Tag: COVID-19

Now is not the time to go faster

Posted on by News Desk

How are our frontline heroes this week? We hope you are all well and staying safe. News reaches us this week that there is a marked increase on the roads of speeding incidents and we notice there are more reports of van driver crashes appearing in the press. With 50-60% less traffic on the road, there is a marked increase in speeding incidents up and down the country and it’s coming at the cost of some very serious accidents. 

And of course, we get it. With quiet roads, it’s hard not to test the limits and see if you can take that corner with the precision and finesse of a Formula One driver. And of course, van drivers are under more pressure than ever – just being out and on the road is enough to cause some concerns and being in and out of multiple locations each day can feel like a game of Russian Roulette in the current climate. But it’s no excuse for not focusing on the road and being safe out there.

And talking of Formula One (is anyone watching the Esports version – we’re quite enjoying it), while last week it was a pilot taking up the van driver’s life, this week, it’s a Porsche Carrera racer. News reaches us that Josh Webster, Porsche Supercup winner, has taken to a Tesco van in Suffolk during the crisis while motorsports are on lockdown to deliver groceries for the vulnerable. (Please don’t go looking for him to race him – his van is limited to 50mph.) 

And finally, a big shout out to one of our local supermarket delivery drivers, who got a special cheer at 8 pm last Thursday when our entire road was out on the street clapping for you all. He took a slow, heroes drive down the road, tooting his horn and flashing his lights and giving us all a wave. And he got a heroes’ applause as he went. Keep on keeping on guys, we need you and appreciate you all. 

By Special Delivery, c/o BA.

Posted on by News Desk

Heartwarming news this week, with the tale of the pilot, turned van driver. 

Peter Login, a British Airways pilot found himself at something of a loose end when coronavirus hit, and he was furloughed by BA. Rather than staying home and twiddling his thumbs, instead, Peter, who is from Horsham, East Sussex decided to do something useful. He is now working as a delivery driver for Tesco in nearby Crawley, to help ensure vital supplies get delivered to those most in need, who find themselves self-isolating. 

His quick job switch has been celebrated by many as a sign of the good people out there who refuse to sit around and wait for better days to come, choosing instead to get out there and make a difference. 

Pilots up and down the country have been forced to take a massive 50% pay cut and forced to take unpaid annual leave, but we can only assume Peter has taken on the Tesco role out of the goodness of his heart, rather than for a pressing need for cash. 

He is certainly lifting the spirits of those Sussex residents who are lucky enough to have Peter knocking on their door. He says it’s obvious that some have not seen anyone for a while and he always makes time to have a quick chat from a safe distance before dropping off their supplies and going on his way. 

And, as van drivers, it’s important to acknowledge that this isn’t just Peter, but many of you, who are playing a vital role in the mental wellbeing of those you are delivering too – not just groceries, but other goods and services to places where human interaction may just be a little thin on the ground right now. A cheerful wave can quite literally make somebody’s day right now. So why not make the most of it – let’s face it, this is quite likely one of those times when people have never been happier to see you and knowing that you could make somebody’s day can not just put a smile on their face, but it should put one on yours too. 

Van Drivers of the UK – keep smiling. You’ve got this. 

The Coronavirus Diaries – In Which the World is Going Mad

Posted on by News Desk

It seems the world is slowly losing it’s mind. Maybe it’s just us here at CVI HQ, but this week there are more tales than we can believe of van drivers making daft decisions and the great British public also losing their collective marbles too. 

In Wymondham, near Norwich, there were reports of a food van driver being attacked and robbed. The perpetrators were thankfully not only caught, but also fined for breaching coronavirus restrictions. This sadly mirrors more general reports of food service industry workers under fire from the public and even brawls in the supermarket aisles. It seems tempers are fraying up and down the country as lockdown continues.

Meanwhile, in Cumbria, a van driver was arrested for driving his van with no front tyres. Yes, you heard right, no tyres. We know HMRC has relaxed the ‘no MOT’ rules for now, but this beggars belief. (For the record, you may not have an MOT, but your vehicle is still expected to be roadworthy). 

Over in Doncaster, a van driver who had phoned in sick as self-isolating was caught transporting motorbikes in the back of his van for off road racing during lockdown. He was promptly sacked.

Staying up north, one van driver managed to create some smiles as he hastily scrawled ‘no bog rolls kept in the van overnight’ in the dirt on the back of his transit. 

Whether you’re staying home or one of the drivers up and down the country sticking it out and getting things done, it pays to remember that yes, the roads are quieter, but now, more than ever, staying safe and retaining a good sense of humour matters. Yes, the general public can be idiots and take what you do for granted, but there are many of us who depend on you doing what you do to keep our country moving and will be eternally thankful to you for it. You may not get the same recognition as many of the other key workers out there, but now more than ever, your country needs you to stay safe and keep doing what you do. 

Van Drivers – The New Emergency Service

Posted on by News Desk

The New Emergency Service

Yes, van drivers, we’re talking about you. You may well hate your job right now, being forced out to the frontline, doing work you don’t want to do in a climate that is beyond surreal. But go, in the knowledge that the general public not only need you more than ever, but have a new-found respect for you that they would never have had, unless the events of the last few months happened.

You are the essential connectors for so many people right now – the elderly and vulnerable. Between friends and families sending gifts in the absence of their presence. Of people who would otherwise not be able to go out and get food. For supermarkets which would have no food without you. Hospitals that need vital equipment. Whatever you’re delivering, just know, that someone, somewhere is grateful for you right now. 

It’s a time of clarity for us all. A time where the glaring inequality between van drivers who won’t get paid more than SSP if they do self-isolate, while many sit at home getting 80% of a decent salary for doing nothing at all. Seeing the ones who have money get everything they want delivered to their doorstep, while those who don’t struggle to get what they need. The roads are quiet but there’s no joy in a fast drop-off when there’s a never-ending stream to deliver and you’re not sure if you’re just feeling exhausted or something worse. And no feeling grateful that ‘at least you’ve got a job,’ when any one of those drop-offs could affect not only you, but your family at home in ways you’d rather not think about. 

These are dark times and there’s nothing more we can say to cheer you along, besides that the majority of us recognise that every day you’re out there, getting things done, because that’s what you do. And for that, we thank you. 

Stay safe. 

Staying Safe in Uncertain Times

Posted on by News Desk

Okay, so we’ve not spoken about it so much, until now, but as a van driver, what should you be doing to stay safe during the coronavirus outbreak?

The good news is that you have been designated ‘key workers’ meaning that those of you who are self-employed can keep going for now and keep some money on the table until the chancellor hopefully announces some new measures to help out, besides the current paltry £94 a week on offer. 

And now, more than ever, the nation is depending on you to move vital goods up and down the country. The plus side is that the traffic and parking is a damn sight easier. 

But what are your employers doing to keep you safe? 

Hopefully, you all have some form of PPE – be it gloves and masks or at least some hand sanitiser to take with you.

It’s so important to keep on top of not just regular hand washing, safe distancing and generally more awareness of what you do and when, but also to keep your van interior cleaner than ever. Steering wheels can be four times dirtier than toilet seats. Yuk. And your phone, sat nav, buttons and dials can all be breeding grounds for bacteria too.

At the start of each day, spend a little longer getting ready for your day. Give everything a liberal spray of antibacterial and actually clean things with a cloth because spraying alone isn’t going to be enough. Clean out all those used pasty wrappers and dirty tissues. The less in your cab, the less there is to get contaminated so give it a damn good sort out. Give footwells a wipe and all your door handles too.

Take disposable gloves out to open doors safely and if you require a signature on delivery, make sure your handset is anti-bac’ed too. At the end of each day, take your shoes off at the door and get your work clothes in the wash. 

Stop and think when you stop for petrol or a pee. Wear gloves and use elbows to open doors where you can. Resist the urge to pick your nose or touch your face through the day. Easier said than done, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Wash your hands before and after eating (you’ll likely need a packed lunch with all the drive-throughs closing). 

We all need to do our bit and while life goes on (for most of us, for now) for the hardworking van drivers of the UK, we just want to finish by saying thank you for everything you do to keep the country moving. 

Stay safe everyone. 

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