Author: News Desk

Shh! Driverless Vans are Real!

Posted on by News Desk

Over in America the times, they are a changin’. Yes, over the pond, permission has just been granted for the testing of the world’s first driverless van. 

It has no controls – no steering wheel, no foot pedals, no rear-view mirrors. Nothing. Nada, Zip. It’s also smaller in size than most American cars. It’s envisaged that the vehicle will be used for delivering hot food, like pizzas, groceries and small packages, in the first instance.

Nuro, the manufacturer of autonomous delivery vans could spell the end to your American brothers, the American men (and women) in vans. 

Testing will start in the coming months in Houston, Texas. It’s the first test of its kind, as previous tests of driverless cars in the USA have always required a human in the front who is (theoretically) able to use their own controls to stop the vehicle or avoid an accident if one looks imminent. (Although that hasn’t always worked out quite as planned). Tests will be overseen by the US Department of Transport.

The vehicle, which has a top speed of 25mph, is being heralded as a ‘milestone in the industry’, but it’s likely safe to say the UK van industry doesn’t need to break a sweat just yet. Let’s think about it. How many pizzas do we actually deliver here in the UK? How about all those twisty-turny narrow lanes, complex traffic systems and double-parked cars most UK van drivers have to contend with each and every day? It’s not quite the long straight roads on grids, with quiet, wide-open roads that they have in Texas, is it? How many vans the size of small cars would we need to actually make all the deliveries that we need? Mrs CVI could fill one with her weekly Waitrose shop in one go.

If the future really is driverless, it’s safe to say that here at least, van drivers only have to worry about getting the best van driver insurance deal for themselves, and not the future and being laid off as a result of a robot. Not just yet, anyway.

Pasty Wars in Cornwall

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Just weeks after reporting to you that more and more of you are embracing healthier living and a vegetarian lifestyle, the news is that down in Cornwall, there’s been a war of the van-driving carnivores. 

Yes, the usual calm of Launceston, Cornwall was the site of a major turf war between Cornish Pasty Van Man Scot Weller and his rival Benjamin Harbour. Mr Weller was driven at by Burger Van Man Benjamin Harbour when a turf war got out of hand. The battle took place on an industrial estate where Mr Weller had, for years, traded, undisturbed, plying his pasties to the happy customers of the local area, with things only ever getting difficult when people wanted to debate Gregg’s vegan ‘steak slice’ with him.

However all that changed and the relative calm of Launceston was upended when Mr Harbour and his trusty burger van decided that Weller had had it too good for too long, and drove his van directly at Mr Weller. 

It was ground beef at dawn, apparently. 

Mr Weller had previously been the victim of multiple threats by Mr Harbour, who wanted the pitch for himself. The threats and intimidation eventually peaked with Mr Harbour losing his cool and driving towards Mr Weller, in a bid to get him to move his pitch. Thankfully, Mr Weller had already been and spoken to the police, and had been advised to record any interactions between the two men, which led to the whole thing being captured on camera.

As a result of the unassailable video evidence, Mr Harbour was taken to court, where he was duly punished after pleading guilty to driving without due care and attention and common assault. 

When it comes to our personal preference, we’d always choose pastry over a bun, and so for that alone, we’re glad that Mr Weller has been allowed to continue to pitch his pasties undisturbed, hopefully for many years to come. 

… Tune in next week for the battle of the East London spirulina seller versus the yogi. (Perhaps).

Parking – a Van Drivers Biggest Waste of Time.

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A new study by Vanarama shows that the UK white van delivery fleet is somewhat in crisis. (Tell us something we don’t already know).

We can all relate to the continual difficulty in finding places to park while we drop off our deliveries. But, as traffic and the parking situation worsens across the UK, the pressure on delivery drivers to make more deliveries each day has grown to a whopping expected daily delivery rate of 150 parcels per van. 

In the UK, 5.82 million small businesses depend on van drivers to deliver to them or on behalf of them to get their work done. With 1.2 million parking spaces in the UK, there are 3.24 million van drivers needing to use them (let’s not forget about regular road users too). The maths simply doesn’t stack up.

The report shows that over half a million of you struggle to find parking, typically taking over 20 minutes to find a spot to park for each delivery and in total, you each waste around 1 hour 40 minutes of each day in the hunt for somewhere to park your van. This costs the UK economy over £76 billion each year. Many drivers frequently risk parking tickets simply because they don’t have time to find an alternative option, with the pressure to get those deliveries done. And for those that do find somewhere legal to park, quite often, the space isn’t big enough for their van to fit, an issue now shared by many car drivers, thanks to the popularity of large 4×4 vehicles. 

If you take the number of van users in the UK (3.25 million), and the time it takes to park them each day, that adds up to combined 6.99 billion (yes, billion) hours wasted each year, looking for parking. 

So, what’s the solution? Well, as the study concludes, the fact is that more commercial vehicle parking needs to be created up and down the country, particularly in high street locations. But who is going to do it? What is really needs is one or two forward-thinking towns to step up and create the spaces and prove that doing so has a positive impact on illegal parking, congestion and pollution. Only then will there be a case for others to follow suit.

UK’s Most Polluted Places Revealed:

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Sometimes after a hard day behind the wheel, you may get home, wash your face or blow your nose and be shocked by the amount of black gunk that shows up. Or maybe your lungs feel a little heavier than usual and you’re struggling to breathe. And no, we aren’t just talking about London drivers.

You’ve been hit by the van driver’s inevitable enemy – pollution. 

Incredibly, recent research from the University of Birmingham shows that London isn’t the worst offender when it comes to the black stuff. The study, which compared pollution in 146 places around England, Scotland and Wales showed that you don’t have to be in one of the bigger cities to be affected by high levels of pollution. In fact, it was Luton which was worst affected by the highest concentration of nitrogen oxide, (that’s exhaust fumes, to you and me), relative to its size, traffic and population. 

London still had the overall highest levels of pollution, but thanks to so many using public transport rather than cars and vans, there was much less nitrous oxide lingering in the air, compared to the more polluted towns and cities. So for all that moaning about the congestion charge, apparently it is actually quite a good thing. 

In fact, the study showed that it was the towns and cities with the densest population and the poorest public transport (where most people used cars to get from A to B), which were the most affected. Because of the smaller area than larger conurbations like London, the amount of pollution was densified and more intense than in more spread out cities with better public transport and fewer cars on the road. 

Some would be expected, such as those cities around London, like Gatwick and Stevenage, but others you would expect to see, like Manchester and Birmingham, fared better than expected.

As electric vans start to become a practical solution, maybe now is the time to start considering making your next trade in a hybrid or at least a model with technology that harnesses energy more efficiently to help do your bit. Either way, it seems that the days are numbered for the old, battered, high emission vans and instead, we’re seeing the start of quiet, efficient fleets to better suit the healthier lifestyles you are all adopting too. It can pay off when it comes to your van insurance too – many insurers offer discounts or incentives to greener drivers. Fill out our super fast, low-emission form for the most competitive van insurance quotes, and see what a greener model may do for your next renewal. 

Lists in full – Places where pollution was better than expected:

  1. Milton Keynes
  2. Stoke-on-Trent 
  3. Weybridge
  4. Aldershot 
  5. Macclesfield
  6. Livingston
  7. Swansea
  8. Manchester
  9. High Wycombe 
  10. Birmingham

Places where pollution was worse than expected:

  1. Luton
  2. Crawley
  3. Leamington Spa
  4. Cardiff
  5. Coventry
  6. Stevenage
  7. Tamworth
  8. Worcester
  9. Oxford 
  10. Bradford     

New Report Shows White Van Men are Turning to Healthy Eating

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Well, it’s almost as if you lot almost listen to us, isn’t it? A new study, commissioned by Vauxhall Motors has found that white van men (and women) are ditching both the booze and the fast-food in search of healthier lifestyles. 

Well done, you guys.

The report fid that 37% of you cut back on the booze, trying alcohol-free beer and wine and many of you are even working out more outside of the van driver working day, hitting the gym and, for 2% of you, going so far as to take up yoga or Pilates. 37% of van drivers are now hitting the gym, according to the report and you’re even cleaning up your smoking act, with 22% of you saying you have reduced how much you smoke or quit entirely.

If that wasn’t enough, more of you are also turning vegan, and 2 in 10 of you are opting for vegetarian or meat-free meals. And even those of you who aren’t giving up old habits are saying you wished you could eat more healthily (31%). This is big news, considering previous reports have said up to 60% of you admit to not eating healthily and not eating fruit or vegetables every day. 

It seems that more and more of you are searching for a healthier lifestyle and are doing more than many others to make those positive lifestyle changes. 

While we undoubtedly applaud you for taking those positive steps, we can reassure you that we will continue to bring you the latest in all news from the world of van driving and won’t be turning into a lifestyle blog and teaching you how to knit your own vegan quinoa any time soon. Nope, we’ll just stick to doing what we do – bringing you the best possible van insurance deals and the latest news, views and opinions from here at the heart of CVI HQ. But we just may do it, sipping on a fruit and wheatgrass smoothie, once in a while. After all, we can’t have you lot putting us to shame, can we? 

More Needs to be Done For Working Driver Safety, Report Finds

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UK Road Safety Charity, IAM Roadsmart has delivered a call to action for working drivers and their employers, stating that more needs to be done to keep working drivers safe and reduce the levels of accidents on the roads.

Their report has found that there were 5,506 serious and fatal crashed that occurred in 2018, where at-work drivers were involved, a number that has increased over time. This is in sharp contrast to the overall number of deaths and serious accidents in general, which has shown a reassuring decrease over the same amount of time. Also worrying was that almost half of employers expected their employees to answer their phone whilst they were on the road. A shocking 13% of those surveyed said that the hard shoulder was a suitable place to take or make work phone calls, and 17% of driving employees said they had been involved in an incident as a result of a phone call from a colleague.

The head of the charity said that not only do employers have to wise up about what is acceptable for their own, in-house drivers, but that many don’t realise that grey-fleet (self-employed, but working for the company) drivers are also liable and subject to the same codes of conduct and laws as those who are fully employed.

The report goes on to demand that more needs to be done by businesses in terms of educating drivers on codes of conduct and behaving responsibly whilst behind the wheel and that companies need to have a responsible set of rules for all their drivers, employed or not.

Many employers and employees fail to acknowledge that while taking hands-free calls is legal, it is still a significant distraction that they should actively be avoiding. And the reality is that for businesses who have a fleet of drivers, around 30% of that fleet will be involved in some kind of collision whilst on the roads each year.

Employers need to have solid health and safety whilst driving at work plans, but many still do not.

Meanwhile, almost a third of drivers for work do not have the correct insurance and are lacking any or adequate cover for business travel, rendering their policies useless. And, while we don’t have all the answers for improving road safety, that one we can help with. Simply fill out our online form and let the best insurers come to you directly with a range of insurance policies for van drivers that will cover pretty much all eventualities.

Stay safe, out there!

2020 – Are We There Yet?

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So, delivery drivers are (somewhat) breathing a sigh of relief that Christmas is finally over and the last-minute deluge of everyone needing everything yesterday has almost abated. (Unless you’re still working like a dog delivering sale parcels here, there and everywhere). Hopefully, you’ve had a good few days off, will enjoy another this week before things start to resume an air of finally getting back to something approaching normality. 

Spare a moment for some reflection on the year you’ve had. Maybe you’ve got a new van, maybe 2020 is the year you’re going to. What lessons did you learn this year? How many parking fines, tickets and arguments with traffic wardens did you get into? If it’s single digit, you’re doing okay. If it’s more, maybe the new millennium will be the time for you to think about how you can redress the balance a little. 

How’s your health been? Sitting behind the wheel day after day isn’t the healthiest life, and the stress of being on the road doesn’t just wash over most people. Are there things you could do better or do you need to work some regular exercise into your routine? Or find a better way to blow off steam at the end of a working week than sinking a few pints in the pub. 

How about your driving? Did you have any near misses or scrapes and dings you could have avoided with a little more care and attention? Did your rush to be at your destination get the better of you sometimes and lead to silly mistakes you didn’t need to make?

Did you get any speeding fines or other points on your license this year? Could you have avoided them? If you did, no doubt you’re paying the price in terms of your van insurance premiums. If you already have a few convictions are you going to find yourself in a tough spot if you rack up any more this year? 

Did you neglect keeping on top of your servicing and van maintenance? Did a little problem become bigger as a result? Driving without up to date tax and insurance is just foolish and keeping your van on the road when it needs some TLC is equally irresponsible. 

Buying a new van? How will you finance it? Make sure you look into all the different options that are available before committing to whatever the dealership suggests. 

What will the next few years hold? Maybe you’re happy to just keep on trucking, but maybe you’re looking forward to working a new patch or changing what your day to day driving involves. If so, make some tangible goals you can work towards getting to where you want to be.

Wherever you’re going, and whatever you’re doing, just remember if you’re van insurance requirements are going to change, we’ve got your back. Just fill in our simple form for the best quotes for van insurance to be coming to you direct, leaving you free to worry about something else (possibly) far more interesting.

Van drivers, we salute you all and wish you a very happy new year.

The Van Driver’s Carol Service – Part Two

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Wow – we were blown away by last week’s carols – you LOVED them!

So, who were we to say no, when you asked for more? But, with just 2 days before Christmas, before we bless you with yet another CVI belter, we did just want to take a moment to thank you all. You keep our country moving. Businesses, big and small simply couldn’t function without you. Hopefully, it’s just a matter of hours before you can deliver that last parcel, hang up the van keys and just relax for a few days, before it starts all over again.

Van drivers of the UK; we salute you.

On the First Day of Christmas:

On the first day of Christmas, CVI gave to me

Insurance savings for all to see

On the second day of Christmas, CVI gave to me

Two magic trees and insurance savings for all to see

On the third day of Christmas, CVI gave to me

Three furry dice, two magic trees and insurance savings for all to see

On the fourth day of Christmas, CVI gave to me

Four 4 by 2’s, three furry dice, two magic trees and insurance savings for all to see

On the fifth day of Christmas, CVI gave to me

Five-staaaar service, four 4 by 2’s, three furry dice, two magic trees and insurance savings for all to see

On the sixth day of Christmas, CVI gave to me

Six footwell mats, five-star service, four 4 by 2’s, three furry dice, two magic trees and insurance savings for all to see

On the seventh day of Christmas, CVI gave to me

Seven pairs of socks, six footwell mats, five-star service, four 4 by 2’s, three furry dice, two magic trees and insurance savings for all to see

On the eight day of Christmas, CVI gave to me

Eight London jobs, seven pairs of socks, six footwell mats, five-star service, four 4 by 2’s, three furry dice, two magic trees and insurance savings for all to see

On the ninth day of Christmas, CVI gave to me

Nine parking tickets, Eight London jobs, seven pairs of socks, six footwell mats, five-star service, four 4 by 2’s, three furry dice, two magic trees and insurance savings for all to see

On the tenth day of Christmas, CVI gave to me

Ten roadside repairs, nine parking tickets, Eight London jobs, seven pairs of socks, six footwell mats, five-star service, four 4 by 2’s, three furry dice, two magic trees and insurance savings for all to see 

On the eleventh day of Christmas, CVI gave to me 

Eleven football shirts, ten roadside repairs, nine parking tickets, Eight London jobs, seven pairs of socks, six footwell mats, five-star service, four 4 by 2’s, three furry dice, two magic trees and insurance savings for all to see 

On the twelfth day of Christmas, CVI gave to me

Twelve months of savings, eleven football shirts, ten roadside repairs, nine parking tickets, Eight London jobs, seven pairs of socks, six footwell mats, five-star service, four 4 by 2’s, three furry dice, two magic trees and insurance savings for all to see 

Happy Christmas everyone! Safe driving!

All Hail The Van Driver’s Carol Service!

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In honour of you, our wonderful, Great British van drivers, slogging their hearts out year-round, up and down the very core of our green and pleasant land… to celebrate you, we decided we’d create your very own Christmas carols. (Because who wants to sing about Wise Men or do impersonations of Mariah Carey… maybe some of you do, but you probably want to save that for when you’re at home) …

So, with no expense spared, here we go (everybody join in) …

Van Driver’s Wonderland

“Van Drivers, are you listening?

To the song that we’re singing?

We’re driving along, singing our song, 

Saving on insurance as we go.

In the van, there’s some tyres

For our goods, we’ve got buyers

The diesel is paid,

The shortcuts we’ve made

Saving on insurance as we go

In the forecourt, we can eat a pasty

With a nice hot brew to wash it down

Hit some traffic and we’ll say no ma’am

There’re no delays when we are in your town

Later on, we’ll perspire

And set the AC higher

To face unafraid

Rush hour in Portslade

Saving on insurance as we go

We wish you some happy driving

We wish you some happy driving 

We wish you some happy driving

We wish you some happy driving 

And a happy new year

Great savings we bring

Our comparison is king

We wish you some happy driving

And a happy new year

… Admit it, you’re going to be singing these ones loud AND proud! Drive safe!

Tips for Tiredness:

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It’s getting to that time of year when for many of you, our humble, van driving readers, things really shift up a gear (pardon the pun), as Christmas deliveries begin to peak and you’re here, there and everywhere and working all the hours God sends trying to fit 15 hours of work into eight or nine.

It’s exhausting. 

You’re rushing around with impossible targets to hit, just a breath away from telling your boss where to shove it most of the day. The traffic is worse, thanks to the crappy weather and pensioners with nothing better to do than take a little 20 mile an hour pootle into town to look at the pretty Christmas windows, when you’ve got a job to do.

When you feel like that, even if you are working more hours than you know is good for you, it’s important you make time for yourself. Stress causes people to make silly mistakes and tiredness can, as we all know, be fatal. If you’re feeling your blood pressure rising, it’s easy to tell yourself to man (or woman up) and have a few beers to unwind when you get home. But not only is that just making the problem worse, overdo it and get breathalysed in the morning, and it could cost you your job. 

Save the booze for the night before your day off, and start each working day with a clear head.

Eat well. Again, if you are busy and rushing, it’s easy to skip a meal or live off junk food. But good nutrition will give you the energy to face the challenges of a busy schedule.

Try and make time for yourself. Even if you don’t have much, make a little. You may want to lose yourself in gaming, or a box set or a good movie. When you’re doing whatever it is, try and put the phone/iPad/laptop down and focus on doing just one thing.

Try and get some exercise. We get it, you’re exhausted already, but if you’re able to get a kick about in, or a quick gym sesh, the endorphins that creates will make you feel 100% better. And you’ll sleep better too.

Keep electronics out of the bedroom. No sitting on your phone or TV in bed. The blue light emitted is proven to create sleep problems. Instead, focus on using your bedroom for, well, sleeping. 

Don’t kid yourself into thinking that a coffee is going to perk you up when you’re driving. Neither will opening a window. You need to pull over and rest. Just napping for 15 -20 minutes will make all the difference. And you’ll feel refreshed when you wake and more alert and ready to get back on it. 

Take a tip from the ladies. Time spent on you, is time well spent. Go and get a massage (no, not that kind) in a spa or salon. It’s like one of those big secrets of the male world – loads of guys do it, but few admit it. You’ll help undo some of those knots from your time behind the wheel and sleep and feel so much better for it. 

If you need to put the brakes on – do so. We don’t mean your van – we mean all of it. If you are struggling and finding it too much, you need to say no. Whether that’s to extra social activities, or to overtime requests, no amount of extra dosh in your pay packet is worth the consequences if you’re truly burned out.

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