Tunbridge Wells, UK: Van Excellence, a scheme administered by the FTA, celebrates its tenth anniversary this month.
Last year 105 companies achieved Van Excellence recognition, demonstrating that more vans than ever are operated to the highest standards of safety, compliance and efficiency, the FTA says.
Central to the scheme is the Van Excellence Code, a set of minimum best practice standards all van operators should aspire to achieve, covering safety, efficiency and sustainability.
Sharon Mitchell, head of audits and standards, FTA, said: “Van Excellence was launched in 2010 with the aim of professionalising van driving; ten years later – and with more than 100 certified companies in operation – it is fair to say we have made great strides in improving the image of the market.
“The scheme continues to go from strength to strength; this year, we welcomed on board household brands Waitrose and Wayfair, which together operate hundreds of vans in their fleets. But whether a business is operating a fleet of a 100 or a small fleet of one or two, the need for safety remains the same and must not be overlooked.”
In 2019, the FTA launched a Vans Policy Working Group comprising 41 leaders within the sector. The group provides a vital mouthpiece for the industry with government, regulators and other stakeholders and a platform to communicate and debate the issues the market is facing, the FTA says.
