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Online Van Auctions Yielding Top Prices for Sellers

Tuesday, April 10th, 2012

Recent research has found a significant difference in the prices paid for commercial vans sold online compared with those sold in the auction hall during the last year. Analysis showed that, while the value of vans sold in the auction halls fell by 3.4%, those selling online saw their average values increase by 10.9%.

Significantly, when compared with commercial vans sold this time last year the average age of vans sold online has increased by four months while the age of vans sold in the auction halls increased by twelve months. Over the same period average mileage of vans sold online increased by 3,360 miles while that of vans sold in the auction halls went up by 8,410. Fleet managers are having to do much more research because there are pros and cons to both online and auction hall sales and they are all fighting for the best price possible on a van that they will protect with cheap van insurance.

James Davis, director of commercial vehicles, Manheim Remarketing, said “It is clear that there has been considerable used van inflation in the wholesale market during the last year. Overall vans are nearly a year older, with 8,000 more miles; yet average sale price has remained level. The new analysis clearly shows the significant contribution made by online van buyers. We regularly see audiences of up to 200 physical and 150 online buyers at our auctions competing to secure vans from stock levels that will continue to decrease over the next eighteen months.”

Buyers are looking at a combination of age, mileage, condition and specification and it is the best vans that are being fought over most intensely by fleet managers. Dealers are having to diversify their stock and are looking further afield to fill gaps with vans they may not have previously considered because of age and mileage.

Tags: cheap van insurance, Commercial Vans, Van Auctions, van sales, Vans Online
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Liberty Wines Invest in a new Route Planning System for its Delivery Vans

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Liberty Wines are hoping to boost their delivery service with an advanced route planning and scheduling system from Paragon Software Systems. The software will include street level mapping for accurate routing and even has a special Olympics planning functionality to make sure that their customers receive their orders on time throughout the duration of the games.

Liberty Wines currently run a large fleet of delivery vans that are all protected by cheap van insurance and used for daily deliveries in the capital, and weekly deliveries to customers throughout the Home Counties. The majority of the drivers are long-term subcontractors who are paid a weekly wage. Up to now Liberty had to plan deliveries manually which meant they could only estimate the start and finish of the deliveries. However, with Paragon they will have the benefit of knowing precisely which vehicle and driver is delivering each order without searching through paperwork because the information will be available at the touch of a button.

Ben Marriott, customer services manager at Liberty Wines, said “Paragon will enable us to plan more efficiently and effectively, making better use of our vehicle fleet and improving the service to our customers. The street level-mapping option we have selected takes account of road constraints such as one-way streets, no-entries and turn restrictions. This will help us to plan and manage our London deliveries with greater accuracy, where timed deliveries to leading restaurants are a key part of our service offering.”

The pre-programmed Olympic planning feature will be vital to Liberty as they are located on the Olympic Route Network and the feature will make sure that they can provide the best service while both the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games are taking place.

Tags: cheap van insurance, Delivery Vans, Liberty Wines, Olympic Games, Paragon Software Systems, Route Planning System
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UK Taxation on Fuel the Highest in EU

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

It will come as no surprise to most van drivers in the UK that British drivers are the most heavily taxed motorists in Europe.

That is the finding of a report emanating from the European Commission Oil Bulletin (ECOB) and explains why commercial drivers in the UK put such importance on finding cheap van insurance in an attempt to keep their motoring costs down. According to ECOB 60% of the price on unleaded and 58% of diesel is tax and fuel duty imposed by the Government. It is by far the highest in Europe and explains why commercial freight organisations are backing the FairFuelUK campaign. Campaigners say the way the Government charges VAT on top of the price of fuel after other taxes have been added, is the reason why we pay the most and the campaigners are urging Chancellor George Osborne to at least change this system.

Diesel, the fuel used by most commercial operations, is significantly higher than anywhere else in Europe, with countries like Germany and France paying well below 50% in taxation, while motorists in Luxembourg only pay 38%. Taxation on unleaded fuel is rather more evenly balanced but nevertheless the UK still comes out as the highest taxed. The cold reality of the figures shows that without taxation, the litre of diesel that you put in your tank today would cost less than 60p!

The figures were disclosed by Philip Davies who may be a Conservative MP but is certainly not on the side of Chancellor George Osborne when it comes to fuel prices; he said, “Fuel duty is already too high and hard-pressed families can’t afford to pay even more. The Government’s debt crisis was caused by spending being too high, not taxes being too low and therefore the solution to the problem is for the Government to cut its spending – not to kick people in the teeth with higher taxes.”

Tags: cheap van insurance, FairFuelUK, Fuel Prices, van insurance
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Innovation Award for Fleet Intelligence Technology Company

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

Zurich has won an award for its Fleet Intelligence which recognises innovation in service. Zurich Fleet Intelligence will help firms to improve their fleet operations and manage their risk. Launched in the United Kingdom less than two years ago, Fleet Intelligence goes beyond the normal telematics products on offer at the moment, offering an easy-to-implement, integrated solution.

It combines vehicle telematics technology that has been fully tested and includes helpful reporting and driver development tools. The information helps fleet managers improve safety, reduce operating costs and cut environmental impact by cutting fuel consumption and the wear and tear of the commercial vehicle. Onboard telematics technology will allow a fleet manager to monitor and assess their driver behaviour at the same time as gathering data that could help them to get a better deal when looking for a cheap van insurance quote.

The technology tracks and measures both vehicle and driver behaviour on a continuous basis and the fleet manager then gets the resulting data via a web portal. This data gives an insight that can then be used for driver training. Many customers in the United Kingdom have seen a quick return on their investment. Within six months, fuel savings of up to 15% can be easily achieved as a result of newly adapted behaviour by the drivers. In the same time period, collisions, minor incidents, damage to a company’s own vehicles and third party costs can all be reduced by a significant percentage.

Nick List, Zurich Fleet Intelligence proposition manager, said: “We are delighted that Zurich Fleet Intelligence has been recognised by Celent with an ‘Innovation in Service’ Award. We are constantly developing our products and services to meet the needs of our customers. The feedback from organisations has been very positive so far because the proposition helps customers to increase driver safety which can in turn deliver cost savings. This benefit is especially important in these challenging economic times.”

Tags: cheap van insurance, cheap van insurance quote, Zurich Fleet Intelligence
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Tyre firm gives commercial fleet operators more choice

Monday, February 6th, 2012

At a time when fleet managers throughout the United Kingdom are looking more than ever to find increased value in their vehicles, Stapleton’s tyre service has focused their business on providing both improved service and a broader range of tyres from which companies can choose.

Fleet managers are well accustomed to looking for bargains, it may involve looking for cheap van insurance or even discounted service charges, it will certainly involve looking for competitive tyre pricing. Stapleton’s has just won the Tyre Wholesaler of the Year award for the second year running and their leading position in the UK tyre industry has been put down to their “working for the customer” philosophy. They are aware how tough it is for retail customers and they are working hard to meet the needs of the customer quickly and accurately. Stapleton’s can provide a tyre from stock for every commercial van on the road and have a huge portfolio of exclusive mid-range and budget brands that can be sent out faster than ever with deliveries ranging from hourly, three times a day and next day depending on the location of the customer.

Fast delivery is vital to commercial van operators who cannot afford to have vans off the road while they wait for tyres. Stapleton’s stock around 1.2 million tyres, held at twenty-two warehouses and twenty distribution points throughout the United Kingdom. Last year the company added the Maxxis range to its stock which offers the combination of safety, durability and performance that hard pressed commercial van operator’s demand. Stapleton’s has tyres for drivers carrying heavier loads as well as tyres that are designed for driving in the urban environment.

Stapleton’s Managing Director, Yutaka Kimbara, said “The expansion of our van tyre range is a key part of the customer focused ethos that has helped us overcome the less than favourable market conditions of last year. As a round the clock, time pressured operation running a fleet of 275 vans throughout the UK we at Stapleton’s are all too familiar with the challenges tyre retailers face and I’m sure our customers will value this extra choice and value.”

Tags: cheap van insurance, commercial fleet operators, Fleet managers, Tyres
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Fleet operators given warning over unforeseen and unwanted costs

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

Dealers and fleet operators are being warned that new Euro 5 emissions rules may impact resale values and running costs. Vans most at risk will be those which are used for short-distance urban work, where particulate filters can be susceptible to clogging.

Compliance with the new Euro 5 emissions legislation relies in part on the use of diesel particulate filters and this will pose problems for some owners. The filters will easily clog under the typical conditions faced in large cities meaning expensive repairs and replacements. This is expected to spark caution in the future used van market and trade buyers will factor in the risk of a clogged particulate filter when determining the price they will pay for a used Euro 5 van. There are also fears that cheap van insurance could be more difficult to find on vans affected by the emissions ruling.

John Watts, a spokesman for CAP, who are a leading vehicle data and valuation service, said “Many diesel particulate filters require specific drive cycles in order to remain working efficiently. These filters need to reach a certain operating temperature before effectively reducing particulate emissions, but if this is not achieved they can become prone to clogging. This problem will mostly emerge in low speed, short distance operating cycles, typically undertaken in large conurbations. This type of operating environment could become even more of a problem for future owners since operational radius tends to reduce in the secondary market.”

Most manufacturers issue guidelines about preventing total blockage, advising owners to drive the van at speed for a minimum time period. Doing this allows the filter to reach operating temperature so that it can burn off the carbon particulates. CAP’s view is that used van buyers need to be aware of the need for a filter that functions properly and that problems may not be routinely covered under a manufacturer’s warranty. A way to avoid the unnecessary and unwanted costs is to lease a van under a contract hire agreement, with full maintenance included. This not only protects the company from unforeseen maintenance costs, it also protects from any future value decline.

Tags: cheap van insurance, Euro 5 emissions rules, Fleet operators, legislations
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Debate on fuel duty to take place in November

Friday, November 4th, 2011

As the continued high price of petrol and diesel cripples the many millions of drivers who rely on their vehicles to make a living, van drivers with an interest in cheap van insurance will have been delighted this week when parliament announced a date for the debate on fuel prices.

The debate which was forced on the government when an online petition organised by the Fair FuelUK group reached the target of 100,000 signatures. The House of Commons will debate the issue on November the 15th and the hall is guaranteed to be full when the issue gets underway. The announcement comes after the Fair FuelUK group and members of the press had started asking questions as to when the debate would take place after the trigger target had been reached in September.

The news will particularly please commercial transport institutions and any private traders who need transport to go about their business. Quentin Wilson, the TV motoring expert and a leading light behind the campaign, said “At last we’ve got a petrol and diesel pricing debate nailed down. But it took a lot of pushing and shoving from FairFuelUK to make it happen. This debate will show the Treasury that a cut in fuel duty won’t actually cost them anything.

“They’re losing billions because people are driving and spending less. Helping families get back on the road and into the shops will create an instant increase in spending power and consumer activity. This will create jobs, stimulate growth and have the added benefit of reducing inflation.”

The debate will be organised by the Back Bench Committee of the House of Commons and will take place in the main chamber.

Tags: cheap van insurance, Fair FuelUK, Fuel
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Scottish fleets are given the chance to test hybrid vans

Wednesday, August 31st, 2011

Fleet managers will be given the opportunity to test drive a hybrid light commercial van during the Green Fleet Scotland event that takes place next week. Ashwoods Automotive are one of the best known players in the field of low emission technology for commercial vehicles and they will be showing off their latest development at the show.

In Recent years Ashwoods have sold over 300 commercial vehicles to both the Private and Public Sector, with all the vehicles converted to LPG (Liquefied petroleum gas) at the company’s centre in Somerset. They have many happy customers who are benefiting from fuel and tax savings, not to mention the ongoing after sales service which they provide through a network of approved garages in the United Kingdom. The firm has supplied hybrid vans and minibuses to public sector fleets, through Transport Scotland’s LCVPSS (Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Support Scheme). Customers include local councils of Argyll & Bute, East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk and North Ayrshire who all have vans covered by cheap van insurance, plus NHS Ayrshire who are saving money by using hybrid vans.

Councillor Tom Barr said: “It is important to remember that the benefits of energy efficiency are twofold. Not only do we ensure that we are doing our best to save the environment from the effects of carbon emissions – we are saving money while doing so. This is especially important at a time when finances are tight.”

Ashwood vehicles recover energy which is lost during deceleration and then turn it into power through an electric torque assist. This means that the engine will not have to work as hard, resulting in a 25% saving on fuel consumption. Because the hybrid system is self-powered, the van will never have to be plugged in for a battery charge. The vans will be available to test drive at the event Green Fleet Scotland, which is taking place at the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh.

Tags: cheap van insurance, Fleet managers, Scottish fleets
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Court goes easy on speeding motorist in order to save jobs

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

A motorist has avoided a driving ban despite being caught by police officers travelling at more than double the speed limit along the A64. Drainage worker Stephen Shaw was stopped by police while driving a Vauxhall Movano van at 88mph on a 40mph stretch of road.

The Magistrates’ Court was told how Mr Shaw had been cautioned at the roadside by officers and he admitted the offence. He owned up to what he conceded was a stupid piece of driving and acknowledged that ignorance of the speed limit on the road he was travelling was no defence.

He told the court that he was the owner of a deep drainage company who did work around the Yorkshire area and had recently taken on extra work further north in the Middlesbrough area. If he was to lose his driving licence he would have to lay off some of his staff. He explained to the court that even though all his workers are licensed to drive the firms vans which are covered by cheap van insurance, only he and one other member of his staff are licensed to drive the three-and-a-half tonne vehicles which are vital to the future of his business.

Magistrate Mr Brian Wood said: “Sentencing guidelines recommend that you should be facing a ban because the speeding offence was more than 30mph over the limit. However, I have decided that due to the circumstances I will on this occasion show leniency, but if you are caught again, you will be looking at a much longer ban.”

Mr Shaw was given six points on his licence, and ordered to pay a £273 fine, £48 costs, a £15 victim surcharge, as well as hit on his van insurance quotes. He says he will be much more careful in the future because both his business and his staff will suffer if he is caught again. He is also giving his drivers training to make sure they are aware of speeds limits while driving a company vehicle.

Tags: cheap van insurance, safety, Speeding, van drivers
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United Kingdom to see the return of the mini-van

Monday, June 27th, 2011

Although it has not been seen in the United Kingdom for a few years, the mini-van is all set to make its comeback thanks to Vestatec Automotive Distribution who firmly believe there new product will soon be in demand.

The firm intend to import a range of vans from China and they are going to sell them through the forty dealers who have signed up to the scheme. Former Mitsubishi UK managing director Jim Tyrrell is now a shareholder and is confident that they will be selling one thousand of the mini-vans each year for the next five years.

Mr Tyrrell said: “This is a niche market but I really think this business will grow into something significant. The mini-van stopped being imported because of the problems with the exchange rate, not because people didn’t want them. Today, with the economy the way it is, it’s the ideal time for a comeback. The vans are flexible, have extremely tight turning circles and are incredibly economical; they are ideal for small traders who can cover them with cheap van insurance and are willing to sacrifice a bit of luxury for efficiency.”

Four of the vans are powered by a 1.3 litre petrol engine and have been compared to the Bedford Rascal. The compact single-cab van is priced at £8,999 and comes with a capacity of over three square metres. The low load bed and rear door makes for easy loading and the sliding doors will also be very useful. Each van will be fitted with a five-speed manual transmission and the fuel consumption will give the owner 35mpg. The company also has plans to import some electric-powered models after the ongoing tests have been completed.

Monica Guise, who is the transport services manager at the University of Birmingham, already uses electric vehicles to allow carpenters and electricians to get around the campus quickly and she is interested in the revival of the mini-van. She feels many public sector bodies will be keeping a close eye out on the progress of the van in the coming years.

Tags: cheap van insurance, commercial vehicle insurance, Mini-Vans, Vestatec Automotive Distribution
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