Tag: Brexit

Avoid Abuse And Change Your Career?

Posted on by News Desk

So, we have two things to report on this week.

The first is actually from across the pond, involving an angry Amazon manager and his poor employee.

The second is related to the ongoing fear of driver shortages Britain is facing at the moment.

Stay Off My Lawn!

Something perhaps more fitting for an elderly gentleman to yell at some troublesome teens.

But no.

This unfortunate Amazon delivery driver received a whole lotta abuse from his own manager. 

You may have seen the video doing the rounds online.

It’s been published in most tabloid newspapers, so it isn’t too hard to find, but you may not want to watch it.

If delivery drivers didn’t have enough to put up with already, this really takes the biscuit. 

The manager claims his employee broke several rules whilst delivering the package to his loving boss.

So, naturally, he felt the best way to let his worker know about it, was to yell at him.

Obviously. 

The main issue the video captures is the berated delivery driver walking across his manager’s grass to deliver the package.

Clearly, a rookie mistake and one that warrants verbal abuse.

Said no one, ever. 

Have you ever experienced unreasonable behaviour from your manager as a delivery driver?

Let us know — we’d love to call them out on it.

Of course, we’d hope no one in Britain would be quite as ‘stern’ when talking to their delivery drivers.

It appears America is a whole other kettle of fish.

Considering A Career Change?

Next up.

If you feel you aren’t being treated well enough as a delivery driver, then why not consider becoming a lorry driver?

With all the driver shortages, Brexit, Covid-19, and just general chaos and hoo-ha that’s hit Britain lately.

Selco is helping with the panic. 

They’ve decided to launch an academy for lorry drivers, encouraging van drivers to become HGV drivers instead.

They’ve also recently increased their pay.

Not too shabby, eh?

So, what do you reckon?

Career change to rid yourself of the annoying boss?

We’d hope not, especially in the UK.

So until then, and as usual, we’ve got your back with the cheapest van insurance quotes around.

You’re welcome.

Suppliers: Has The Driver Shortage Affected You?

Posted on by News Desk

If you haven’t heard about the driver shortages, you’re likely not from the UK.

Otherwise, you must be living under a rock.

Remember this post we made a few weeks ago about tests for van and lorry drivers being made easier?

This was because the UK was facing the severe issue of a lack of delivery drivers — from vans to HGV drivers.

The reasons are numerous.

The driver shortages stem from Brexit, with Covid-19 making things much worse.

It’s like a tornado stirring the pot.

If there wasn’t a shortage already, ‘pingdemic’, as it has been affectionately named, has unfortunately caused further chaos.

This is because drivers are being pinged left, right and centre, and being told to self-isolate by the ‘track and trace’ app. 

As you can imagine, the consequences have been dire.

Many newsagents, including the chain NISA, have had to drive their vans to pick up supplies.

This is due to severe staff shortages among their suppliers.

This is time and effort spent on top of maintaining and managing their store branches and dealing with staff off work themselves, too. 

There are calls for the government to allow drivers who have been vaccinated (with both jabs) to skip the isolation period.

This is as long as they continue to test, and the results are negative.

At the moment, this is due to come into force from the 16th of August, but things could change — sooner or be pushed to later.

So, everything is up in the air, and everyone is panicking.

Help?

We think so.

What do you think?

Has the media blown this out of proportion, or is this something that needs further immediate attention?

Have you been affected directly by the driver shortages?

The struggling supermarkets certainly show us how serious this all this.

Let us know your thoughts! 

For any new drivers needing cheap van insurance, we’re always here for you.

All you have to do is complete this form, and be welcomed into a world of cheap van insurance providers, that you won’t find elsewhere.

The best thing is — the form takes less than 3 minutes to complete.

An End to Border Chaos?

Posted on by News Desk

Good news this week for international drivers, especially those caught in the channel crossing chaos over Christmas.

The UK announced plans to open 20 new COVID testing centres.

These centres are designed specifically for van and truck drivers, providing rapid testing to streamline their journeys.

Consequently, drivers can move forward with ease before reaching the border into France.

This week, officials opened the first centre in Peterborough at the Peterborough services on the A1M.

The army joined the effort to support these centres, aiming to prevent the delays and tailbacks from just a few weeks ago.

The government is taking furthers steps too.

Giving hauliers the chance to set up their own test centre at their premises, with free of charge test kits. 

This is part of a plan to give lorry and van drivers a Kent Access Permit.

This is to help ease the delays that were causing chaos throughout Kent, as divers queued in huge tailbacks as they awaited tests.

Additionally, light goods and van drivers have access to these government centres for testing before they reach Dover.

Enabling them to move quickly through customs and border control and onto the continent. 

The centres provide results within the hour and offer free advice on new border processes.

This is to help ensure van drivers have the correct paperwork, as we navigate this new Brexit era. 

Delivering the gift of Christmas

Posted on by News Desk

So, for those of you who are delivery drivers, this year should, in theory, have been ‘it’ – the run up to Christmas, the busting your chops to squeeze in endless deliveries of Christmas goods for the people who shop online.

But this year has been different in so many ways and the Christmas rush may not be over, come December 24th. While last year saw a run of online ordering putting unprecedented demand on van drivers over the festive period, nothing could have prepared us for what happened in March, when COVID struck. 

The poor delivery drivers of the UK didn’t know what had hit them. It was like Christmas all over again, with the country locked down and ordering online becming something of a national pastime. Delivery drivers didn’t know what had hit them, as they worked around the clock, busting a gut to get things to people – from food to fancy fripperies, and everything inbetween. 

And this Christmas, the heat is on again. Brexit related stockpiling is seeing delays at UK ports and a huge backlog of things to get to people, from building supplies to Christmas presents. With most of the country in tier 3, that is all in addition to those who are reliant on online ordering to deliver everything from clothes to groceries. And now, as of yesterday, ports into the UK are closed. Who knows what that will mean. More deliveries, fewer deliveries… many businesses will be scratching their heads and trying to figure out if they actually have anything to send at all.

Many experts are predicting that this seasonal rush will carry on right into January and even beyond, depending on what happens with Brexit and how quickly the COVID vaccine can be rolled out. But of course, with this new raft of port closures, the truth is nobody knows what is coming next.

So, while it doesn’t really help ease those tired limbs or the sheer exhaustion, we just want you to know that this Christmas, we here at Cheap Van Insurance doff our caps to you all – from the delivery drivers, to the man and vans, to the builders and brickies and everything in between. Here’s hoping next year gets back to something approaching normal and life can return to the heady days when people went out and actually got things for themselves. 

Cross Channel Chaos

Posted on by News Desk

This week we want to spare a thought for those van drivers who spend their life hopping the channel into Europe and back to collect and deliver goods across the UK. As many of you will know, the port of Dover is currently in chaos, as a result of the massive queue of lorries trying to cross the channel in both directions. Most of the A20 is resembling a lorry park as a result of the pre-Christmas rush, businesses stockpiling and the side effects of COVID restrictions and the anticipation of the imminent arrival of a vaccine.

Any vehicle, not just lorries, are subject to 40mph restrictions around the area, and all laybys in the area are closed. While typically lorries relied on ferries to get them from A to B, the amount of congestions has seen many turn to Eurotunnel to get them over the channel instead, causing additional delays there too. 

Stockpiling is the latest to blame for the delays, as fears of a no-deal Brexit grow. It seems everyone from supermarkets to specialist goods suppliers are stocking up, in fear of additional delays, import taxes and restrictions that may come about if we cannot make a deal with our European neighbours. 

The year as a whole has, as a result of reduced traffic, seen a massive drop in the usual traffic jams and delays around the country, so the van and lorry drivers who are affected by the cross-channel delays are feeling it particularly hard, after the year they have had, where many saw hours and work opportunities cut as a result of lockdown. 

It seems like this chaos is set to go on if the UK Government is unable to make a deal towards a Brexit agreement and many experts are forecasting months of chaos at UK ports if the worst should happen. 

So, spare a thought for your channel-hopping, van driver brethren this Christmas who may just be starting on what could be months of disruption. 

A Haunting Tale About Van Drivers in a Post-Apocalyptic Brexit World

Posted on by News Desk

Brexit. 

If like 99.9% of the UK population, you’ve given up trying to understand what the hell happened, what is going to happen and what’s real or not real, like the rest of us, you’re probably over it, and resigned to whatever will happen, will happen.

Let alone trying to understand what any of it actually means.

If you’re a UK van driver who drives their van… well, in the UK, the answer is that to a large degree, Brexit won’t affect you if it does actually happen on October 31st.

If you drive abroad, we hope you’ve looked into the implications in a little more detail, as it’s potentially the stuff of nightmares. 

The customs implications for importing and exploring in and out of Europe are many – there is the extra time it takes to prepare and procure the correct paperwork. There’s the expense of paying for customs charges, most of which will be charged back to the client, but will add extra costs onto your bottom line. Then there’s the time of waiting at borders to have your goods checked in and checked out. If you’re delivering fresh food items for a client – this could be a massive blow to them – and you.

Basically – you’re buggered. 

There is an action in place to try and ensure that if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, that both sides agree a continuation as things are until the end of the year, while a solution is sought, but this still has sticking points if you’re travelling through non-EU countries such as Switzerland and there will be restrictions on the number of deliveries that can be made under this agreement.

Added Van Insurance Costs

If that wasn’t enough, you’ll also need to ensure you have a foreign use extension to over any countries you deliver to. And a green Card driving permit to drive in the EU post-Brexit (currently not charged for by your insurance company, but give it time…) These Green Cards are only valid for a maximum of 90 days, so you’ll need to be sure you’re on top of renewing these to keep driving legally abroad. And you should already have one, but you need to be sure you’re not driving on a UK standard license – you’ll need an international driving permit.

While we wait with bated breath to see what happens, we at CVI can’t see how Brexit’s going to be a good thing for our international van driving friends. All you can do, is ensure you have a really good van insurance policy, that your paperwork is in order, and that you pack extra sandwiches for the inevitable long queue at customs. Sweet dreams all, don’t have nightmares. 

Van Insurance Green Card – The Facts!

Posted on by News Desk

If you are planning to go on tour in the near future, then listen up, because we have important information about your van.

We all know how UK van drivers like to go on tour. Off they go, into Europe (and beyond), driving on the wrong side of the road and getting on the wrong side of the law.

It’s part and parcel of being a van driver and no-one can call themselves a true van driver until they have spent a few days in a foreign jail or raged against European police officers.

Just like you can’t call yourself a true van driver if you don’t use Cheap Van Insurance at renewal time to get yourself the best prices in the UK.

With Brexit just around the corner, going on tour to countries such as Spain, France, Italy and Germany have just become more tricky. You can’t just set sail at Dover and land at Calais, without a care in the world.

Once Brexit happens then you will need something called a van insurance green card to legally drive in Europe.

If you don’t have it, then in our opinion you won’t make it out of Calais before those handcuffs are slapped on and you are chucked into a French Prison.

So how do you get a van insurance green card? Simple…all you do is contact your van insurance company and ask for one.

In essence, they will be “vouching” that you have adequate insurance to drive abroad, so you can drive legally on European roads.

However, if you are planning to go on tour in the near future then make sure you get your green card sorted quickly.

The van insurance companies already have a line for green card applications, and once Brexit happens then you can expect the wait line to become even longer.

In other words, don’t hesitate to get your van insurance green card, because he who hesitates, could very well find himself stuck in the UK with no chance of going on tour.

Now…here is the really important part about your van insurance green card. Once accepted, then you will have to print it off yourself, and in order to be legal it MUST be printed on green paper.

Apparently our European cousins are very colour coordinated, and they insist that a Green Card must be presented on Green Paper.

This has led experts to predict a shortage of green printing paper over the coming weeks, as van drivers rush to print off their Green Cards.

Our advice? Go out right now and buy some green paper and then get this whole thing sorted out.

Oh, and while you are at it don’t forget to check van insurance prices from around 40 van insurance companies and brokers right here at CVI.

White Van Men On Tour Get GREEN LIGHT

Posted on by News Desk

Rage, discontent, and anger. These are all words that could have described your average white van man after Brexit happens.

Especially those white van owners who like to go “on tour.” Off they go, North, South, East, and West. Driving in their vans to go to far away lands, for business and pleasure.

It was thought that Brexit might have put a halt to these regular jaunts. A big RED LIGHT was expected to be staring each and every white van owner in the face, and, as we all know, when white van men are hindered in some way then the result is usually…all out destruction.

Initially, experts predicted that UK van insurance would no longer be valid on the roads of our European neighbours

That means if a British white van just wanted to go for a casual drive in the French countryside, then it would quickly be scanned by French Police.

“Monsieur..Monsieur..pas de taxes” they would be shouting.

A night in French prison would no doubt be in store for the white van man, which would probably push them to the brink.

Fortunately, this is not going to happen, due to the fact that it’s just been announced that UK van insurance will be accepted in the EU after Brexit has happened.

If you are stopped on the roads of France, Germany, Spain, or Rome…

Then all you need to do is show them Cheap Van Insurance on your smartphone…

and they will instantly leave you alone.

“It’s okay, I’m with CVI,” you say.

“Danke,” the German traffic police would say after they pulled you over on the Autobahn.

No fuss, no hassle, and no rage. Just a GREEN LIGHT for every white van owner in the country to go “on tour” and not get in any bother.

It could have been a lot different though. A Green card system had been proposed by European chiefs and an extra £10 fee to get European van insurance for UK drivers.

“Hola, tarjeta verde por favor ” the Spanish Police would say after pulling over the traditional UK white Ford Transit van.

“You what mate?” the white van driver would say…getting a bit hot under the collar.

“Tarjeta verde… AHORA!!“” the Spanish police would demand.

Who knows what would happen after that? We all know how white van men have, in the past, been unleashed and unchained, to the point where car doors have been ripped clean off.

Right now everybody is friends, and our white van drivers can move forward to the continent with a good mood and CVI on their phone.

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