Increased Commercial Vehicle Registrations Being Led by Vans

September (2014) was another good month for commercial vehicle registrations in the UK. News reports say registrations were up some 10.8% over August, and 17.8% for the year. Leading the way were more than 49,000 vans registered for the first time in September. Experts say the increased registrations are a strong sign that the economy is back on track.

Making for an even better picture is the assumption that some larger fleets have been downsized from HGVs to vans where appropriate. Companies may be doing this to save money on the vehicles themselves and the fuel these consume. Regardless of the reasons, there are more commercial vans on the road now than there have been since the start of the financial crisis. Some of the new registrations mean new jobs as well.

As you may already know, the UK has been in the midst of a commercial driver shortage for years. A combination of driver retirements and not enough new drivers entering the field has left companies scrambling to keep capable people behind the wheel. Downsizing to vans where practical could be one way around the problem.

Vans with a total weight of no more than 3.5 tonnes can be driven without the need for a special van driving licence. Anyone with a valid car license and a good driving history would be a candidate for a van-driving job in such cases. If a company can still maintain a business after downsizing to the smaller vehicles, it makes sense to do so in light of hiring problems. Where larger vehicles are still required, companies have to be more aggressive than ever in their hiring efforts.

Industry analysts say the hiring crunch will be even more pronounced as we head into the holiday season. Companies are already trying to figure out how to keep up with busier delivery schedules brought on by the shopping season without enough drivers to fill seats. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Van Driver Training

Anyone in need of a van driving licence to operate larger, commercial vehicles can take advantage of the training offered by our company. The HGV Training Centre has been a leading provider of commercial driver training in the UK for years. We have built a solid reputation on our commitment to students combined with a proven training approach.

We can train individual drivers to earn their licences in preparation for looking for work. We also work with motoring companies to provide fleet training on a remedial basis. We even offer CPC driver training for drivers with expiring certificates. No matter what your commercial driver training needs are, we can meet them.

The HGV Training Centre offers classes that will prepare you to drive an articulated lorry, van, tipper truck, bus, coach, or heavy construction equipment. We also offer programmes for forklift operation and light trailer towing. Contact us by telephone or through this website for class information and pricing.

Sources:

Fleet News UK – https://www.commercialfleet.org/news/2014/10/8/growing-van-market-continues-to-drive-cv-registrations/53737/