Essential Guide to Van Safety: Options for Improvement – Driver Management
May 24, 2013 | 
Author This week’s Guide to Van Safety page provides suggestions for improvement, including descriptions and examples of the activities that you can put in place to improve the safety of van operations within your organisation.
The measures have been split into four key sections outlined below. The information under these headings includes descriptions, methods and comparisons between various o
ptions.
• Safe Management Systems (covered in last week’s guide)
• Driver Management
• Vehicle Management
• Journey Management
We continue on with Driver Management this week and cover the remaining key sections in the following weeks.
To read the Essential Guide to Van Safety: Options for Improvement – Driver Management, please click here.
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Toyota named best car brand on BrandZ™ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands report
Toyota has announced that they have taken back the coveted number one spot as the most valuable automotive brand in the recently published BrandZ™ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2013. Toyota’s brand value increased by 12% to $24.5 billion (£16.2 billion), making it one of the biggest movers in the automotive sector. In doing so, this brought BMW down a notch on the list and thoroughly surpassed Mercedes-Benz who placed a whole 23 places behind Toyota.
The BrandZ™ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands study, commissioned by WPP and conducted by Millward Brown Optimor, is the world’s largest brand equity database (a marketing term used to describe the value of having a well-known brand name that will generate more money from products). The BrandZ™ report was first published back in 2006 and Toyota was crowned brand value leader in the automotive sector six times (coming in second on two separate occasions). Toyota’s global sales in 2012 increased by 22.6% to 9.75 million units which positively contributed towards the company’s brand valuation in this year’s report. The BrandZ™ report also suggests that brand value developments in the sector were shaped in part by the growth of customer affinity towards hybrid vehicles.
Since Toyota pioneered the world’s first mass produced full hybrid vehicle in 1997 – Toyota Prius – sales of Toyota and Lexus hybrid models have exceeded 5 million globally. UK customers can choose from the widest range of hybrid vehicles of any manufacturer including: Yaris Hybrid, Auris Hybrid, Auris Hybrid Touring Sports, Prius, Prius+, Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and Lexus CT 200h, IS 300h, GS 450h, RX 450h, LS 600h.
A big congratulation to Toyota for reclaiming the top automotive position in BrandZ™ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands. To see if and where your favourite brands have placed on the rather interesting report, please click here.
Truckmania: Beaulieu’s newest family fun event this Bank Holiday weekend
Have you made plans yet for the Bank Holiday weekend that is fast approaching? If you haven’t made up your mind and you love all things motor, especially transport and commercial vehicles, then perhaps a weekend at Beaulieu’s newest event, Truckmania would suit you. Truckmania will be held at the grounds of the National Motor Museum. The fantastic family event takes place this Sunday 26th and Monday 27th of the May Bank Holiday weekend.
A range of eye-catching customised and branded trucks will be on display, including a Lewis Hamilton F1 themed truck from Sean M Taylor Transport, an Ice Truckers’ branded lorry provided by KER Transport and a number of film-branded vehicles from Dalton’s Transport, including The Hangover, Rocky and The Avengers. Saints Transport and Harris Transport will also be in attendance at the event with their own lorry transport.
For those that adore nostalgic transport vehicles, there will be plenty attending the event, spanning the motoring generations. White & Co PLC will be displaying one of their oldest commercial vehicles, the dray, alongside one of their most modern, eco-friendly lorries, Bournemouth & Poole Preservation Society will be showing a selection of their stunning classic and vintage vehicles, and a fully-restored 1910 fuel tanker, complete with Anglo American Oil Company stamped brass hub covers will be on display for visitors to see, courtesy of its owner and restorer, Alan Chandler. Pretty cool, huh?
From monster trucks, stunts, plentiful displays, and demonstrations, there will something there for all members of the family. Adults can even get stuck right into the trucking action. Mums and Dads can test their strength in Tug-a-Truck, to see how far they can pull a real lorry cab and every brave person who has a go will receive an ‘I’ve pulled at Beaulieu’ badge to wear proudly. Meanwhile younger visitors can take a ride in mini trucks on Beaulieu’s Dipsticks Driving Circuit* and have a go on the fairground dodgems free of charge, plus enjoy an inflatable playground (for an additional fee).
And if all of that wasn’t enough, trucking TV personality, Mark Dixon (you know, the driver from Eddie Stobart: Trucks & Trailers on Channel 5) will be helping to host the event to meet and talk to visitors.
What makes this an exceptional value for money family event is that Truckmania can be enjoyed as part of your visit to the Beaulieu Attraction including the National Motor Museum, Palace House, Beaulieu Abbey, World of Top Gear and BOND IN MOTION. Beaulieu attraction admission tickets are available to buy on arrival on the day of your visit, or at a discounted rate in advance online at www.beaulieushop.co.uk. See you there!
Fiat Professional’s van range wins pair of awards at 2013 Van Fleet World Honours
More exciting award announcements have been reported this week. This time Fiat Professional have posted about how their exceptional commercial van range was decreed winners of the 2013 Van Fleet World Honours, which are presented annually to those motor manufacturers, service companies and individuals who have, in the opinion of the judges, achieved the highest possible level of excellence in their sector. The Fiat Doblò Cargo was named Best Small Van, while the Fiorino took the Best Light Van award at a special ceremony held at the Royal AutomobileClub, Pall Mall, in London.
So, what makes the Doblò Cargo van the best small van winner? Probably has something to do with it being the first LCV to have a bi-link rear suspension which ensures a smooth ride, lower loading height and better width between wheelarches. Additionally, the bi-link suspension permits a rear axle load up to 1,450kg. Oh and not to mention its hefty carrying capacity in both weight and size terms: up to 1 ton payload and up to 5.0 m3 volume. Those are pretty good reasons to garner awards for and I sure can’t argue with that.
How about the Fiorino, what attributes contributed to its second year big win? Firstly, Fiat Professional’s Fiorino van is said to be a favourite choice amongst businesses and fleets. Plus it has a generous specification with up to 660 kg payload and 2.5 cubic metres load volume, which may be increased to 2.8 cubic metres in conjunction with the optional, folding passenger seat. Running costs and emissions are kept to an absolute minimum, thanks to Fiat’s latest MultiJet II technology. The 75bhp 1.3-litre MultiJet II diesel has a Combined Cycle fuel consumption figure of 68.9mpg when fitted with the Comfort-matic gearbox. As they are so popular, you are probably driving one right now. Would you agree that your Fiat van is economical to run, agile in traffic, easy to park and inexpensive to repair?
Sebastiano Fedrigo, director, Fiat Professional UK says: “We are delighted and proud to receive these prestigious awards for Doblò Cargo and Fiorino from the Van Fleet World judges. Both Doblò Cargo and Fiorino are widely-regarded throughout the industry and have firmly established themselves as class-leading products in their respective segments. These latest accolades provide further endorsement of the quality and strength of the award-winning Fiat Professional range.”
A big congratulation to Fiat Professional for the very worthy 2013 Van Fleet World Honours award wins.
To get your hands behind the wheel of one the most popular and exciting range of commercial vehicles on the market, take a look at our line up of Fiat award winning vans. All our Fiat vans for sale are UK sourced to ensure quick delivery and the benefit of UK specifications and extensive warranty and aftercare services. We offer a range of finance options including Fiat van leasing and can deliver your vehicle anywhere in the UK. Get in touch with us today so we can help you find the right van.
Business Vans review the new Mercedes Sprinter van
The first UK Euro 6 compliant van due to launch later this year, the new Mercedes Sprinter, has been reviewed on Business Vans website recently. The website for van users ranging from small businesses, trades, and SME fleet van operators gave a thorough assessment of the new Sprinter. The final verdict was a phenomenal thumbs up from Business Vans.
The review carefully notes the details of all of the new systems, changes, and upgrades, both cosmetically and internally, with some having never before been seen on a van. One of the biggest questions surrounding the inclusion of the new Euro 6 engine is whether or not it is negatively going to impacted fuel economy. Although, the review doesn’t answer this question directly, it provides a brief explanation of how other factors/changes could potentially negatively offset the proposed fuel savings.
The new Sprinter model will continue to be powered by 2.2 and 3.0-litre diesel engines with power outputs ranging from 95hp to 190hp. It will come with safety systems such as Crosswind Assist, a standard fit on all versions, plus a host of optional features: Collision prevention Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Highbeam Assist and Lane Keeping Assist.
As for the innovative new safety systems mentioned above, the reviewer seemed to applaud some, but not all. The Crosswind Assist and Lane Keeping Assist were their least favourite safety features. This particular van test evaluated what the reviewer felt was “Hot” and “Not” about the new Mercedes Sprinter van, due for a September time launch. Please click here to read the Business Van website article titled “Mercedes Sprinter van review – the price of safety and economy”, written by Peter Witherington to see if you agree with the final verdict.
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