Tip No2 From SMMT Say’s Boxby

The type of van you drive and the way you maintain and use it has a significant impact on the amount of fuel it consumes. Every litre of diesel you use releases 2.63kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere which contributes to the  climate change. The more fuel you save, the  more cash  you save so reduce your emissions and save money by following this simple tip.

Moterway roller or city slicker?

Where will you drive and how fast?. If you use moterways or dual carriageways, a big engine and overdrive sixth gear could save you fuel and cash. If you’re always in town traffic, a smaller engine will save you fuel.

Tip No1 Good Advice From The SMMT Say’s Boxby

Courier companies size matters!

The type of van you drive and the way you maintain and use it has a significant impact on the amount of fuel it consumes. Every litre of diesel you use releases 2.63kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere which contributes to the  climate change. The more fuel you save, the  more cash  you save so reduce your emissions and save money by following this simple tip.

Choose the van that best suits the job. Do you need a big load space? it’s cheaper to run a small van fully loaded than a half empty larger van. Hire the bigger van for the few times you need it and remember: overloading is illegal, hikes your servicing costs and hammers your van’s residual value.

Couriers Must Get Moving Before The £300 Million Runs Out Says Boxby

For couriers to qualify for the governments’ £2,000 van scrappage discount they must be.

1. The owner of the new van must be the same person who owned the scrapped van.
2. Your van must be over ten years old. Any vehicle offered must have been registered before 31st August 1999.
3. Trade-in a ten year old vehicle for a brand new van under 3,500 kg.
4. You will need a current MOT certificate
5. Any van offered must have a valid DVLA registration documents in the name of the owner.
6. The owner must have owned the van for at least 12 months prior to trading-in the vehicle.
7. Initially it was thought that the vehicle should also be legally taxed and insured. After further clarification by the Telegraph Motoring, the SMMT have decided that neither a tax disc nor car insurance will be required.
8. All vans offered for scrap must be a van weighing up to 3,500 kgs
9. First registration date of new van must be Britain 18th May 2009 and there must be no previous owners of any description and should meet British specification only.  This excludes bargain priced vans unused and already pre-registered and unused foreign specification vehicles.
10. The new van can originate from any motor manufacturer anywhere in the world.
11. The brand new vehicle should be fuel efficient and low-polluting.
12. Participating van dealerships need to sign up to the Government incentive to be able to operate the scheme.
13. Van dealerships are required to contribute £1,000 towards the £2,000 discount being offered by the Treasury Department

Couriers Give Boxby Full Support

Couriers are 100% behind Boxby’s idea to scrap courier vans over 5 years old

Boxby have had a huge response to the idea of scrapping vans that are more than 5 years old.  Many small courier companies buy ex parcel company fleet vans, and the vans have high mileage and high levels of wear and tear when the smaller courier companies acquire them. 

Boxby wants the government to reduce the age limit for scrapping vans from 5 years from the existing level of 8 years, enabling the couriers to replace their inefficient knackered out vehicles with a modern environmentally better fuel efficient vehicle.

Scrap the inefficient vans early, says Boxby

Boxby couriers suggests that the government should  help couriers to scrap vans at five years old, not eight. 

Couriers need to replace old vans at five years old and not at eight years as the Government van scrappage scheme suggests.  Courier vans have a very hard life on the road, six days a week,  on all sorts of roads and surfaces, with lots of starting,  stopping,  and heavy braking.  And that takes toll on any type of van.

Some of the small independent courier’s vans are just worn-out, and most of the vans have done more than 500,000 miles by the time they’re five years old.  With that amount of mileage the vans use as much as 20% more fuel than a new van, and theyuse more oil and pollute more.   “If the scrappage scheme let couriers replace vans at 5 years instead of 8, this would have a huge impact on the courier industry” said Alistair Patterson from Boxby couriers. “It would help the couriers to replace their ineffecient vans and reduce their expenses and stay competitive.”   Scrapping worn out vans early will also will increase the number of van sales and give the commercial vehicle industry in the UK a much needed boost.

Good News For The Couriers Industry Says Boxby

It seems that the couriers companies are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel

Some of the UK oldest established courier companies are finding business is starting to pick up at a steady pace. With new small contracts and new enquiry every day, “ it starting to look a little bit better,  and the couriers sound a little happier says Alistair Patterson  of  Boxby UK couriers services. It’s been a hard time for the courier industry over the last two years with lots of their companies going out business every day. With Christmas just around the corner things should pick up a little more we hope”.

Another Courier Disaster

The average price of diesel went up by almost 5p between May and June, which Boxby Couriers warns is another disaster for the transport industry.

The average cost of diesel currently stands at 104.66p per litre, compared to 97.68p per litre in May.  Companies are already feeling the strain of fuel rises at a time when budgets around the country are already at full stretch. The Government’s imminent increase in fuel duty will further negatively affect businesses, and that means all increases will need to be passed on to the customers. 

“The latest fuel cost rises mean that refilling a typical 70-litre fuel tank will now cost an extra £3.50″ said Alistair Patterson Director of Boxby.  “This will come as a massive blow to van drivers and couriers as they look to limit their outgoings during the economic downturn.”  Van drivers and couriers, as well as many other small businesses, will no doubt be looking to the Government to provide them with additional support as they try and cope with this latest set of fuel rises.

There are a number of steps van users and couriers can take to remain frugal during the economic downturn. For instance, more drivers are investing in Satellite Navigation technology to ensure that they get to unfamiliar target destinations much quicker and save fuel in the process, and using companies like Boxby to help keep their vans full with extra deliveries.

Couriers Are Not Trying To Kill You

It’s a well known fact that couriers have a bad name on our roads today with the nickname of “THE WHITE VAN MAN” meaning that they are always in a hurry to deliver items to businesses and homes all over the UK with every minute a prisoner, couriers driving right up to your bumper and overtaking on dangerous bits of the roads, all to get the job done.

Put yourself in their shoes to discover the pressure that couriers are under to make a living, and if they are working for a company, they need to deliver to the customer on time no matter what happens on the roads.  And this is the reason they don’t have time to dilly- dally. If they work for themselves it’s all about getting as many items delivered rather than time more items mean more money.

So the next time a white van man passes you on your journey, just remember that they are only trying to make a living the same as everyone else.

Is Hybrid-electric Vehicles The Life Line For Courier Services

One of the world’s biggest courier companies, Fedex, has just added 10 hybrid-electric vehicles to its UK fleet.

The makers of the vehicles are Modec a London based company. The company say that each van should save between 10 – 11 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year, travelling an average of 14,000 miles per year.

The vans are made perfectly for delivering parcels  in a city environments.  The vans run on batteries giving the vans a range of 60-100 miles on one night charge depending on the battery choice, and with a max speed of 50 mph and a pay load of 2 tonnes. The rate of battery development is continuing to accelerate and it’s not unlikely to have a product that can store up to three times more energy within three years.

The Modec claims that it’s hybrid van will cost  the same as an equivalent diesel van within three years, if battery costs continue to fall at the predicted rate.  With fuel costs of only 7p per mile compared to 29p for equivalent diesel van the Modec vehicles are not only good for the environment, they also look as if they’re going to be good for the wallet too!

Death Threat To Courier Companys

Fuel Prices are set to peak around 120p per litre by the end of this year, this will spell death to a lot of small independent courier companies.  At the  price of  103.6p per litre now its hard enough to make a living, but if fuel rises to 120p per litre it will just kill off lots of courier’s businesses.

The latest increases in fuel have come from the escalating cost of crude oil.  Its expected that the cost of a barrel of oil will more than double to around $145 – $147 by the end of the year.  And with the 2p per litre increase in fuel tax in September and the vat returning to 17.5% by the end of the year, its not good news.

I think its time that the transport industry to get together and put pressure on the government to subsidize the fuel the same way that they do for farmers who use red diesel.  Why not let the transport companies use red diesel at a reduced cost in commercial vehicles only.  This would keep them in business and help lift the UK economy out of recession.