Author: News Desk

The 4 Hour Delivery Van That Drives Itself

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In the time it takes an average delivery driver to do half a shift, a complete self driving van could be built by one person according to the manufacturer.

This is certainly bad news for delivery drivers around the country, who may have took comfort from my prediction that self driving vans will be here, but not for years.

It seems like I might be wrong because this particular self driving electric delivery van that was unveiled at a top secret conference in London, well, it is scheduled to be on UK roads next year.

The claim is that the van can be assembled in only 4 hours by one person at a factory, which means we could see an army of these self driving vehicles ruling the roads and delivering packages.

People in the government want to see self driving vans out and about by 2020 of course, but if everything goes to plan then it could be sooner. Van drivers watch out is my memo to anyone reading this.

Maybe a change of career is in order for delivery drivers, or should you just stick with what you know? It really is your choice, but if you ask me, the local job centre might be a good starting point.

Not everyone is going to embrace self driving vans though, and even if they do, they won’t be out of a job.

Take your average builder, roofer, electrician, plumber or carpenter as an example. Sure, they might enjoy buying a driverless van and then putting their feet up on the way to a job, but once they arrive the van can’t do the work now, can it? They will still need to put in the hours.

It’s delivery drivers I fear for, especially once they work out a way for the van to actually deliver the packages…maybe with some kind of robot? Who knows exactly what is going to happen, but what I do know is that during all of this van insurance will still be very much required.

No matter if you own a company that has a fleet of delivery vans or you are a builder working for yourself…you must have van insurance by law, so make sure you start comparing quotes to get the best deals.

Many van drivers start right here, at the Nations favourite van insurance comparison website, where all you need is 3 minutes and the click of a button.

So forget about self driving vans and all of that right now, and instead, just focus on getting very cheap van insurance to save yourself a packet.

Van Drivers – Save £300 a Year on Insurance With Telematics

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A recent study found that only 5% of van drivers in the UK have a telematics insurance policy. It’s amazing when you think about it…really.

Amazing how? Well, that same study discovered that van drivers who do have telematics installed, save, on average, around £300 a year on their van insurance costs. Not exactly small change is it now, and it makes you wonder why so many people are ignoring the power of telematics.

Perhaps the word on the street is that telematics van insurance is something to be avoided? It could very well be.

I myself have heard a few traders and “white van men” speak of telematics as though it is some kind of big brother watching over your shoulder, ready to pounce on any mistake in your driving style and then dish out punishment.

Of course, if you drive like a maniac and regularly break the rules of the road then a telematics policy for your van probably isn’t the best idea, but then again, being on the road probably isn’t a good idea either.

However, as far as I can tell your average van man or woman are a decent lot who want to follow the rules and be safe drivers on UK roads. This is why I reckon telematics would benefit the vast majority of van owners…far more than 5% anyway.

So how do you get started with telematics van insurance anyway? The best way is to contact your current insurer and ask them about it, or even better, use a van comparison website to find out which companies are offering the best deals.

Once you’ve chosen a provider they will probably install a device in your van which runs 24/7 and starts recording every time you turn the key in the ignition. Don’t worry, it isn’t recording your conversations. This isn’t the FBI, it’s telematics.

All they are interested in is driving data such as how fast you accelerate, how harsh you brake, and if you obey the speed limits. What is really impressive is the fact that all of this data is then available to view in Apps where the driver is given a score or rating.

Some van insurance companies even reward their customers with more discounts and prizes each month if you really impress with your driving.

So the incentive is definitely there to be on your best behaviour…but will British van drivers actually take the bait, or will they continue to pay sky high insurance rates, year after year? In my opinion, it could be the latter.

Which is a shame really because with the average van insurance quote reaching £1500 for the first time this year, I think a lot of van drivers could do with a £300 discount.

When you combine telematics with the power of a van insurance comparison site, then the potential to save even more cash is right there for the taking.

Commercial Vehicle Insurance is Half Price Thanks to 3G

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The one message I get a lot from company owners is this…”our fleet of commercial vehicles, the insurance is just too expensive!” Not anymore.

I’ve been hearing good things about one particular commercial vehicle insurance company you see, who have been implementing something called “3G vehicle cameras” on all the vans they insure.

One of these 3G vehicle cameras is the IT1000 device, which a business who has a fleet of 30 commercial vehicles recently installed in every single one.

Amazingly, this has led to a 50% reduction in their insurance costs, which is roughly about £4000 per year, per vehicle, which they haven’t had to pay out.

The reason? Because they now have advanced cameras on each and every van, which means when someone tries to make a claim against one of their vehicles, they are in a much better position to defend themselves.

Not only that, but the insurance company can also see exactly what happened, which means they are not paying out for bogus claims.

It’s working very nicely as well. The previous year, this particular company had almost 40 claims made against their fleet of commercial vehicles. Fast forward to the present day and that number now stands at only 6 claims.

Even better, the use of “3G” in their vans has made the company more profitable, as drivers and their driving style is now more easily monitored, resulting in a more focused workforce who get the job done to best of their ability, and more importantly, on time.

So is 3G vehicle cameras now essential for all companies that want to get the best and cheapest insurance quotes for their fleet? In my opinion…YES.

Any kind of camera or monitoring system will do, although these 3G gadgets are state of the art and allow the insurance companies to see exactly what went on, as quickly as possible.

What about the average white van man, so to speak…should they also embrace this whole 3G thing or is it more for fleet management? While I think installing a IT1000 device might be a bit over the top for a sole trader roofer or builder, you might want to consider buying a dashcam (or two).

You then install these dashcams on the front and rear of the van, where everything is recorded and available to be played back if needed.

Fortunately, van insurance companies are starting to notice the power of these dashcams and that is why you can get cheap quotes for having them installed.

Also, don’t forget about something called telematics, which many insurers now offer in a bid to monitor your driving style.

Agree to this and you could be well on the way to cheap van insurance, as long as you obey the laws of the road.

Drivers to Face Tougher Scrutiny When Renting a Van

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We’ve seen terror attacks in the UK, France, Germany and more recently, Spain where the humble van was used as the main weapon by extremists.

It’s an unfortunate fact that vans are being used in this way, but what can be done? According to the UK government there needs to be more checks carried out when drivers are renting vans. If done correctly, it certainly could stop many of these terrorists in their tracks.

One proposal by ministers in Parliament is for van rental companies to share data with the government, so it can be checked against the so called “terror watch list” to see if there are any matches.

In other words, if someone who is suspected of being involved with terror activities tries to hire a van, then immediately the government will know and will be in a position to potentially do something about the situation.

Officials within the van rental industry appear to be welcoming of any changes that help to stamp out terrorism once and for all, with Toby Poston, the director of the BVRLA, AKA, the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association having this to say…”The industry is looking at ways to share data with the authorities in as real time as possible so it can be cross referenced with counter terrorism watch lists.”

I reckon any kind of system that makes it easier to identify potential terrorists is to be welcomed, although some might disagree with me, no doubt using the argument that it is an invasion of privacy and is simply a way for the government to take us further into a “big brother” type society.

Perhaps…but when you think back to all those terrorist incidents involving vans and lorries that could have potentially been avoided with tougher checks and security, then, if you ask me I would say we are on the right track with these proposals

For example, the leader of the terror gang who committed the London Bridge terror attacks initially tried to hire a 7.5 tonne lorry. The payment wouldn’t go through however, and instead, he resorted to hiring a white van to carry out the attacks.

This is someone who was on the so called “terror watch list” and he could have been stopped with tougher scrutiny when renting the van.

If more checks within the van rental industry do come into force then we might also see something like it in the van insurance sector.

Obviously, if terrorists can rent vans then they can also buy vans, and in order to avoid drawing attention to themselves with ANPR scanners while planning their attacks, they would no doubt look to insure their vans.

It’s an unfortunate fact that all of this needs to happen of course, but as they say…it is what it is, and that is why I think both the government and van industry have to work together to try and stop it happening once and for all.

Brightside Group and Vans Direct Join Forces

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The world of van insurance quotes is always competitive, we know that for sure, and the competition is getting even more fierce.

It’s just been announced that a van insurance broker called Brightside Group have agreed a new deal with the company Vans Direct.

What appears to be on the cards is that Brightside will now be selling commercial vehicle insurance through the Vans Direct website, and two of its smaller websites…Van Man and best4vans.

Many in the industry are commenting that the “joining of forces” is a good one, with both companies offering a joint venture that van men and women around the country will truly benefit from.

“This is an important account win for us with a leading UK van supplier,” said a spokesperson for Brightside Group. “Vans Direct customers will be able to access CVD through their websites or via a call to a dedicated Brightside CVD sales team,” the spokesperson went on to add.

It seems that Vans Direct are equally excited about the partnership with a company representative saying “we are delighted to welcome Brightside as our new partner, and look forward to a long relationship.”

In my opinion this is a good move for both companies, and I’m sure they will go on to have a long and lasting relationship with each other. As long as anything doesn’t go wrong of course, which I’m sure it won’t.

Not everybody is possibly excited about the joining of forces however, with many of the staff for Brightside and Vans Direct facing a “consultation,” regarding the move. Who knows exactly what this means? Let’s wait to see what happens.

What I do know is that while buying van insurance directly does have its merits, if you ask me, you are much better off going to a comparison website first to get some quotes.

You might very well get the cheapest quote possible with Brightside Group or Vans Direct, but, you don’t really know unless you see what the opposition are offering.

Fortunately, you don’t need to contact all of these van insurance companies individually, as that would be just way too time consuming. I’m sure you would agree.

Instead, just use the simple form right here at this website, Cheap Van Insurance (the name says it all), and then instantly get quotes from around 40 van insurance companies.

You can then see what offers are on the table, and then compare that against any quote you may have got from Brightside and Vans Direct.

This is the smart way to get van insurance in 2017, and the way to get the cheapest prices possible.

Ice Cream Van Drivers Fight Back, Not Going Quietly

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The summer of rage is coming to end on August 31st, but ironically it could be ice cream men and women that need to cool down the most.

Regular readers of this blog will be only too aware about how ice cream vans are on their way out…with only 2500 left on UK roads.

This has obviously led to some frustration within the ice cream industry which was highlighted recently in an incident at Parkgate Shopping Park, Rotherham.

A couple by the name of Rob Tracy and Tracy Dixon decided it would be a good idea to buy two of their favourite ice creams, 99 cones, which they believed were priced at £1.50 each.

So they approached an ice cream van in Parkgate Shopping Park and placed the order. Unfortunately not everything went to plan.

With 3 English pounds in his hand Rob was getting ready to buy the ice creams and then enjoy a summers afternoon in Rotherham, but the ice cream man had other ideas.

Instead of asking for 3 pounds, the man in the ice cream van asked for 5 pounds, which left both Rob and Tracy stunned. This was NOT the advertised price, but also, a fiver for 2x 99 cones? That’s a bit of rip off they thought. I must admit, I’m in agreement with that one.

It isn’t like the good old days of ice cream eating if you ask me, where you could run after the ice cream van with 50p and still go back home with change in your pocket.

Back to the story and after a brief argument about the price, the ice cream van man (only known as Steve) did something completely unexpected…he threw the two 99 cones directly at Rob and Tracy.

We’ve heard right here on this blog about the summer of rage when it comes to van owners, but this really is taking things to the next level.

The ice creams hit Rob on his head and then went down his shoulder and back. This wasn’t the way he expected to be served his ice creams, I’m sure.

The couple’s German Shepherd dog also caught a bit of ice cream in the face. Coincidentally, the dog’s name is “Ice,” and he does enjoy eating ice cream according to Rob, but not when it is launched into his face.

At this point Rob and Tracy decided that enough was enough and they called in the Police, and when they arrived, after hearing both sides of the story they decided the best course of action was to send the ice cream man home for the day. Probably best.

Hopefully he was able to cool down a bit, and once relaxed, he might have even used the rest of the afternoon to compare van insurance quotes right here on this site.

£3000 of Tools Stolen From Van in 4 Minutes

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A self employed white van man was going about his normal day to day routine, which meant nipping to the shop. He was gone for only 4 minutes, and then…

The van owner couldn’t quite believe his eyes as he casually walked back from the shop…the place where he had parked his van, well, something didn’t seem quite right, and on further inspection he realised his rear doors were wide open.

How could this be, was it those magic keys that we have been hearing about recently? While that was what many people would no doubt have thought, it was actually a lot more skilled on the thieves part.

They were quick to strike, and before anyone could stop them all of the tools were transferred from the van and into a blue Vauxhall Vectra getaway car, and without any feeling of guilt at all…they sped off.

Looking back at the CCTV footage of the incident, Police confirmed that this particular van thief drilled holes into the rear doors in order to gain entry, and as mentioned before, it only took 4 minutes.

Unfortunately for the white van man it was £3000 worth of tools that went that day. It took him years to acquire those tools, and now with them stolen it could very well mean he can no longer trade.

If only his van insurance had covered tool theft, we wouldn’t even be having this discussion, but of course, it’s easy to play Monday morning quarter back, so to speak.

The fact of the matter is that his tools were stolen and he wasn’t insured, but hopefully this can serve as a lesson to all van drivers around the UK. Make sure your tools are insured.

A lot of white van men think it is expensive to insure all of your tools, especially when we are talking about thousands of pounds worth here. In normal circumstances it is, but not when you visit the nations favourite van insurance comparison website.

Here at Cheap Van Insurance you can instantly get quotes from over 40 van insurance companies, and then see which is the cheapest for insuring your tools. You will typically get up to £5000 worth of cover, which is more than enough for most tradespeople.

Back to the story, and at the time of writing the Police still haven’t come up with any leads or suspects despite having some good CCTV footage to look at. The van thieves were wearing masks you see, so it might be difficult to come up with anything.

That hasn’t stopped the general public from trying though, as the story has been shared over 7000 times on Facebook. Will people power win the day and the thieves get caught? Even if this does happen, something tells me the tools won’t be with them.

Ice Cream Vans Almost “Extinct” Because Of…

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The traditional ice cream van man or woman used to be an everyday sight and sound, even in the winter. Those days are nearly over it seems.

Did you know that in the 1970’s there were around a quarter of a million ice cream vans on UK roads? Fast forward to 2017 and it’s estimated there are around 2500.

So the writing is on the wall for the ice cream van trade by the looks of it, which is a shame because who doesn’t remember hearing the familiar sound of your local ice cream van when you were a kid, and then running out of the house to get a 99 flake or those ice creams with the bubble gum at the bottom.

It makes you wonder why such a popular national institution such as the ice cream van looks to be going the way of the dinosaurs.

According to the CEO of the Ice Cream Association there is one particular culprit that not many people realise…and it isn’t what you might think.

“Double Glazing” has been blamed for the near extinction of ice cream vans, mainly because it is claimed that children or their parents can no longer hear the familiar chimes of the van coming down the road.

Most kids are sat inside playing on their computer or surfing the internet and updating social media, blissfully unaware that an ice cream van is outside waiting for their pocket money.

Waiting…and waiting….and waiting…and waiting, that is what many ice cream van owners did, but because of double glazing nobody knew they were around, and this led to many selling their ice cream vans and then going down the local job centre to see what van driving jobs there was, no doubt.

One expert commented, “even if a van is right outside their house, people may not hear them. The whole point is to soundproof homes and keep them warm, but they are not good for ice cream vans.”

Is it all doom and gloom though? Maybe not, because a new company have just come up with a solution. It’s called Vantoot, which is an App that alerts users when the ice cream man or woman is about to come down the street. A good idea? Let’s wait and see.

The one thing I do know is that currently, as we speak, there are 2500 hard working ice cream van owners that go out on the roads of the UK to keep on selling the nations favourite snacks.

In my opinion, these people should be rewarded for their persistence and dedication to the tradition that we all know and remember, and what better way to do that than with cheap van insurance.

Right here, you can quickly and easily compare ice cream van insurance in order to save money so you can make more profit.

It only takes about 3 minutes to write down your details in the form (which is about the time it takes to serve a family with their favourite ice creams), and then, you instantly get quotes from over 40 insurance companies with potentially very cheap quotes for your ice cram van. Give it a try.

29.5% More? Van Drivers Can’t Believe It

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We all know that van insurance costs are outrageous right now, but 29.5% more? That is how much more van drivers are expected to pay in 2017.

That’s right. New official figures are just in, and what they are basically saying is that van insurance is now 29.5% more expensive than last year.

Many hard working van drivers from around the country have been left bewildered by this news, with some commenting they just “can’t believe it.”

The figures, which were uncovered by Consumer Intelligence, went on to say that an average van insurance policy is now priced at £1627.

Just what is going on here? According to experts within the industry, it has a lot to do with new changes in the sector, which is hitting many van insurance companies hard.

For example, the Ogden rate is currently at 0.75%, while this time last year it was at 2.5%. What this basically means is that insurance companies now have to pay out more for injury claims, but of course, it’s really you who is paying for it.

Then we have the insurance premium tax, also known as the IPT, which recently went to an unprecedented 12%. It was only half that 18 months ago.

As we all know, it’s the customer that has to pay for this expensive tax, and that is why we are now seeing van insurance quotes that many can’t believe.

It’s got to the point where van drivers are being quoted 2 and half times more than car drivers, and the average car insurance policy is £1000 less than the van equivalent

This is despite the fact that many van owners now have light commercial vehicles, also known as LCV, which in many cases are not much bigger than your average car.

The figures don’t get any better for van drivers either, as it was also reported that if you take out a “carriage of own goods” policy then you can expect to pay another 28% more, while a “social, domestic, and pleasure” policy is 32.5% more.

A spokesperson for Consumer Intelligence had this to say, “choosing the correct cover is vital, and shopping around will reduce premiums.”

I agree with that comment. If there is one thing that every van driver in the UK can do to fight back against these crazy prices it is to use a comparison website.

That means when you are looking for a new quote, or want to renew an existing policy, instead of just getting 1 quote or going with the same old van insurance company, what you want to do is shop around and get as many quotes as possible.

Comparing van insurance is the only way to find cheap quotes, and you can get started right here.

Van Driver Surfs Internet While Driving

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One thing every van driver should be doing is keeping both hands on the wheel and their complete focus on the road. Not surfing the internet.

Not every van owner seems to have got this memo however, as a lot of drivers whip out their smartphones and then start checking Facebook and posting selfies on Instagram.

Take the recent story of a man driving a white Ford transit van in Surrey, who caught the attention of Police sitting in an unmarked vehicle. Why did he catch their attention? Because he wasn’t watching the road, he was looking at his smartphone instead.

What really takes this story to the next level is the fact that once the Police started flashing their lights and telling him to pull over, he decided to try a getaway by speeding off.

This led to a short pursuit, but eventually the van driver came to his senses and decided that it wasn’t worth an appearance on Britain’s Most Wanted over looking at some websites on his phone.

We can only wonder what type of sites he was browsing when driving around the streets of Surrey…perhaps this website, Cheap Van Insurance? It definitely would make sense if he was after cheap quotes for his white Ford transit van, but it was obviously the wrong time to be doing it.

I would just like to take this opportunity to remind all van drivers that when it’s time to visit the nations favourite van insurance comparison website, make sure you do it when not driving your van.

The best place is while relaxing at home if you ask me, where you can put your feet up and then use your laptop or tablet to fill out the simple 3 minute form.

You could also park up your van and turn off the engine and then visit this website using your smartphone. Just make sure you are not on the road and driving because the Police are looking out for offenders, and they only need the smallest excuse to go after van drivers.

The punishment for this particular van driver from Surrey who was caught surfing the internet? £250 in fines and 6 points on his licence. Not exactly ideal is it, especially when you consider that another 6 points and he loses his licence.

Not only that, but the van insurance companies also take note of any points on your licence, and are less likely to give you cheaper quotes when it comes to time to compare.

I’m sure the van driver from Surrey is going to be careful in future and hopefully there won’t be a repeat performance.

This goes for all van drivers around the UK…don’t surf the internet while driving, even if it’s to visit Cheap Van Insurance to get a quote. Wait until you are off the road or back home, otherwise the Police are going to be after you.

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