Fleets are increasingly exploring the possibility of van conversions as the number of vans on Irish and UK roads continues to increase. New commercial vehicle registrations totalled around 1.48 million in the UK, while in Ireland 18.3% more LCVs have been registered in 2016 compared with the previous year.
With the number of vans become increasingly higher on our roads, the demand for van conversions has also grown. Van conversions requested by businesses that would like to customise vehicles according to the specific needs of their companies are on the rise. This is something that could help in the job being carried out more safely and quickly, as the material workers need to transport on the van can be accessed more easily and are less mobile in transit. On the other hand, though, it is absolutely necessary to carefully check the finished customisation, the new weight and any other thing that could not only impact driving, but also safety, vehicle class and tax—if the conversion is quite dramatic, there might also be additional charges for you.
So, what is best to keep in mind if you have vans and want them to go through a conversion?
1. Safety and compliance always come first
Fleets have specific scopes and might need special racking according to what they do, but perhaps it isn't possible to have the van customised exactly as you want due to compliance needs or for safety reasons. It is fundamental to always keep this in mind.
2. Do not do it yourself
Some fleets are probably looking into using some of their workforce to do the van conversion. If you do not have a highly specialised workforce at your disposal, this can be quite risky as your team might not be aware of the specifics needed to meet safety and compliance standards, as well as absorbing a lot of their time which could otherwise be employed in more productive tasks.
3. Choose a specialist
Real specialists are experienced with van conversions; it is a great idea to go through your objectives with them. Ideally such specialists would listen to the needs of your fleet and business and explain the possible options available that don’t sacrifice safety and compliance.
4. Van certifications a plus
If you need to choose a van conversion specialist, make sure they have professional memberships: the Van Excellence FTA scheme for the UK or the Van Safe Program for Ireland would offer an extra guarantee that your van conversion specialist is equipped for the task.
Have you ever experienced a van conversion? How did you decide to go through with the process? What kind of issues did you experience and would you offer any advice? Let us know in the comment fields below!
