Commenting on his view of the outlook for van operators and the cost considerations, Mark said: ‘Something I find interesting with van operations in general is that they don’t always seem to manage operational costs with the same obsession that truck operators do! Few seem to be able to quote mpg figures, manage the impact of driving styles, vehicle loads etc – all stuff the truckies had nailed down years ago. I genuinely think many, many van operators could shave 10-15% off the operational costs without too much effort.’
He also added that enforcement will be a focus, saying: ‘VOSA, DfT and the TC’s are really shaping up to get their teeth into “van man”. The 50% first-time MOT failure rate for vans is a red flag to the (enforcement) bull! If taken literally, it translates into over one million unroadworthy vans on the road at any one time – something VOSA will move against. It’s more important than ever for the good operators to be seen as leading the way and for the less good to learn from them. The enforcers see stopping vans as being “like shooting fish in a barrel” – let’s make the barrel smaller.’
Mark will be one of a number of industry experts participating in the Venson-sponsored “Question Time” style panel debate at the Fleet World Fleet Show on Wednesday 24th April at Silverstone.
To register for the event, and hear more of Mark’s views and the panel debates, please visit www.thefleetshow.co.uk or click here.