Early findings from the 2014 CV Informer survey show that 77% of businesses expect the sector to do better this year than it did in 2013, with 20% predicting a similar performance and just 3% expecting conditions to deteriorate.
Confidence levels have risen since the same time last year, when just 50% of the sector expected business conditions to improve and 23% thought they would decline.
The early 2014 CV Informer findings were unveiled during a breakfast briefing at the CV Show at the Birmingham NEC. The event included a special presentation from Sunday Times economics editor David Smith, while BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney outlined some of the association’s current initiatives.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) chose the event to launch its updated Guide to Maintaining Road Worthiness.
‘It is great to be able to bring so many leading figures from the industry together and provide them with such a valuable insight into key market trends and legislative developments,’ said Keaney.
‘I would like to thank our partners at Motor Transport, who helped develop the CV Informer project and continue to collect and collate the data on behalf of the industry.’
Nearly 200 companies took part in the 2013 CV Informer research and Motor Transport hopes to improve on that response this year before publishing a full, detailed report in early summer.
‘CV Informer offers a unique insight into this essential sector of the commercial vehicle market,’ commented Andy Salter, managing director of Road Transport Media, the publishers of Motor Transport.
‘The 2014 edition clearly builds on the success of 2013's inaugural activity, demonstrating the strength in depth of the commercial vehicle rental and leasing sector and reflecting the wider optimism in the economy. Our partnership with the BVRLA on this project brings together our combined expertise to ensure we are serving the market with a unique information offering,’ he added.
The BVRLA is encouraging all attendees of the CV Show to come and visit stand 4D10, which the association will be sharing with ATS Euromaster.
BVRLA staff will be handing out free copies of the Fleet Forward Planner, and telling visitors about the BVRLA’s quality assurance programme, its conciliation service and the benefits of using a BVRLA member.