Changes to the design and equipment fitted to 3.5 tonne vans impact the load capacity of the vehicle and, in certain specifications - especially areas such as refrigeration work or parcel carrying - dramatical reduce the vehicles capability.

This year, we have seen a marked increased in the number of vehicle operators that are finding they are overloading their vans, or are dangerously close to doing so. As the DVSA ramp up their enforcement efforts, targeting vans, van fleet operators are coming unstuck.

The biggest markets for concern are:

• Fridger / Chiller vehicles
• Those requiring the fitment of a tail lift on the vehicles
• Vehicle delivery companies
• General parcel companies
• Companies with specialist bodywork needs

Additional safety and environmental requirements all add weight to the basic vehicle. This includes even simple things like the AdBlue tank, emissions reduction kit, air bags, etc. Meanwhile, the maximum permitted weights for vehicles driving licence categoriers (aside of some allowances for altenatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) in the UK only) has not changed. 

Addtionally, any vehicle body modifications or additions to meet your operational requiremend add weight and reduce payload.

Another common oversight is the crew. Do you have 1 or 2 crew members in the vehicle? Their weight also counts in the total weight of the vehicle. If you usually have only 1 (the driver), but tomorrow there will be 2 crew members, have you considered the impact this will have on the vehicles load capacity?

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In a recent case with a chilled delivery operation, concerns were raised about the amount of weight being put in the vehicles. The company and warehouse manager had always assumed that they could ‘Get a tonne on a Transit’

When they weighed the 16 vehicles to get the kerbside weight, they found that – dependent on body type – they could actually only get between 550 – 800 kg of food on the vehicles. That was running single crewed; on the double crewed operations, they needed to reduce that by the weight of the second crew member.

This basically meant that they have had to review the whole operation to remain legal. They are now changing their fleet to more 7.2 kg vehicles that require different driving licences and driver training requirements, as well as an increase to their Operator Licence from 3 to 12 vehicles.

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Know your weights.

Know your kerbside weight

What does your vehicle weigh when it is ready for the road. That is with a full tank of fuel, washer bottle, driver (and crew member(s), if there are normally more than the driver in the vehicle) and any ratchet straps, chains, packing material needed for the journey or job.

Get proof of this from a weigh bridge and keep the weigh bridge ticket as proof.

PAYLOAD = GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT – KERBSIDE WEIGHT

 

Review your Fleet Requirements

With your van fleet, are you really getting the advantages that you hoped?

Can you confidently and safely carrying what you need within the bounds of the vehicles maximum permitted weights?

 

If you need any advice or support in checking your fleet or reviewing your requirements, please call A S Miles Consulting on 01455 389053 or email info@asmilesconsulting.com for a confidential chat… before you have an interview under caution.