen some very significant improve-ments in vehicle optimisation with our clients.

“One of our operators, a large utility company, has seen an improvement of over 50% in fleet availability.”

There is a clear common theme around each of the best practice strategies identified.

VOR cost can be significant and unavailability of vehicles can disrupt operations with obvious results. There are often ways to better plan your planned VOR and there are certainly clear, proven ways to reduce unplanned VOR.

No 46%

Yes 54%

Only about half of fleets measure VOR, an essential step towards making improvements

Do you measure VOR for your van fleet?

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News digest

S A F E S T Y L E U K R E N E W S S O L E - S U P P LY F L E E T D E A L W I T H A R VA L

Safestyle UK, a national producer of double-glazed windows and doors, has renewed its fleet partnership with Arval. As a result, Arval will continue to be the sole-supply fleet service provider for Safestyle’s LCV fleet.

As part of the agreement, Arval will replace all 165 of Safestyle’s current vehicles in a single batch to ensure that its fleet remains modern and fit for purpose. The fleet will also be expanded by 40 new vehicles, allowing Safestyle to effectively meet customer demand.

Arval will provide contract hire with maintenance for the Safestyle vehicle fleet, which is used by its nationwide network of expert Safe-style installation teams, who visit customer homes to fit double glazing.

V O S A R O A D S I D E I N S P E C T I O N S O N T H E I N C R E A S E , S AY T R A N S P O R T F I R M S

Almost half of transport companies (42%) say road-side inspections by VOSA are increasing, according to research commissioned by TomTom Business Solutions.

The study, among compa-nies operating vehicles of 3.5 tonnes or more, revealed risk of prosecution for tachograph offences was a growing concern for 46% of companies.

A fifth (20%) said infringe-ments had been recorded against them in the past three years.

Convictions for drivers’ hours violations and tachograph offences can lead to fines of up to £5,000 and, in some cases, prison sentences of up to two years.

Giles Margerison [above], director UK and Ireland TomTom Busi-ness Solutions, said: “The severity of these penalties and potential damage to a business’s reputation makes compliance crucial.

“Systems should be in place to ensure the process is managed effectively, while minimising time-consuming administration and impact on precious business resources.”

A U T O G L A S S F L E E T A D D S N E W T R A N S I T S T O C AT E R F O R B I G G E R W I N D S C R E E N S

Nearly half a century after Autoglass took delivery of its first Ford Transit, the firm has added 90 new Transit Custom vans to its fleet.

The vehicle glass repair and replacement company, which serves more than one million motorists each year, is refreshing its 1,250-strong Transit van fleet.

As a result of the trend in modern cars for larger windscreens with greater curvature, Autoglass is increasing the size of its main work vehicle to enable its mobile technicians to carry larger vehicle glass.

Fleet manager Ged Raymond said: “The glass we have to carry is getting bigger and, therefore, so must our vehicles. The 290 long wheel-base Transit Custom meets our needs perfectly and is being well received by our mobile technicians. They have always loved the Ford Transit and they like this one even more, thanks to its comfort and drivability.”

Each Autoglass van is equipped with racking to carry glass as well as an electrical conversion unit to provide 240-volt power for tools and equipment.

The Transit models used by Autoglass are all supplied through Heart-lands Ford in Birmingham, and typically enjoy a four-year/100,000-mile working life.

D R I V E R S F A I L T O G E T E Y E S I G H T T E S T E D

A survey of 1,000 drivers by Brake, RSA and Specsavers found that a quarter of drivers (26%) have not had a vision test in the past two years.

At the same time, many drivers who know they need glasses or lenses fail to wear them on every journey. Nearly one in 10 (9%) who need glasses or lenses don’t always wear them when driving.

Brake, working alongside the DVLA, insurer RSA and Specsavers, is calling on fleet professionals to ensure employees get their eyesight tested every two years so that their vision meets legal standards.

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C H E C K C O N T R A C T D E TA I L S B E F O R E H I R I N G VA N S , W A R N S E N T E R P R I S E

Businesses and public sector organisations need to make sure they drill down into the detail of their contracts when it comes to van hire, according to Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Danny Glynn, head of Enterprise Flex-E-Rent, said: “Van rentals are a key component of effective business. They can help generate revenue and are often hired for longer periods than cars. That means companies need to understand every aspect of cost and usage right from the beginning if they are to get the perfect fit for the job.”

I S U Z U T R U C K U KA N N O U N C E S N E W M D

Isuzu Motors has announced the successor to Nikki King as managing director of Isuzu Truck (UK).

Pete Murphy [right], who currently heads up the ITUK National Fleet Division, is promoted to managing director designate, with immediate effect, and will be working with King until her retirement at the end of October this year.

After her retirement, King will continue working with Isuzu as honorary chairman to provide a seamless transition.

King said: “I am abso-lutely delighted with Pete’s appointment and cannot think of anyone better to grow the company and keep its very special culture.”

C O U N C I L S M A K E £ 5 0 0 M I L L I O N ‘ P R O F I T ’ F R O M P A R K I N G T I C K E T S

The vast majority of local authorities in England make a profit from issuing parking tickets, according to figures analysed by the RAC Foundation.

In 2011-12, English councils had a total current account surplus of £565 million from their on- and off-street parking operations.

This figure is a £54 million increase on the £511 million surplus seen in 2010-11 – an 11% rise.

Just 52 (14%) of the 359 councils reported a deficit.Even after capital charges were taken into account, the combined

surplus in 2011-12 was still £412 million.The authority with the biggest income was Westminster Council in

London, which made a surplus of £41.6 million in 2011-12.

C O U N C I L I N T R O D U C E S F I V E H Y B R I D VA N S

A Nottinghamshire council is cutting carbon emissions and saving fuel by adding five new Ashwoods Hybrid Transits to its fleet.

Ashfield District Council deploys the vehicles across the district to support a range of tasks within the Environmental Services Team.

Thanks to a Department for Transport subsidy, the council was able to purchase the five vehicles for the equivalent cost of standard diesel vans.

The light commercial vehicles are a mixture of medium and long wheel-base Ford Transit chassis cabs with dual rear wheels and fitted with tipper bodies.

K W I K F I T P L U S TA R G E T S F L E E T S E R V I C E S

Kwik Fit has predicted that the volume of servicing and mechanical work it does on fleet vehicles will increase significantly thanks to a new initiative.

Kwik Fit Plus will be introduced at 17 centres in the South East of England and potentially at further centres across the UK in the future.

Kwik Fit Plus centres have installed the latest equipment, including Hunter wheel alignment machines and scissor lifts, and can service the largest LCVs and undertake MoTs on Class 4 and Class 7 vehicles.

In addition to existing locations at Brentwood, Slough and South Croydon, Kwik Fit Plus centres will be opened by the end of 2013 at: Basildon, Basingstoke, Billericay, Chelmsford, East Grinstead, Gillingham, Gravesend, London (Acton, Colindale, Ilford, Old Kent Road, South Ruislip and Wandsworth) and Tonbridge.

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By Stephen Briersow in their sixth year, the Fleet Van Awards are the benchmark for the light commercial vehicle industry.

This year we have changed the emphasis for the fleet categories. We

are now looking at every aspect of the van fleet operation, rather than focusing only on safety, and we have reintroduced the business sector format.

Van fleets, pitched against peers from the same area of business, will have to display cost-saving initiatives, driver management, safety and envi-ronmental expertise. We will still also honour the safe van fleet and the green van fleet of the year.

The van categories rate core criteria, such as payload, safety, technology, running costs, fuel efficiency/CO2, reliability and aftersales services. Driver appeal is also included.

New this year is chassis cab of the year, which recognises a vehicle that offers a flexible base from which to build a variety of body styles, as well as acknowledging the role of the manufacturer in facilitating bespoke conversions.

The four supplier categories are open to all companies supplying products and services to van fleets: they reward service and innovation.n The deadline for entries has been extended to October 11, 2013. See below for contact details.

N

FLEET CATEGORIES (new for 2013)

The judges will be looking for a detailed understanding of all aspects of fleet management related to commercial vehicles. There should be clear awareness of current and future legislation and a commitment to safety and efficiency.

Innovation and a clear plan for cost control are important. Good examples of best prac-tice, including gaining support and authority within the company, should also be provided.

n Van fleet of the year – utilities

n Van fleet of the year – transport/logistics

n Van fleet of the year – public sector

n Van fleet of the year – business services

n Van fleet of the year – wholesale/retail/food

n Safe van fleet of the yearThe judges will be looking for clear evidence of safety initiatives introduced by the fleet and their impact on safety.

Vehicles, drivers and the journey will all be

key considerations, as will incident rates, training records and attitude towards risk management.

n Green van fleet of the yearThe judges will be looking for an understanding of all aspects of environmen-tally-focused fleet management related to commercial vehicles. There should be clear awareness of current and future legislation and a commitment to ensuring the fleet is run as efficiently as possible, without compro-mising other core aspects of an effective fleet, such as safety.

SUPPLIER CATEGORIES

n Van fleet management and leasing company of the year Winner 2012: Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehiclen Van rental company of the year Winner 2012: SHBn Best new product or service New categoryn Technology initiative of the yearNew category

It’s time to enter the Fleet Van Awards 2013 – the benchmark for the LCV industry

VAN CATEGORIES

n City van of the year Winner 2012: Fiat Fiorinon Small van of the year Winner 2012: Volkswagen Caddyn Medium van of the year Winner 2012: Volkswagen Transportern Large van of the year Winner 2012: Mercedes-Benz Sprintern Pick-up of the year Winner 2012: Ford Rangern Green manufacturer of the yearWinner 2012: FordNew category Chassis cab of the year

HEADLINE CATEGORIES

n Van supplier of the yearWinner 2012: Kwik-Fitn Van of the yearWinner 2012: Ford Rangern Fleet Van manufacturer of the year Winner 2011: Volkswagenn Van fleet manager of the year New category

The categories

To enter please contact Kate Howard on 01733 468146 or email [email protected]

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O p e r a t i o n s R a c k i n g a n d p l y - l i n i n g

THINK INSIDE THE BOX ON YOUR VAN

CONVERSIONSPly-lining and racking suppliers are innovating to offset falling prices

by John Challens businesses seek more control over fleet costs, they are looking more closely at what is being carried on their vans and how. This may be partly due to the impact extra weight

can have on fuel efficiency, but most operators have their eyes on the prices charged for interior racking systems and ply-lining options.

Compared with how they think of racking, it could be argued that customers are less concerned about the quality of ply-lining, which has led to it falling significantly in price.

“We have suffered from a massive erosion in prices, and ply-lining is now cheaper than it has ever been,” says Demar’s product development manager, Mark Edwards.

Good news for the customer, if not for compa-nies such as Demar – Edwards estimates that getting an average panel van ply-lined costs 60-70% what it did five years ago. But despite the price drop, he says the specifications – 9mm or 12mm exterior grade hardwood plywood for the floor, with 6mm side and door panels – remain the same.

David Byatt, managing director of Anglian Vehicle Linings (AVL) has put a focus on quality, despite recognising that cost is still the biggest priority for operators, large and small.

“We’ve invested a lot of money in CNC machines and that is the only way for us to compete,” he says, adding that the company has recently taken delivery of its fourth machine.

“The justification for investing in these prod-ucts is seen in the quality finishes of the ply and the uniform products that are produced, compared with doing the work by hand.”

Nick Tremaine, managing director of Ply Lining Services, explains that his company offers three main wood products for van lining: standard plywood (typically sourced from China), superior plywood (from Malaysia), and Latvian and Russian birch for the added bit of quality that some customers request.

Ply Lining Services also offers a 9mm heavy duty hardwood ply floor, and 6mm wall and door

company about the use of recycled plastic as van lining.

“The company is currently making sheets formed from recycled plastic. We’re at an early stage, and the only issue we have at this time is getting effective costing,” he says.

“When we overcome that hurdle, it will be easier to fit the plastic products, rather than the boards.”

The solution isn’t quite complete, however, because while weight isn’t an issue, the aesthetic appeal is.

“The colour is verging on black, so we could only line the floor, not the sides, of the vehicle at the moment because it would be too dark in the van,” Tremaine admits.

“Also, on the sides, because there is a curva-ture to the van, you are limited to the thickness you can go to and 6mm is probably the thickest we can use.”

In 18 months, Tremaine says he will be using the 6mm recycled plastic on his floors instead of the 9mm or 12mm plywood. Getting the colour for the 2.5mm wall and door panels will take longer, he says.

Racking options expanding for vansGiven the changes in the ply-lining market, Demar’s Edwards says the company is concen-trating a lot of its efforts in internal storage, an area it has grown in the past three years, despite similar price pressures.

“The market for racking systems is also becoming a lot more budget-orientated,” says Edwards, whose company offers steel and timber racks and shelves for a range of vans from the Citroën Nemo to the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.

“A lot of the products we used to sell were prob-ably double the price of the items we sell now – albeit they were a higher quality product and better engineered.” Edwards says Demar regu-larly used to sell kits worth £1,300-£1,400, but customers now commonly spend £500-£600.

“For a fraction of the cost, customers can still get a good product for their vehicle,” he

“I can see someone developing recycled plastic sheets for lining, rather than ply, but

it is cost-prohibitive at the moment”

Apanels. Tremaine says close to 80% of vans use the Chinese ply.

“Our business model is based more on volume and turnover, and the PDI centres and dealer-ships we work with are looking for the best deal they can get. While we believe our fitment quality is one of the best in the industry, customers will forgo that in place of a cheaper ply because they know it still looks good.

“We only use the more superior Chinese grade plywoods, not only because it reflects on the company, but we don’t want to have to deal with any returns, and nor does the customer,” adds Tremaine. “This year we have fitted more than 2,000 vehicles, and we have had a problem with two of them.”

Tremaine says one of the advantages his company can offer is attention to detail.

“Our patterning is one of the best in the industry,” he claims. “When we get a vehicle, we create templates with pre-determined fixing points, that are designed to miss all wiring harnesses in the second skin of the van.

“If we do 42 vehicles in a day, every single kit and screw is in the same place on each vehicle. There are not many other people who do that; others prefer to put screws in where they think is the right place.”

Alternatives to ply could prove popularThe ply-lining industry is conscious of problems with waste products from the production process, and Byatt believes new materials could help overcome these.

“I can see someone developing recycled plastic sheets for lining, rather than ply,” he says.

“It is probably the way forward, but it is also cost-prohibitive at the moment. One or two companies have tried to produce plastic extru-sions that fit onto the side of the vehicle. Anything that promotes recycling is the way forward – the amount of plywood we cut off is equivalent to a lot of trees every year – but the question is how to make it happen.”

Tremaine, it seems, is one step ahead and reveals that he is in talks with an unnamed


continues. “If sliding shelves are not specified as essential, customers can end up saving a lot. It’s not that our volume of orders have altered, but the products are more on the budget end of the market.”

Edwards says there is an even split between steel and wood racking.

“The steel saves you money and ours is competitively priced and aimed at the budget market. But you save an additional 20-30% with timber units – which offer the added advantage of sound deadening, which is a bonus for many consumers,” he says.

At AVL, Byatt says there is still a clear distinc-tion between the type of customers interested in off-the-shelf timber constructions and bespoke steel racking options.

“Owner-drivers and small operators still prefer the plywood, which they can have tailored to their own specific requirements. However, the larger fleet companies seem to be moving towards metal racking systems,” he says.

“These come with a three-year guarantee, and in an ideal world they will last the lifetime of three vehicles on the fleet. Customers realise that they are a lot more expensive to buy at the outset, but in the long term, make a lot of financial sense.” The bespoke options at AVL often involve a

variety of materials, depending on the specifica-tion. Because the customer has specific require-ments, this can mean finding innovative storage solutions, adds Byatt.

Weight reduction isn’t really an issue, he says, because there is little difference between the wood and metal constructions.

“We use Russian birch, but we can also use a thinner ply, which is still strong,” he says.

“There are aluminium racking systems on the market, but they are so expensive that they have almost outpriced themselves. People ask us for shelving and units all around the vehicle, but they don’t realise how much weight that will actually add.”

Bri-Stor offers a range of bespoke storage and racking solutions, and its Elite range has the added benefit of a 33% weight saving compared with existing components.

“Bri-Stor Systems manufactures on site and can therefore offer customers solutions tailored to their requirements,” explains the company’s Jane Aukim.

“We use a dual-phase, lightweight, high-strength steel, which gives our products strength and durability without adding extra weight and compromising payload. Customers’ expecta-tions and requirements are for long-

lasting storage, which fulfils their individual requirements and offer their business an efficient solution.”

New products on the market for van operatorsBott has a relatively new range of racking and storage solutions and believes it has the right products to suit all van sizes.

The steel-framed Modulo range is designed for smaller LCVs and follows the vehicle profile, using space that would ordinarily be wasted.

Uno is a galvanised, powder-coated steel racking product aimed at the medium van market. Bott says items in the range are designed to last at least two vehicle lifecycles.

The Vario range uses a combination of aluminium and steel construction and is designed for “demanding applications”, according to Bott. The units feature hi-load roller-slide bearings and reinforced racks. The new product claims to be 40% lighter than its predecessor.

Elsewhere, the latest lockable racking drawer unit from Autorack has been released. The extra-heavy duty unit features touch release lock-in sliders, a commercial grade slider with a capacity of 45kg, and security cam-locks on every drawer unit.

Bott’s Modulo racking system is designed for smaller LCVs and follows the vehicle profile, using space that would ordinarily be wasted

*CO2 emission fi gures quoted are the lowest in each model range. ^Telephone lines are open Monday-Friday, 8.30am to 5.00pm excluding Bank Holidays.

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174g/kmVivaro

199g/kmMovano

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All calls may be recorded or monitored for quality and/or training purposes. †Fleet World MPG Marathon 2012.

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R i s k S a f e l o a d i n g

HOW TO PICK UP YOUR GAME ON LOADING SAFETYBad loading practices can put your drivers, other road users and pedestrians at risk

By Trevor Gehlckenn the day-to-day running of a busy van fleet, the subject of safe loading is frequently over-looked and sometimes even ignored.

But stowing cargo correctly and safely is paramount and failure to do so can lead to

serious consequences.Firstly, a driver could be injured or even killed

by loads flying forward during a heavy braking manoeuvre if no bulkhead is fitted. Even if you avoid the worst case scenario, you may lose a van while it is being repaired and a valuable member of staff while they recover. They may also sue the company for damages.

If you operate flatbed trucks, loading is even more important, as loose loads could fly off and hit passing pedestrians.

For delivery drivers, there are also possibilities for disaster. Picking up boxes that are too heavy could cause back injury or a driver could slip and fall while carrying boxes from van to client.

ries. The principal risk concerns the possibility of the cargo striking the vehicle occupants, but in the situation where cargo is carried on the top or side of an LCV, there is a possibility that the cargo could become detached and strike the occupants of other road vehicles or strike vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians or cyclists.”

Another concern in frontal accidents is if the cargo overloads the seat backs, crushing the occupants sat in the front of the vehicle.

“This can also push the occupants forward within the vehicle, increasing the likelihood of them striking hazardous structures in the occu-pant compartment area such as the dashboard or A-pillar,” adds Cartwright.

So what should a conscientious fleet operator do to improve loading safety?

The rules are pretty straightforward (see loading tips on page 20) but in addition to making them available to all drivers and assistants, it is important to make sure that they read them – and that they sign a document certifying that fact.

Overloading is another growing problem. Some operators have downsized from vehicles of 7.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight to 3.5 tonnes gvw, in order to avoid having an O-licence and tachographs.

But 3.5-tonne vans have cargo areas of anything

“In an accident, inadequately restrained cargo has the potential to cause serious and fatal injuries” Mark Cartwright, Freight Transport Association

ILicence-checking, driver training, tyre manage-

ment and scheduling tend to be uppermost in van fleet operators’ minds – loading needs to be up there, too.

The Freight Transport Association offers a lot of advice to fleets that want to know more about the subject and has commissioned a study into loading by the Transport Research Laboratory.

Mark Cartwright, head of LCVs at the FTA, said: “With respect to kilometres travelled, LCVs have a reasonably good accident record. However, incidents do occur in which cargo directly causes or contributes to the injuries of LCV occupants in an accident.

“Better management and specification of cargo restraints can help to mitigate the risks posed by cargo in an accident, but in order to apply appro-priate remedial actions it is important to under-stand the full extent of the risks.

“In an accident, inadequately restrained cargo has the potential to cause serious and fatal inju-


up to 25 cubic metres, so the temptation can be there be to overfill them.

Of the vans stopped by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) last year, 75% were found to be overloaded and given a prohibition order.

One VOSA chief told Fleet Van that his officers stopped a 3.5-tonne Mercedes-Benz Sprinter recently that was found to weigh 10.5 tonnes. Nonplussed as to why he was in trouble, the driver told VOSA officers: “There is still room for more inside.”

Peter Hearn, VOSA’s scheme management and internal relations director, warned LCV operators that his officers would be stopping more vans in the near future in an attempt to stop overloading.

“Ministers have asked us to increase LCV examinations and we are about to target well-known areas of non-compliance such as over-loading,” he said.

“But it is not only going to be a big stick we are wielding. We would much rather engage with operators, educate them and in turn get some feedback.

“If this doesn’t work, we have powers to impound vehicles, fine drivers and take people to court and we won’t hesitate to do that if we think it necessary.”

Fleet Van got a stark reminder of the dangers of bad loading at a test where two vans were crashed at 30mph.

The first of the crashes, conducted at the TRL laboratory in Berkshire, involved what we probably think of as a typical builder’s van, like those we see every day on the roads and don’t think twice about.

In the back was a pallet of bricks, a gener-ator, some road cones and tools, and some DIY racking that looked OK to start with.

On the roof, a plastic tube carrier was filled with copper piping. The whole load weighed 515kg, about half the van’s official payload.

When the vehicle was crashed at 30mph, the racking virtually disintegrated.

The bricks were almost all broken in half. The whole load piled into the bulkhead, snapping it off and pushing it into the cab. The plastic tube carrier snapped off and its contents went flying forwards, with potentially fatal consequences.

Worse was to come when we watched a film of the crash in slow-motion. The load

Before and after: a stark lesson in loadinghad pushed itself forward into the back of the driver’s seat. As the driver was restrained from going forwards by the seatbelt, it is likely he would have suffered serious injury.

In comparison, the second test seemed rather tame but was carried out to show how much safer things could be when loads are restrained properly.

This van was fitted with a racking system provided by Sortimo. The racking was filled with packages of various sizes and some odd items, such as traffic cones, were strapped in with proper restraining leashes. When we examined the vehicle after the crash, it had hardly altered. The racking was slightly bent, but even the packets stayed put.

After: Serious injury or death could have resulted from crashing this badly loaded van

The Sortimo racks have hardly moved after the same impact with a well-loaded van

Before


R i s k S a f e l o a d i n g

1Adhere to all company policies concerning the driving of

vehicles, working practices and the loading of vehicles.

2Do not overload storage systems or vehicles and follow

company/supplier guidelines.

3Do not place unsecured objects directly behind where occu-

pants are likely to sit.

4Place heavy objects as low as possible in the vehicle stowage

area.

5Do not place unsecured objects in the occupant compartment

of the vehicle.

6Stow tools and equipment in racking systems if provided.

7Use appropriate tie-downs, lashing and netting to secure

larger loads and equipment in the rear of the vehicle.

8Check that tie-down points and lashing systems are not

damaged or worn and repair or replace them if needed.

9Check load restraints and lash-ings shortly after beginning a

journey or after any heavy braking to ensure the motion of the vehicle or the settling of the load has not loosened them.

10If you have any concerns about modifications that

have been made to a vehicle, raise them with your fleet manager.

Loading tips for drivers

1Write company guidelines and procedures on how to load and

store equipment and tools safely.

2Carry out regular checks to ensure drivers are aware of

and following them.

3Ensure vehicles are adequately specified to carry the intended

load, equipment or tools.

4Provide appropriate training for drivers so that they are aware

of the hazards in a crash and know how to load and store equipment.

5Provide appropriate restraints for loads, tools and equipment.

6Fit vehicles with storage and racking systems that have been

assessed for crash-worthiness.

7Carry out risk assessments of the vehicle’s equipment and

cargo, vans and fleet operations in terms of their crash safety. Document the risks and any actions taken to mitigate them. Review and assess regularly.

8Allow time for checks on tie-down points, lashing and

netting systems to ensure they are not damaged and worn.

9Be open to drivers’ concerns and advice on modifications to

vehicles and load security.

10 Seek professional advice if you have any concerns or

uncertainties over the crash safety of your vehicles.

Loading tips for fleet managers

36,000 injuries – the heavy cost of manual handling Although there is no legal limit to the weight a person should be expected to lift at work, the consensus is it should not be more than 25kg.

Official HSE statistics for the year ending April 2011 show that more than 36,000 workers suffered a reportable injury that involved manual handling. Almost 28% of these injuries were directly linked to lifting or putting down items while a further 19% were related to unspecified handling, lifting or carrying.

One answer to the lifting problem is to fit a small hoist, such as those provided by Penny Hydraulics. A spokesman told Fleet Van:

“Employers should do more to reduce or remove the risks associated with manual handling in the workplace.

“The best solution is to remove the need for manual handling but if this is not possible, a suitable mechanical aid such as a goods lift or vehicle-mounted crane or platform lift is often the next best option.

“It remains the employer’s duty to simplify their handling processes or provide employees with the tools and equipment to do their work more safely, efficiently and productively.”

Hydraulic or electric hoists and cranes can help to take the danger out of heavy lifting

Five top tips to make your fleet greener

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The debate over CO2 emissions, climate change, air quality in cities and its effects on human health

means that ensuring your vehicles are green has perhaps never been more important. It also doesn’t hurt that green fleets tend to cost less to run. Dave Freeman, LCV consultant at business mobility specialist Alphabet, offers advice on how to make your vehicle fleet as green as possible.

Alternative fuelsIt is impossible in many cases to

completely avoid using fossil fuels, although much can be done to reduce a fleet’s dependence on this finite resource. Diesel engines remain the most popular option for light commercial vehicles, but simply eliminating unnecessary miles and excessive idling will help to reduce expenditure on fuel. In addition, it would be worth looking into the possibility of using alternative fuels, such as LPG, bio-diesel, biogas and electricity. Electric vehicles are perhaps the most viable alternative and

provided daily mileages fit within the van’s range capabilities and you have a suitable re-charging infrastructure in place, the list of reasons to invest in an electric commercial vehicle are starting to mount up.

Route optimisationRoute optimisation involves

determining the shortest, most economical route for a vehicle to travel between two points. Effective route planning can maximise fleet vehicle usage, which improves productivity and negates the need to add more vehicles to meet increasing demand. In addition, driving patterns can be analysed to review vehicle deployment and ensure the overall fleet mileage and CO2 emissions are kept to a minimum to save fuel, time and money.

Vehicle upgradesUpgrading a fleet with newer, more

economical vehicles makes a big difference in terms of reducing the CO2 a vehicle emits. Vehicles from 2009 onwards have been fitted

with Euro V engines and, from September 2014, this technology will be superseded with the introduction of vehicles with Euro VI engines. Although Euro VI engines will not reduce CO2 emissions, they will cut emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) quite considerably. Ensuring your vehicles have the most technologically advanced engine on the market will mean your fleet will continue to be as green as possible.

Scheduled maintenancePerforming regular, scheduled

maintenance can ensure that your vehicles are as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible. Keeping vans properly serviced allows you to monitor and minimise harmful tailpipe emissions. Even basic services such as maintaining proper tyre pressure can improve fuel economy, as a 25 per cent deflation in tyre pressure will increase fuel consumption by two per cent. It might not sound like much but it can quickly add up. If your monthly fuel bill is £250,000, then simply making sure your vehicles’ tyres are properly inflated could represent a £5,000-a-month saving.

Promoting efficient drivingDrivers play an important part in

minimising fuel usage and contributing to an economical fleet. Aggressive driving, hard braking, speeding and unauthorised or after-hours use will all mean additional carbon emissions and bigger fuel and maintenance bills, not to mention increased insurance premiums. It’s important your staff know that good driving is important to you, and to back that position up with company policies, driver education and reward schemes.

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Europe’s No.1 vehicle remarketing companyLog on to bca.co.uk or call 0844 875 3480

LCV values race ahead as supplies remain scarce


August 2013 recorded exceptionally high average values for light commercial vehicles according BCA’s

latest Pulse report, as demand from professional buyers remained strong last month and shortages of good retail quality vans continued.

Average values for all vans rose above £5,000 for the first time and record values were achieved in the fleet & lease and dealer part-exchange sectors, while nearly-new values were the second highest on record.

BCA suggests the outlook for the current month is more of the same, as stock remains in very short supply and retail LCV activity typically increases during September.

The average August figure of £5,013 for all LCVs represented a £241 rise over July’s value, a 5% climb over the month.

Average age remained around 58.5 months, although average mileage fell to 80,600, following three consecutive monthly increases. Year-on-year values remain well ahead, up by £938 equivalent to a 23% uplift over the twelve month period.

Average CAP performance remains notably higher in 2013, reaching 102.8% last month.

Duncan Ward, BCA’s general manager – commercial vehicles, commented: “Average values have been substantially stronger over the summer holiday period than we might have expected, given that anecdotal reports suggest van retailers have been relatively quiet.

“However, the key factor driving the market is supply of good retail quality stock – or rather the lack of it – and this means there is plenty of competition for the best examples reaching the market.

“Demand has been right across the board during August, from older higher mileage vans through to younger ex-fleet and lease vehicles, while the few late-plate light commercials on offer can make exceptional values. As always, good condition is the key and vans with a nice specification and in an attractive retail colour are very

desirable.” Ward added: “The outlook for September is more of the same, as stock remains in very short supply and with retail LCV activity expected to pick up during the month the market is experiencing a double whammy.

“BCA has already recorded some exceptional results in light commercial sales during the early days of September, so there is every chance that average values could rise yet again this month.”

Fleet & leaseValues in the fleet & lease LCV sector improved by £432 in August to a new record value of £6,214.

Performance against CAP improved by two points to 102.99%, while retained value against Manufacturer Recommended Price fell back half a point to 36.12%.

August recorded the largest ever year-on-year differential in the fleet and lease sector, up by £1,370 (28.2%) compared to the same month in 2012 – with average age and mileage down over the year.

Retained value against MRP improved 5.5 points over the year.

Part-exchangePart-exchange van values also reached record levels, rising by £152 (4.6%) to reach £3,418. CAP comparisons improved over the month to 102.71%. Year-on-year values remain ahead by £634 or 22.7%, with average age down and mileage over 5,500 higher compared to a year ago. Underlining the value evolution in the dealer part-exchange sector, average values exceeded £3,000 for the first time in December 2012, and every month since has been above that level. Record values have been set five times in the last 12 months.

Nearly-newNearly-new values climbed in August by £1,645 (12.8%) to £14,461 – the second highest average monthly value recorded for nearly-new stock. CAP performance improved to 100.69%. As always, this has to be taken in the context of the low market volumes.

More of the same expected in September, says BCA

Fleet/Lease Avg Age Avg Mileage Avg Value Sale vs CAP Sale vs MRP (mnths)August 2012 45.24 71,659 £4,844 98.64% 30.58%August 2013 42.16 69,810 £6,214 102.99% 36.16%

Year-on-year table: Fleet & lease vans


R e m a r k e t i n g I m p r o v i n g r e s i d u a l v a l u e s

Lack of supply ‘will keep prices stable for summer’Auction experts confident about September despite July slip in average values

T

“With demand across several sectors still exceeding supply, price levels should remain stable” Alex Wright, NAMA

By Simon Harrishe used van market is showing signs of resil-ience with stability expected for the rest of the summer.

Data from the National Association of Motor Auctions (NAMA) for July showed a small decline in average used van prices, but also sound reasons and evidence that the market could be stronger than it looks.

NAMA’s report showed that the average values of used LCVs at auction across the board fell just 2% during July, to £4,188 from £4,289 in June. Total sales fell 4%, from 6,255 units to 6,007.

But during the past 12 months, average age and mileage increased by 8.3 months and 4,361 miles respectively, which more than accounts for a fall of £237 in the price of the average LCV lot. However, over this period, conversion rates modestly improved, days on site reduced and the average number of entries needed to achieve a sale held

firm. The stable sales pattern set in June continued throughout July, with prices in most age brackets easing. However, strong demand for the limited number of nearly new LCVs on offer resulted in a strong uplift in the returns they generated at auction.

During July, the volume of LCVs on offer reduced across all ages, which NAMA says bodes well for market

prospects in September. Alex Wright, chairman of NAMA’s commercial vehicle group, said: “The market performance reflected in this month’s LCV report was in line with our expectations, and sets out the path for the first weeks of August, when activity across whole-sale channels is likely to be unpre-dictable. However, the indications are that with demand across several sectors still exceeding supply, price levels should remain stable.”

His views were echoed by Tim Spencer, commercial vehicle manager at Manheim Remarketing.

“In my opinion, we will see the market remain steady until the end of September and there will then be an upturn in vehicle values as we head into autumn,” he said.

However, Spencer also identified an issue that has been a challenge for those selling at auction throughout the summer – many similar examples of the same vans.

“At present, the auction centres are full of stock and the sales are very large,” said Spencer.

“With entries of over 400 vehicles in many cases. However, when you analyse the stock thoroughly, there [are] a lot of similar, and in many cases damaged, vehicles entering the auctions. This is nothing new though, as many auctions over the past few months have seen the same situation.

“Currently, the issue of duplicated stock is the biggest challenge for vendors, which

PRICE AND VOLUME CHANGES BY AGE YTD

Source: NAMA

Jan-13 % Feb-13 % Mar-13 % Apr-13 % May-13 % Jun-13 % Jul-13 % Diff Diff Diff Diff Diff Diff DiffPrice Changes<2 Years £10,620 -5% £9,385 -12% £10,595 13% £10,735 1% £10,305 -4% £9,990 -3% £10,775 8%2 - 4 Years £6,035 -4% £6,365 5% £6,310 -1% £6,780 7% £6,480 -4% £6,315 -3% £6,200 -2%4.1 - 6 Years £3,955 -7.5% £3,985 1% £3,970 0% £4,285 8% £4,075 -4.9% £3,925 -4% £3,840 -2%Over 6 Years £1,975 -23% £2,075 5% £1,970 -5% £2,345 19% £2,145 -9% £2,070 -3% £1,945 -6%Volume Changes by Age<2 Years 365 137% 431 18% 198 -54% 316 60% 323 2% 346 7% 335 -3%2 - 4 Years 1,685 59% 1,625 -4% 2,058 27% 1,502 -27% 2,083 39% 1,706 -18% 1,538 -10%4.1 - 6 Years 2,208 44% 2,596 18% 2,497 -4% 2,140 -14% 2,671 25% 2,104 -21% 2,097 -0.3%Over 6 Years 1,880 134% 1,871 -0.5% 1,972 5% 2,295 16% 2,645 15% 2,099 -21% 2,037 -3%Total 6,138 73% 6,523 6% 6,725 3% 6,253 -7% 7,722 23% 6,255 -19% 6,007 -4%

Auction centres are full of stock ‘with entries of over 400 vehicles in many cases’

R e m a r k e t i n g I m p r o v i n g r e s i d u a l v a l u e s


“Currently, the issue of duplicated stock is the biggest

challenge for vendors” Tim Spencer, Manheim Remarketing

means that they need to be more active in the market. It is important that vehicles are thor-

oughly inspected for damage and the auction stock is analysed to see how many vehicles will be entering the market place.

“There is likely to be a continued period where vehicle prices plateau, which means that it is critical that the reserves are set accordingly.

“Those that don’t do their research thoroughly may regret it and could be stuck with their stock for a long time.”

Spencer said the absence of major sports events in the UK this summer, with the Ashes test series decided early and no Olympic and Para-lympic games causing a distraction from attending sales, could mean late summer will be a busier period than last year.

“There is likely to be the usual holiday season slow-down, with the number of visitors to auction sites decreasing slightly, but without any major sporting distractions, the period won’t be as quiet as normal.

“As buyers look for the right LCV to attract customers, this build-up of stock and the lack of seasonal distractions will mean that any good quality or different vehicle will continue to be fought over and attract strong bids, both in the halls and online.”

With the holiday season in full swing, the mood was predictably subdued at most of the auction sales we attended last month, with fewer sale entries and noticeably lower auction attendance levels.

Compared with the previous month, overall auction entries were down by 31%.

While the average age of vehicles decreased slightly from 62 months to 61.8 months, as did the average mileage, which decreased from 84,477 to 83,479, the market remains deprived of low-mileage, good-quality stock.

From our own independent inspections at auctions around the country, we found that the average repair cost for body panel damage on vehicles presented for sale has decreased marginally, from £438 to £427.

Given the dwindling supply and apparent deterioration in the quality of stock entering the market, it is perhaps not surprising that the odd clean, low-mileage entry is so fiercely fought over.

According to a number of leasing companies we consulted, it is extremely difficult to predict how long these supply and quality issues will plague the market.

Aside from the larger fleets with planned replacement programs, there is always a degree of uncertainty over how many vehicles will be coming off contract at any given time, which presents a planning problem for leasing companies and auction houses alike.

However, this problem is exacerbated by the current economic conditions, since more and more vehicle opera-tors on open-ended leases are choosing to continue to run their ageing vehicles rather than negotiate new leasing contracts.

This is probably based on their assumption that the alternative would mean increased monthly expenditure.

However, given that current values of LCVs are, by and large, well above the residual value forecasts made three to five years ago, we believe there is plenty of scope for forward-thinking leasing companies to re-negotiate contracts and renew vehicles at no additional cost to their customers, particularly if vehicle manufacturers lend their support.

If managed sensibly, this would result in a steadier flow of vehicles entering the used LCV markets, which can only lead to greater used LCV price stability.

n For more information, go to www.cap.co.uk

Ken Brown, CAP LCV editor

UNDER THE HAMMER

“It’s difficult to predict how long supply and quality issues will plague the market”

Wright said that although summer tended to be quieter than other times of the year, the modest decline in values was a sign of a healthy market.

However, he also warned that only the cleanest vans could be guaran-teed good prices and encouraged sellers of older vans to ensure they were made attractive for remarketing.

“Over what are the traditionally slow weeks of summer, it should not have come as too much of a surprise to see that LCV prices fell by 2% in July,” said Wright. “Comparing this performance to the same month a year ago throws up some hard facts that highlight why, despite healthy demand for almost all clean LCVs, price levels were expected to slip.

“In August, sales of new LCVs offer little hope that plenty of desirable late-year lots will appear, therefore the most attractive used stock will remain in extremely short supply. Accordingly, it continues to be necessary for older vans with higher mileage to be remarketed to their full potential if any shortfall in overall returns is to be plugged.

“Vendors will be well positioned to take advantage of what promises to be a healthy level of demand for all clean stock over the autumn months, which will hopefully bolster prices and lead to a profitable close to the year.”

The absence of major UK sports events could mean late summer sales will be busier than last year

“At Autoglass®, we spent 2 years searching the market for the right product and we are delighted with the results from Lightfoot®. We saw a 12% fuel saving from our 100 unit trial and now we are seeinga 15% saving following rollout to over 1100 vehicles, on top of that we’ve seen improved safety, vehicle downtime and wear and tear. We have achieved this with minimal management intervention and we have received excellent driver buy-in to the Lightfoot® product. Lightfoot® is totally different from standard telematics products. It is self-managing, it doesn’t just report on issues, it actually resolves them in real-time with the driver. Lightfoot® has helpedAutoglass® become a cleaner, leaner and greener fleet.”

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As markets evolve, every business should strive to adapt to meet shifting customer expectations and still remain competitive. Those on the front line often receive valuable market intelligence that can be hugely important in developing products and

services. The problem for most businesses is how to find effective processes to capture, assess and transform that valuable learning into winning best practice models. Perhaps the challenge is best summed up by that famous business expression – if only we knew what we know!

Service, maintenance and repair (SMR) operations are central to fleet performance. Many leading operators increasingly realise that using best practice SMR can significantly enhance competi-tiveness, driver satisfaction and operating cost efficiency and ultimately help them respond to market challenges.

Will it work for me?If best practice methods or techniques are those proven to consist-ently show results superior to those achieved by other means, then surely you just go forward and apply the winning formula or bench-mark over and over again, right?

The problem with this is that not all fleets are the same – optimal vehicle performance requires planning, control and reporting modelled on a case-by-case basis. In addition, a best practice SMR must evolve to become better as opportunities for improvement are discovered.

One very simple example of such a discovery happened recently, soon after BT Fleet began working with a new customer. From data analytics, BT Fleet identified that tyre changes were typically occur-ring 5,000 miles short of the lifespan quoted by the manufacturer

due to damage rather than wear. In other words, the customer was paying a premium for a benefit that was not being realised. By proactively recommending a specification change to medium-range tyres that better suited the wear profile, BT Fleet was able to help the customer optimise usage and save money without any impact to safety compliance or fleet downtime – a welcome improve-ment that directly impacted the bottom line.

The BT Fleet culture, resources and perspective on the world of SMR are unique. Conceived originally as an in-house resource to manage one of Europe’s largest van fleets, it quickly grew to start offering “the BT experience” to external customers. It may have been born of need, but from its inception to this day, BT Fleet continues to draw on this unique combination of fleet owner insight, an owned garage network and deep understanding of customer requirements to constantly evolve its SMR best practice regimes to keep fleets on the road and contribute to overall business perfor-mance.

The holy grail for fleet managers is ensuring vehicle availability, but not at any cost – vehicle utilisation and efficiency savings are always key to the business agenda. But what is optimal? How do you get the balance right without risking operations or reputational damage and achieve more with less?

SMR – best practice in practiceWorking with the AA, the UK’s leading breakdown and recovery services provider, to achieve these goals was an interesting chal-lenge for BT Fleet. Often referred to as the fourth emergency service, this widely respected national brand knows a great deal about customer experience and getting members back on the road with the minimum of fuss. However, they still decided that the role of

Listen, learn and share to offer ever better SMRUnderstanding customers’ needs is vital to delivering top-class service

B E S T P R AC T I C E – S E T T I N G YO U R K N OW- H OW F R E E

taking care of their own SMR requirements was better suited to a specialist provider rather than continuing to tackle it themselves.

The AA’s fleet of 2,800 vans and 280 recovery trucks attend more than 3.5 million breakdowns a year, within 30 minutes on average. This commitment means availability of recovery vehicles is one of the AA’s key performance indicators.

“Devolving decision-making nearer the customer interface is impor-tant to the way we gain a deeper understanding of their needs,” says BT Fleet sales and marketing director Joe Fielder.

“It is then our responsibility to capture and syndicate the insight effectively across our network.”

BT Fleet used this strategy in the AA relationship as it set about empowering maintenance controllers by allowing them to make judgments on initiatives to eliminate unnecessary costs.

Underpinning the whole process were regular technical reviews that resulted in better understanding, knowledge-sharing and technical appreciation for all parties. For example, by reviewing the service schedule process, BT Fleet looked into new ways of reducing the frequency of vehicle servicing, without compromising on health and safety and compliance requirements. Some vehicles required servicing only every 18

months instead of 12, saving on associated costs and downtime – just one of several new initiatives that contributed to a reduction of 30% on the AA’s fleet maintenance costs.

BT Fleet’s ability to provide a tailored solution supported by a one-stop-shop garage network operating to a single standard gave the AA the confidence to move to multi-shifting vehicles, a decision not thought previously possible. As a result of effectively shared and

well-embedded best practice systems, the results for the AA were significant:n downtime reduced by 75%n service time cut from eight hours to just over two hoursn fleet management costs reduced by 30%.

Clearly, there is tremendous potential for fleet managers to partner with specialist SMR practitioners and leverage well-networked, best-in-class garage services. In doing so, small changes, innovative technology and fresh thinking yield better results.

Joe Fielder is under no illusions: ”The desire to innovate and achieve more never stops. We all do our best work in this industry when we work together. BT Fleet knows that well.

“Listening, learning and sharing is the only way of ensuring what we deliver evolves and remains best in class.”

“The desire to innovate and achieve more never stops. Listening, learning and sharing is the only

way of ensuring what we deliver evolves and

remains best in class”

BT Fleet uses its deep understanding of customer needs to constantly evolve SMR best practice regimes

Contact our team to find out more about our award-winning service: Tel: 0800 032 0012 Email: [email protected] Website: www.btfleet.com

F l e e t c a s e s t u d y N H S B l o o d a n d Tr a n s p l a n t

SAVING MONEY AS WELL AS LIVES

By John Charleshen a fleet is transporting life-saving blood, vehicles must operate at peak efficiency – and so must their drivers.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) drivers frequently have to negotiate red

lights, skirt directional bollards and perhaps undertake other hazardous manoeuvres to make their emergency deliveries.

Saving money by reducing the number of crashes, as well as in all other areas of fleet operation, means more cash can be channelled back into frontline NHS patient care.

It is therefore not surprising that occupational road risk management is a vital issue for NHSBT, which operates 172 light commercial vehicles in a fleet of 504 units.

NHSBT won the Fleet Safety Champion of the Year (Public Sector) Award from Fleet Van last year, but for national fleet services manager Larry Bannon occupational road risk management embraces far more than road safety.

“Vehicle reliability is essential. We can’t afford to have a vehicle sitting on the roadside,” he says.

“Donors give blood freely and we are very conscious of that. We don’t want to put their vital donations at risk when on the road.” The NHSBT’s transport department does not transport organs – that responsibility is outsourced to specialist provider Amvale.

Most of the organisation’s occupational road risk policy has been in place for almost a decade, but there have been some remarkable recent improvements in accident rates.

In 2004, NHSBT vans were involved in 196 own-fault

NHSBT’s training and maintenance initiatives reduce accidents and downtime

W


crashes, at a cost of £85,400. This had fallen to 36 in 2010/11, 22 in 2011/12 and 17 own-fault accidents in 2012/13, at a cost of £13,336.

The total number of incidents involving fleet vans fell to 29 in 2012/13, down from 38 in 2011/12 and 73 in 2010/11.

NHSBT supplies about two million units of blood a year to hospitals in England and north Wales. Its fleet vehicles travel more than eight million miles a year and its vans clocked up 6.1 million miles in 2012/13, meaning the ratio of own-fault van accidents per mile driven was a staggeringly low 0.0000027 last year.

The catalyst for the reduction in incidents has been further improvements in analysing why they occurred and ‘tweaking’ driver training modules in association with supplier RAC Fleet Risk Management, along with increasing vehicle specification. That has included the fitting of reversing cameras, speed limiters and ESC (electronic stability control) if available.

Increased focus on ensuring adequate braking distanceAn initial four-day on-road and classroom-based driver training programme follows the principles of the police ‘Roadcraft’ programme, particularly focusing on anticipating situations. All drivers complete a one-day refresher course every two years.

Bannon says: “As a result of our analysis of why incidents happened, we have increased the training focus on encour-aging drivers to maintain adequate braking distances to the vehicle in front.”

Other features of the occupational road risk management policy include all new drivers undergoing an initial driving assessment prior to employment; all drivers having a six-monthly licence check; eyesight checks; a five-yearly medical and requiring an authority-to-drive permit. There is also an escalation policy in relation to points being incurred on licences and the number of road traffic accidents involving individual drivers.

The safety policy also covers: vehicle risk assessments; an assessment of lone vehicle driving; driving at a safe speed; the investigation of all incidents; daily pre-use vehicle inspections and vehicle defect recording. Any fault is deemed to be a safety risk rendering the vehicle unusable until repair.

NHSBT drivers cannot currently exceed posted speed limits, although an exemption may be made following a recent Government consultation. Responses are being considered by the Department of Transport and any change in the law could see drivers’ competency at speeds above the speed limit being assessed every five years.

Vehicles are driven with blue lights flashing and sirens sounding to ‘aid their passage through traffic’, but NHSBT drivers turn both off if the road ahead is clear.

Bannon explains: “Driving with blue lights flashing and sirens on is very stressful and requires huge levels of concentration in terms of focusing on the traffic ahead, public awareness and road conditions. If drivers can make adequate progress without blue lights and sirens then they turn them off as it means less stress.

“NHSBT employees are driving to a very high standard.

“Reliability is essential. We can’t ... have a vehicle sitting on the roadside”NHSBT national fleet services manager Larry Bannon

The NHSBT van fleet is composed exclusively of Ford Transit Connect and short- and long-wheelbase Transit vans.


NHS Blood and Transplant national fleet services

manager Larry Bannon: ‘We are very conscious of the responsibility we owe

donors’

We believe our drivers are among the best on the road because of the driver training they undertake.

“We already carry out refresher training every two years, which is more frequently than the Government consultation paper asks for.

“The training is very well received and the results continue to improve. We place a huge amount of trust in our drivers and they also recognise that they are doing good for the wider community. The drivers are one of the public faces of the NHSBT and they take their responsibilities very seriously.”

The NHSBT transport department is assessing vehicle telemetry and fuel saving technology to further aid opera-tional management.

“If we believe the technology can further help improve the service provided we will consult with stakeholders, including drivers, on its introduction,” says Bannon.

“But any new technology will take time to implement and it would need 12-18 months’ data before true benefits start to be recognised.”

While the focus on the risk assessment of drivers and vehicles is essential, Bannon, who has been in his post for 12 years, says ensuring fleet reliability with preventive vehicle maintenance is as important.

The van fleet is composed exclusively of Ford Transit Connect and short- and long-wheelbase Transit vans. Other vehicles on the fleet include 24 refrigerated commercial vehicles built on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis; Sprinter-based minibuses; 11 3.5-tonne Luton vans built on a Transit long-wheelbase chassis and 72 Ford Focus cars, including 38 ‘blue light’ units.

The ‘standard’ vehicles, including vans, operate over a three-year replacement cycle. The more bespoke vehicles are renewed every five years.

Post-production features fitted to light commercial vehi-cles include ply-lining and gel coating for easy cleaning, partitioning to separate blood and tissue products from clinical waste, livery and blue lights, refrigerators and sirens.

Vehicles are finance-leased through three suppliers – Automotive Leasing, Fraikin and Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services – via a Government-backed framework agreement.

Building a bespoke preventive maintenance regimeNHSBT has enjoyed a fleet management relationship with Fraikin since 2002 and the existing five-year contract continues until 2016.

“A robust vehicle maintenance regime is a key factor in keeping our vehicles safe, mobile and maximising their avail-ability,” says Bannon, who has worked in fleet management for 35 years.

“Having preventive maintenance programmes that meet the needs of the operational use of the vehicles is essential.”

Bannon and his four-strong, Manchester-based fleet team created their own ‘content and interval’ vehicle main-tenance regimes to maximise vehicle reliability and safety.

“Standard maintenance checklists don’t adequately capture all the additional equipment that our vehicles have.

We therefore bespoked a standard maintenance checklist to meet the requirements of our specialist fleet to ensure that all items, such as light bars, fire extinguishers, livery and other features, are checked at specific intervals and that we don’t suffer from breakdowns,” he says.

“I believe that we have ensured that vehicle reliability is as good as it can be by undertaking checks at set time and mileage periods. We have a KPI of 95% vehicle availability at all times, and we continually exceed this target.”

NHSBT also has a KPI that monitors the integrity of the ‘content and interval’ principle in an attempt to ensure that no vehicle breaks down within seven days of a service or inspection. The standard, says Bannon, was continually exceeded, with less than 1% of vehicles suffering a fault.

As well as winning the Fleet Van award, NHSBT also won the Cost Saving Initiative of the Year title in the 2012 Fleet News Awards for a radical new approach to reducing end-of-contract lease damage charges.

On winning the titles, Bannon says: “Awards are recogni-tion of the professionalism of the NHSBT fleet team, the professionalism of the drivers and let our donors know that we are very conscious of the responsibility we owe them – that our vehicles should not be involved in any incidents that will invalidate the products being carried.

“We do get challenged by MPs, donors and members of the public on our record and it is fantastic to receive external recognition that shows we are operating a professionally run and very safe fleet.”

196own-fault van crashes cost NHSBT £85,400 in 2004. This was cut to:

17own-fault accidents in 2012/13, which cost £13,336

Meeting the industry’s need for innovation


Europcar’s flexible products constantly evolve to serve modern business needs

For further information please contact the Europcar Sales Team on 01923 811250 Email: [email protected] Web: europcar.co.uk

The challenges facing businesses today are well publicised, but tough times are also a breeding ground for

innovation. Companies across a broad spectrum of industry, but particularly in the outsourcing and logistics sectors, are innovating to tackle the dual challenges of providing competitively priced products at a high level of service. Van rental from Europcar plays a fundamental role in enabling that.

For example, take a look at the online shopping sector. It has grown massively in recent years, providing immense opportunities for logistics businesses as long as they can match market need without undermining profitability. Flexible van rental fills that gap.

Industry demands innovation to keep up with the rapidly changing needs of customers. Europcar’s van rental specialists anticipate and understand these expectations and find unique solutions to meet them.

Stuart Russell, Specialist Vehicle Director for Europcar, says: “As we continue to expand our van proposition to provide customers with

the network, choice and quality of vehicle they require, our customer base also diversifies. We offer services and solutions across an ever-increasing list of sectors, so it is critical we continue to evolve and adapt alongside these, allowing Europcar to meet the ever-changing needs of customers whilst venturing into new sectors.”

Mobility solution Integrated services provider Carlisle Support Services is one of the UK’s premier strategic outsourcing companies. It offers bespoke added-value solutions to public and private sector businesses in areas including cleaning, security, events, retail support, interior design and manufacturing.

Given its diverse portfolio, Carlisle Support Services needed to work with a mobility supplier that delivers an all-encompassing solution driven by cutting-edge technology, full geographic coverage and an ability to create genuine cost savings. Europcar delivered on all counts.

Europcar has worked with Carlisle Support Services for more than 10 years, providing a number of benefits:

n Access to a vehicle anywhere in the UK at a moment’s notice.n A ‘green’ fleet that supports an environmentally friendly company image.n Electronic booking facilities, where the status of vehicle requests can be tracked and approved by all levels of a team.n Tailor-made management information to help analyse and proactively manage costs.n The ability to supply and fit a wide range of additional equipment to vans, such as tow-bars and racking.

Flexible to the changing needs of businessThe flexibility on offer was pivotal in Carlisle Support Services’ choice to work with Europcar. The company responds to fluctuating customer demand, which made it vital to work with a supplier that could help it to meet the challenges presented by its diverse markets. Europcar’s ability to offer both short-term and long-term rental products at competitive prices means managers have the freedom to adjust their fleets upwards or downwards according to demand.

“The best business partnerships are where the customer and supplier work hand in hand to ensure the relationship works for both parties,” explains Kerry Hannelly, Operations Support Manager of Carlisle Support Services.

“Without services such as Europcar’s Delivery and Collect, we would simply not be able to operate. Europcar has demonstrated time and again the ability to adapt to meet our changing requirements. The clear and accurate reporting and visibility of driver use, combined with Europcar’s large UK network, web-based rental platform and new, clean fleet, has made our fleet more efficient and cost-effective.”

Carlisle Support Services is a dynamic company, recognising varied opportunities and moving quickly to take advantage of

‘We offer services and solutions across an ever-increasing list of sectors, so it is critical we continue to evolve and adapt alongside these to meet the ever-changing needs of customers’Stuart Russell, Europcar


For further information please contact the Europcar Sales Team on 01923 811250 Email: [email protected] Web: europcar.co.uk

them. This business ethos requires a flexible fleet solution, which Europcar ably supports.

Europcar’s ability to adapt quickly to meet demanding needs – especially for van rental, which can require an exact specification at very short notice – is key to this. By combining its innovative online booking platform and extensive UK network, Europcar is able to meet any requirement a business has.

As with any company, Carlisle Support Services is concerned about the commercial sense of the partnership, particularly in key fleet areas such as mileage costs. Europcar’s ability to track, record and control mileage costs enables the fleet manager to assess which mobility solution is right for each of their drivers.

Europcar’s primary objective is to deliver the highest levels of customer service to help improve fleets – which Carlisle Support Services’ business has truly benefitted from.

A service for every needThe true rental flexibility that Europcar provides can only be delivered through an innovative product portfolio, which is continually enhanced to match market needs. Those products include:n Overnight Rental – Businesses today operate outside traditional timeframes, which means vans are needed around the clock. To

1. Europcar has the UK’s largest van network, which has grown 75% in two years.2. Its vans are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at most of the UK’s major airports, including Heathrow, Newcastle, Liverpool and Birmingham. 3. There has been a 25% growth, year-on-year, in Europcar’s van rental business.4. Europcar will modify vans to a customer’s specification as part of its flexi-rental solution.5. Europcar vans are generally less than a year old. 6. Recent additions to give customers more

choice include the new Vauxhall Combo and much sought-after VW Caddy.7. Europcar’s van fleet keeps pace with the latest technological advances, such as stop-start or Euro 5 engines.8. London King’s Cross is the most popular location for van rentals.9. Men aged 31-40 are the most prevalent renters of vans, followed by 41-50 year-olds. Most women van drivers fall into the 31-40 age category.10. The youthful composition of Europcar’s fleet, in addition to its unparalleled UK network, mean the company’s low carbon footprint is unrivalled in the rental market.

required for a return journey, making half of its usage unnecessary. For that reason, Europcar developed a one-way rental product at a competitive rate. n Flexi-Lease – Contract Hire can leave customers feeling trapped in a lengthy contract that does not suit their needs. Flexi-lease offers competitive rates for all the latest makes and models of vehicle, with none of the early termination or mileage penalties associated with Contract Hire.

fulfil this demand, Europcar offers Overnight Rental, which allows customers to rent vans outside of normal operating hours at a 25% discount. n Hourly Rentals – Customers don’t always need a van for a whole day. Europcar’s unique hourly rental product enables customers to hire vans by the hour at a third of the daily rate, saving them time and money. n One-Way Rentals – Not every van is

The van lowdown

I n d u s t r y s p o t l i g h t F i a t P r o f e s s i o n a l

‘ONCE FLEETS TRY OUR PRODUCTS THEY WILL BUY’ By Trevor Gehlcken

he quality of vehicles and services offered to van fleets by Fiat has improved beyond recognition in the past six years.

The Italian manufacturer launched the Fiat Professional brand in 2007, effectively extracting

the light commercial vehicle operation from its car business. This allowed Fiat a whole new way of thinking in its attempts to entice van fleet operators.

The split has paid dividends, with Fiat’s van market share steadily rising from 3.7% in 2007 to 5% today.

But the success of Fiat Professional – which has seen a 50% increase in sales so far this year – must also be partly attributed to the guiding hand of Sebastiano “Seb” Fedrigo, who took over as director in September 2011.

Since his arrival in Britain from his home in Italy, Fedrigo has immersed himself in the LCV scene with enthusiasm and today is a popular figure who counts among his acquaint-ances just about anyone important in fleet.

While the LCV chiefs of some manufacturers see their role in the job as purely to sell vans, Fedrigo sees the sales job as just one arm of his professional career.

He tells Fleet Van: “Since arriving in the UK, I have made myself as available as possible to Fiat customers, potential customers, dealers and important people in the industry. I have factored in time in my job to attend lots of seminars and conferences, along with meetings of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and Fiat Professional has also got involved in the Freight Transport Association’s Van Excellence scheme.

“That way, I can get right to the heart of van fleet operators and learn what’s really important to them. By listening to them, we can find out what they really want and adjust our

Fiat CV boss Seb Fedrigo is confident his latest models will be a hit

T


offerings accordingly.” So what has Fedrigo discovered from his attendance at various fleet events?

The most important topic, hardly surprisingly, is that of running costs and fuel consumption and, as a side issue, driver training to reduce use of fuel.

In this, Fiat has a solution in mind. Fedrigo says: “All our vehicles have excellent fuel economy figures but, as a bonus, speed limiter systems are embedded in our vehicles so that when fleets buy them, we can set them at four different speeds.”

Giving fleet operators access to driver dataFedrigo is sceptical about offering classroom-based driver training courses, instead feeling that Fiat’s EcoDrive Fleet package is more likely to lead to lower fuel consumption.

“This package is available as an option on Doblo and Fiorino and informs the driver about driving habits, meas-uring things like harsh acceleration and braking,” he says.

“The information gained can be downloaded by the fleet manager so we feel that this is much more likely to get results than the classic classroom training.”

A third area of concern among fleet operators is safety. Fiat has directly responded to this by making the Electronic Stability Programme – which helps to overcome sideways skids and includes LAC (load adaptive control), Hill Holder, HBA (hydraulic brake assist), ASR (anti-slip regulation) and MSR (engine drag torque control to prevent wheel spin) – standard on all Ducato models, unlike its twin brothers, the Citroën Relay and Peugeot Boxer.

Fedrigo says: “To be honest, this was a request more from industry experts than fleet buyers and we have had to increase the price of Ducato by around £300 to cover the cost. But once we have explained to fleets that this price and

Fiat is giving dealers extra vehicles for drivers to test vans such as the Doblo XL

Fiat is spreading the word about new niche vehicles

such as the Doblo Work Up

‘No case for EV’While some van manufacturers rush to embrace electric vehicles, Fiat is notable for not offering alternatively-fuelled vehicles.

Is Fiat missing a trick or playing its cards wisely?

According to Fedrigo, the case has not yet been made for Fiat to invest huge sums of money into EV technology.

“At present in the UK, where vans are concerned there are too many little problems to persuade us to bring an EV to market.

“We acknowledge that the proposition could work for a fleet which does exactly the same round every day, but as far as we are concerned it is a small niche and there are still range and battery life issues. There are simply too many hurdles for us to jump.”


more will be recouped the first time a driver avoids an accident, they understand and feedback so far has been positive.”

By the time Fedrigo arrived in 2011, Fiat Professional was already making inroads in fleet. But after looking at what was on offer, he felt there was still work to be done to ensure that fleet needs were being met exactly.

One area where he began making big changes was in the dealer network, which numbered 135 when he arrived. It has been pared down to 121 and he aims to reduce it even further to 110.

While this may seem like a strange move, Fedrigo says it is part of his focus on fleet.

“When I arrived, some of our dealers saw the van business as an add-on to the car business, but this just isn’t accept-able. We want van dealers who are totally engaged in light commercial vehicles and can offer fleet buyers a complete service, which includes advice on choice of vehicles, finance options such as contract hire versus outright purchase and an enhanced aftersales service,” he says.

Teaching sales staff to go beyond the brand“We have invested a lot of money in improving our vehicles and we expect our dealers to invest their money in improving their service to fleets. That way they will get a better return on their investment as people begin to realise the benefits of buying Fiat over other brands,” says Fedrigo.

He expects all Fiat van salesmen and women to have an in-depth knowledge not only of the brand but also of the bigger issues affecting fleet buyers. The company has set up a “Fiat Unetversity” at Slough, at Middlewich in Cheshire and in Edinburgh, so that dealers can send their sales people for expert tuition. Fedrigo says: “This way we ensure that anyone who walks into any Fiat dealership in the country will be guaranteed to talk to someone who knows about all aspects of van fleet operation.”

Fiat’s improvement in servicing, maintenance and repairs is equally as important. The company already had a tie-in with its partner firm Iveco since 2007, so that fleets could get servicing and repairs done out of hours, but now has a new association with truck market leader DAF.

“After the demise of LDV, several DAF dealers called us

and asked if we would be interested in using them for servicing and repairs on Fiat vehicles too,” says Fedrigo.

“As DAF is the truck market leader, this seemed to be a marriage made in heaven and we now have 33 dealers spread across the UK, with the aim of 40 in the near future.

“We have spread the Fiat, Iveco and DAF dealerships evenly across the country so, in the main, they don’t overlap. The great thing about getting vans repaired and serviced at a truck dealership is that generally they have a better speed of reaction to customers and of course some are open 24 hours a day, which means no downtime for fleets.

“We are now in the process of making sure that our Fiat dealers have this approach too. This really sets us apart from most of the other van dealers as they can’t offer such a service.”

As with most van manufacturers, Fiat shares its models with others. The Ducato, for example, is rebadged as a Citroën Relay and Peugeot Boxer, while the Doblo reappears as the Vauxhall Combo and the Fiorino also gets the moni-kers Citroën Nemo and Peugeot Bipper. So does this hinder Fiat’s sales potential? Not at all, says Fedrigo.

“The fact that we sell our vehicles to others is an endorse-ment of our product. In the case of the Ducato, we have our own engines, which are more fuel-efficient and have longer service intervals and with our enhanced dealer network we have a better fleet story to tell.”

Looking to the future, Fedrigo is busy spreading the word about Fiat’s new niche vehicles such as the Doblo Work Up and XL and Fiorino, Scudo and Doblo crew vans. One method of doing this is the tried-and-tested ‘bums on seats’ approach and extra demo vehicles are being supplied to dealers so they can offer extended tests to potential buyers.

Also in the front line is the new Ducato tipper, which offers the best payload of any tipper at 3.5 tonnes gvw along with Traction Plus, which gives four-wheel drive capabilities without the weight addition and maintenance issue of a true four-wheel drive system.

Fedrigo says: “We firmly believe that once fleet operators have tried our products, they will want to buy them.

“We have a fantastic range of vans and now with our dealers giving these extra services we don’t believe any other van manufacturer can match what Fiat has to offer.”

“Some of our dealers saw the van business as an add-on to cars … This

isn’t acceptable”Sebastiano Fedrigo,

Fiat Professional

FactfileName: Sebastiano FedrigoJob title: Director of Fiat Professional UK and IrelandCareer history: Graduated from in Italy (Politecnico di Milano) and France (École Centrale Paris). After a brief experience in Computer Science, entered Fiat’s management programme. Started in purchasing in CNH, marketing and network development in Iveco, and sales in Fiat. He was Fiat Professional’s area manager for French, Dutch, Greek, UK and Irish markets before taking on current role.Favourite book: Any Human Heart by William BoydFavourite film: Luchino Visconti’s Il Gattopardo, Favourite holiday spot: Anywhere with sea and sun.What three records would you take to a desert island? Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones, The Goldberg Varia-tions by Glenn Gould, Random Access Memories by Daft Punk

D r i v e n F o r d Tr a n s i t C u s t o m E c o n e t i c 3 1 0

Our test vehicle was the 3.1 tonne gross vehicle weight (GVW) variant, and, as usual for Ford test vans, it came with a half load in the back for a real-world driving experience.

The cab feels more hi-tech than rivals, with instruments, switches and controls those found in Ford’s current car range and a steering wheel that feels and looks good.

Although our test van had a full steel bulkhead, I had plenty of room to find a comfortable driving position.

In the Volkswagen Transporter I drove a few weeks ago, I could only move the seat base back far enough by putting the seatback in a more upright position.

The Custom Econetic drives well in terms of steering response, body control and engine refinement.

But in the case of the 100bhp Econetic, the downside of the fuel economy achieved thanks to the higher gearing, is a tardy response in fifth and sixth.

It is less powerful than the Transporter Bluemotion, which comes with a 114bhp engine, but overall has more driver appeal.

But if your car is overtaken at high speed by a white Transit Custom – as can often be the case with vans – I can guarantee it won’t be the Econetic.

Gross vehicle weight (kg): 3,100Power (bhp): 100/3,500Torque (lb-ft): 229/1,300Load volume (cu m): 5.95Payload (kg): 1,295Comb fuel economy (mpg): 44.8CO2 emissions (g/km): 166Price: (ex-VAT): £19,695

Specification

Behind the wheel

Need to know fuel-saving features include a switchable 70mph speed limiter (disabled by pressing the Eco button on the dashboard, although it is activated by default on start-up), unique engine calibration, a coolant bypass valve for quicker warm-up, optimised gearing with a 6% longer final drive ratio, low rolling resistance tyres and aerodynamic wheel trims.

Customers can also specify fixed speed limiters for speeds of 56mph, 62mph and 70mph to suit their own operating requirements as an optional feature.

But Econetic isn’t the only low-CO2 technology offered on the van market, so we need to investigate what makes the Transit Custom so special.

For a start, the exceptional 46.3mpg and 162g/km ratings are achieved only with the optional 62mph speed limiter chosen. In standard form with maximum speed limited to 70mph in Eco mode, the figures are 44.8mpg and 166g/km.

These figures are almost identical to the Volkswagen Transporter Bluemotion, and given the investment Ford has put into the new Transit programme, you would be forgiven for thinking those figures are nothing special.

However, unlike the Transporter, which flies the Bluemotion flag only in T27 guise, the Transit Custom Econetic is available in three weight variants and two wheelbase options.

n Acceleration control and stop-start as standardn Spacious cabin and refined enginen Slow response in higher gears

Fuel economy is the Econetic’s killer USPTransit model comes with wide range of fuel-saving kit


The Custom Econetic offers significant improvements over its predecessor in fuel economy and CO2 emissions

VerdictThe Transit Custom, as the newest van in its sector, is still on a roll and can’t seem to put a foot wrong. The Econetic retains the ability of the other models, sacrificing performance for lower costs.

By Simon Harrisuel economy is becoming a valuable marketing tool for van manufacturers. Fleet operators running company cars will be aware of the Econetic, Bluemotion and Ecoflex labels, among others, that car manu-

facturers use for their most efficient models.The terminology has also crept into the van market

and a few months after the new Ford Transit Custom went on sale, an Econetic version has appeared.

Using a 100bhp version of the 2.2-litre TDCi engine, the Custom Econetic offers significant improvements over its predecessor in fuel economy and CO2 emissions, so could be a more desirable choice for fleets.

The Custom Econetic offers probably the most sophisticated off-the-shelf fuel-saving features of any conventional van. As standard, it comes with accelera-tion control, a new technology that limits acceleration to levels achievable when the vehicle is fully laden, enabling fuel savings when it runs lighter.

Ford says field tests show it can reduce real-world fuel consumption by 4-15% and cut wear and tear on brakes, tyres and other components.

The Econetic also offers standard stop-start that, according to Ford, can reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% in urban driving. Additional

FThe Custom Econetic’s cab has a much more hi-tech feel than its rivals

D r i v e n F o r d Tr a n s i t C u s t o m S p o r t v a n

This new model has stunning looks, but it’s a cracking drive in many others ways too.

The driver’s seat is superb, with plenty of side support for fast corners, and the power on offer from the standard (albeit most powerful 155bhp) Ford engine, is lively in the extreme, nicely linking with the Transit’s much improved drivability.

Gross vehicle weight (kg): 2,900Power (bhp/rpm): 155/3,500Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 284/1,600Load volume (cu m): 6.0Payload (kg): 1,283Comb fuel economy (mpg): 40.4CO2 emissions (g/km): 186Price (ex-VAT): £25,445

Specification

Behind the wheel

Need to know

body kit with colour-coded bumpers, stripy metallic paintwork, a rearview camera with a trailer hitch assist system, a lane-keeping alert system, front foglights, cruise control, air-conditioning, a heated windscreen, electronic stability control (ESC) and ABS brakes.

Under the bonnet is Ford’s tried and tested 2.2-litre turbodiesel offering 155bhp and 284lb-ft of torque.

n Rearview camera with trailer hitch assistn Lane-keeping and electronic stability controln Standard 2.2-litre turbodiesel offers 155bhp

Ford’s ‘prize’ redesignNew-look Transit is a delightful drive loaded with bling


VerdictIt may lack the sheer power of some rivals, but it’s such a good looker and such a delight to drive that Ford will have no problems selling all it can make.

By Trevor Gehlckenord’s replacement of its entire van range within two years continues apace with the launch of a Sportvan version of the much-acclaimed Transit Custom.

Fleet Van managed to get behind the wheel of the Sportvan at an event at Dunton in Essex, home of Ford’s designers and engine boffins.

The Sportvan isn’t exactly aimed at fleets – more at owner-drivers and SMEs – but vans like this do have a place among bigger business users. One idea mooted in Fleet Van by George Alexander, editor of Glass’s Guide to Commercial Vehicles, was to use a Sportvan as a “prize” – the driver that manages the best fuel economy from a standard van each month gets to drive this little beauty the next month. Just watch your fuel bills fall!

For £25,445 ex-VAT, you get 18in alloy wheels on low profile 235/50 tyres, leather seats, a special muscular

F

Accidents in your fleet?Don’t be put in the spotlight

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Find out why more fleets are switching to SelsiaTo arrange an appointment, call us on 01525 863 938

or email us at [email protected]

Vehicle care across the UKselsia-vac.co.uk

call Hiregate Vehicle Rental now: 0844 381 9000www.hiregate.co.uk

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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 11 5

Gross vehicle weight (kg): 3,005Power (bhp/rpm): 115/3,500Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 221/1,500Load volume (cu m): 5.0Payload (kg): 1,080Comb fuel economy (mpg): 40.9Test fuel economy (mpg): 39.1CO2 emissions (g/km): 180Price as tested (ex-VAT): £20,930

Specification

There’s life in the old dog yetAs Renault’s current model nears the end of its days, it’s still ahead of its time

By Trevor Gehlckenhey say time flies when you’re having fun – and that’s certainly true where our latest long-term test vehicle is concerned.

We can hardly believe it’s almost a year since the Renault Trafic Sport arrived at Fleet

Van. During that time it has almost become a family member and impressed everyone with its car-like manners and sheer practicality.

If this were a brand new model, we’d quite understand all the praise that’s been heaped upon it. But we are talking about a van that launched back in 2001 and is to be replaced with a brand new model next year.

Has there ever been a commercial vehicle launched that was so far ahead of its time? We doubt it.

The Trafic also masquerades as the Vauxhall Vivaro and the Nissan Primastar, so you can hardly drive down a street in the UK that doesn’t contain at least one of these derivatives. But under the skin, this is a product dreamt up and designed by Renault and its Gallic charms look as fresh today as they did in its infancy all those years ago.

Our model isn’t exactly the most fleet-like in the range – but anyone who scoffs at items such as metallic paint and alloy wheels, which this van has as standard, are ignoring those all-important wholelife costs.

For when you come to sell this van, not only will its shiny exterior attract more bids (assuming you have actually kept it in good condition, of course) but, according to the

Need to known Ideal size for daily commercial usen 12-year-old model due to be replaced next yearn Non-touchscreen satnav difficult to program

T

“The Renault Trafic Sport has almost become a

family member”

price guides, the Sport model will have a £600 premium over its more mundane brother.

This van is the ideal size for anyone who drives a commercial vehicle day in, day out. It’s small enough to winkle in and out of city streets and park easily on an average driveway, yet big enough to hold most items that you may need to lug around.

With the exception of the new Ford Transit Custom that went on sale this year, the Trafic and its twin brothers are just about the most car-like vans you can drive. Sitting in the very comfortable driver’s seat, you may as well be behind the wheel of a large MPV. The Trafic has admi-rable cornering abilities and gears snick in and out of place in a most satisfactory fashion.

I’ve undertaken many long trips in this van over the course of our test and have not once experienced any back twinges. And as the vehicle comes with air-con as standard, I was also kept cool, calm and collected during our hot summer days.

As for reliability, this van hasn’t missed a beat in its time here. In fact, we have yet to add any oil to the engine or any air to the tyres – amazing.

Mention must also be made of the built-in TomTom sat-nav system, which on several occasions has helped me out in unfamiliar cities. In my view, the TomTom units are far superior to many other offerings on the market, giving much clearer instructions and a better map view.

Sadly, it isn’t a touchscreen variety so to programme it, you have to scroll around a QWERTY keyboard with a remote sensor unit, which isn’t all that easy.

The only other minus point is that the Trafic doesn’t come with electronic stability control (ESC), which helps stop sideways skids, as standard. It will be a legal requirement on all vans from September 2014, so we are expecting this oversight to be rectified when the all-new Trafic appears next year.


When you come to sell this van, its shiny exterior will attract more bids

V a n r u n n i n g c o s t s


MWB panel vans

RUNNING COST COMPARISON (4YR/80,000 MILES)

By Trevor Gehlckenedium-wheelbase panel vans are one of the rarer species of commercial vehicle seen on our roads. But they perform a very particular function for fleets with certain needs.

If you need, say, to carry loads that only just exceed the dimensions of a short-wheelbase model, it would be a waste

of money to bump right up to the more common long-wheelbase van as these titans cost more both at the front end and in fuel.

As the various manufacturers jostle to fill every single fleet need, they’ve found that for some fleets, an ‘inbetweeny’ van like this will just fit the bill in terms of space, payload and cost.

The only way to judge these vans fairly against each other is to look at the pence per mile (ppm) running costs and you’ll find these on our own website – www.fleetnews.co.uk/vans.

This month’s contenders are the Citroën Relay, Ford Transit, Fiat Ducato, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Nissan NV400, Peugeot Boxer, Renault Master, Vauxhall Movano and Volkswagen Crafter. As with most van ranges, some of these share technology. The Relay, Ducato and Boxer are basically the same van, as are the Master and Movano, while the NV400 is a reworked Renault Master.

The Sprinter and Crafter both come off the same factory line too, although the VW has a different set of engines.

For our feature this month, we have chosen a four-year/80,000-mile life-cycle for our running cost comparison. All models have high roofs and weigh

M

Source: KeeResources

in at 3,000-3,500 kg gross vehicle weight. We have chosen models with a mid-range power output as these vans are likely to be carrying heavy loads, so will need the extra power.

Taking the number one slot in this sector is the Fiat Ducato which, although basically the same model as the Relay and the Boxer, has its own engine, which is more fuel-efficient and thus nudges the total ppm figure downwards.

The Boxer manages to win the second slot by a short head over the Relay, thanks to a slightly better predicted servicing, maintenance and repair (SMR) cost.

Also making a good showing is the Nissan NV400, which comes in at a cost of 46.93 pence per mile. It’s a particularly notable figure, as the Renault Master and Vauxhall Movano, which are basically the same van, only manage 48.70ppm and 48.38ppm respectively.

Both the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Volkswagen Crafter suffer from relatively higher fuel consumption, which set them apart from the front runner by 2.66ppm and 5.44ppm respectively. Meanwhile, the Renault Master suffers from a relatively high front-end cost.

The result of this number-crunching is that the worst performer, the Crafter, will cost a whopping £4,352 more to run over 80,000 miles than the Fiat Ducato.

For more van running costs, visit www.fleetnews.co.uk/vans

List price Power Torque Load vol GVW Payload CO2 Fuel economy Fuel cost Depr SMR Total (£) (bhp) (lb-ft) (cu m) (kg) (kg) (g/km) (mpg) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm)

Citroën Relay 33 L2 2.2HDi 130 HR 23680 130 236 11.5 3300 1221 199 37.7 16.71 25.1 4.36 46.17

Ford Transit 330 MWB FWD 2.2TDCi 125 HR 25020 125 221 8.9 3325 1442 209 35.8 17.59 25.48 3.94 47.01

Fiat Ducato 33 MWB 2.3Multijet II 130 HRf 23740 130 236 11.5 3300 1375 189 39.2 16.07 24.77 3.75 44.59

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 213 MWB 3.0t 2.1CDi 129 HR 24274 129 225 10.5 700 2000 222 33.2 18.97 24.66 3.62 47.25

Nissan NV400 L2 35 FWD 2.3dCi 125 HR 24195 125 229 11.6 3500 1569 221 34.03 18.51 24.4 4.02 46.93

Peugeot Boxer 333 L2 2.2HDi 130 HR 23536 130 236 10 3300 1375 199 37.6 16.75 25.08 3.43 45.26

Renault Master MWB 35 FWD 2.3dCi 125 HR 26324 125 229 12.3 3500 1569 205 36.2 17.4 27.28 4.02 48.70

Vauxhall Movano F35 L2 2.3CDTi 125 HR 25788 125 229 12.3 3500 1569 209 35.3 17.84 26.36 4.18 48.38

Volkswagen Crafter CR35MWB 2.0D 143 HR 27735 143 258 11.0 3500 1402 213 34.9 18.05 28.11 3.87 50.03

The Fiat Ducato is more fuel-efficient than the related Relay and Boxer

“For some fleets, an ‘inbetweeny’ van like this will just fit the bill”

The VW Crafter will cost £4,352 more over 80,000 miles than the Ducato

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