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As operators are looking for solutions for environmentally sensitive areas such as inner city destinations, places with heavy pedestrian traffic, areas that have strict access restrictions, underground car park deliveries and other similar situations, the Mercedes-Benz E-CELL can be a viable solution for theses situations. The Vito E-CELL not only provides an emission free solution for operators, but also is a vehicle that is ideal for areas that have noise restrictions, areas such as health resorts or residential areas that prohibit night time driving due to the Mercedes-Benz Vito providing an almost silent ride.

The Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL rounds out Mercedes offerings of environmentally friendly vans. Mercedes-Benz has already almost perfected other drive systems such as internal combustion engines, drive systems powered by LPG and natural gas, and now a totally electric drive system.

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On the heels of a six year run and sales of close to 800,000 units of the outgoing Volkswagen caddy, this new generation of Caddy range is slated to be more economical to drive, have additional safety features, with improved quality and refinement and also an improvement in environmental credentials. With these improvements in place, Volkswagen is aiming to keep the Volkswagen Caddy as one of their best selling vans across the globe- even all the way to the land down under, Australia.

As far as looks go, the new generation models have been renewed with Volkswagen’s latest frontal styling that is all of their new models, for example, the latest Transporter or Polo. Additionally, the rear light clusters are a new feature, as is the roof rails, which are available for the first time, and there is also optional cornering lights. Inside is also laden with new features, new steering wheels, new instrumentation, an audio/navigation system, and optional Bluetooth connectivity.

In addition to the outward cosmetic features and the enhanced interior, underneath the hood there is a totally new range of four of VW’s four-cylinder TDI engines that are up to 13% more economical on fuel. In addition to being better on fuel, these engines are quieter running and cleaner running with Euro5 standard emissions.

It seems that with the new generation of the Volkswagen Caddy and Caddy Maxi that Volkswagen has done it again.

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This round of improvements by Renault is built upon five pillars that will make sure that Renault’s level of service for their business customers will be in keeping with the high quality level that people have found in Renaults cars and vans. The main premise of the plan is that Renault is endeavouring to make sure that business customers, regardless of the size of their fleet will have the benefit of the most complete care package that any of the manufacturers offer, by giving a combination of warranty, servicing promises, recovery, and also delivery promises.

The main goal of the changes that Renault is implementing is to supply class leading service, to fortify the quality of Renault’s offerings of vehicles and to lower the expense of owning a vehicle. The changes that Renault is implementing to their levels of service for their business customers will be effective immediately.

The five pillars that the changes will be built upon are:
The Business Customer Commitment.
Fleet Service Commitment.
Cost Reduction Improvement
Renault I-Care
Renault Pro+

In subsequent articles we will try to go in depth into each of these five pillars to provide readers with the full scope of these servicing improvements by Renault.

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The first situation is if when a vehicle is ordered and a delivery date is agreed upon, if the vehicle is not delivered by the set date, then a loan vehicle will be sent in its stead. The second situation is if the van or car is recovered at the roadside. The third situation where Renault will provide a replacement vehicle is if it going to take 24 hours or longer for parts due to their unavailability. The fourth and last situation is if repair work that is warranty work takes over three hours to complete.

Theses commitments, coupled with Renault’s three year warranty that provides cover up to the 60,000 mile mark and unlimited mileage in the first two years, show that Renault is willing to go the extra mile for a name that is associated with quality.

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Payne, who is from Framlingham, is an expert in the automotive field, brings to the table over three decades of experience in the automotive industry. The 50 year old Payne got his start in the auto business back in 1976 working as a workshop technician and has honed his automotive knowledge to the expert level as he has fulfilled diverse servicing roles for top automotive brands.

Payne became affiliated with Volkswagen in 1999, where at first he was a service advisor and in more recent days has served in the capacity of the service manger in Volkswagen’s passenger car division. Payne will be bringing his loyalty to the Volkswagen brand and to the business the Wolsey Volkswagen van centre.

Payne when commenting on the Wolsey Volkswagen van centre said that the working environment at the centre made the Wolsey Volkswagen van centre an enjoyable place to work, a working environment that is both friendly and professional. Payne stated that his latest challenge will enable him to expand and enhance Wolsey’s current servicing needs for their commercial vehicle customers; he also stated that this was a challenge that he was looking forward to advancing

David Nichols, who is the head of Business at the Wolsey Van Centre, noted that Payne had a superb performance record and that Payne’s expertise and his brand awareness puts him as the ideal one for developing the servicing needs of Ipswich van drivers.

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At each of the Transport and Fleet Manager seminar one delegate will be presented with the chance to win a festive dinner that will include one night’s lodging and a VIP hospitality pass to a Trofeo Abarth 500 race, which will take place at a blue ribbon circuit in the summer 2011.

There will be one name picked at the final event for the grand prize award of the all expense paid two-day trip for two to Brescia, where the winners will visit the Iveco factory where the famous Eurocargo is produced. The Transport Manager 2010 provides a unique look into transport issues that concern operators, as local Traffic Commissioners, VOSA, and other people from the industry share their expertise.

The very popular Freight Transport Association’s Fleet Engineer seminars highlight legislative changes and also look at best practice procedures, providing attendee’s the chance to hear information from the companies that produce the vehicles, VOSA and the top industry bodies.

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The Hampton Court Palace has received three new Ford Transits, which wear the colours of the south-west London Palace. The Ford Transit vans that bear the colours of the palace were provided by Dinnages, a Sussex-based Ford dealer, which has its 75th anniversary this year.

Graham Dillamore, who is with Historic Royal Places said that the Palace has four vehicles that all came from Dinnages. He stated that three of the vehicles are utilized by staff members of the 44 full time gardening staff workers for general gardens and for retail operations concerning the estate; these retail operations outlets are located at the following locations, Tower of London, Hampton Court, and at the Kensington Palace location.

Dillamore said that they chose the Ford Transit due to its ready availability, how easy it is maintained, and staff familiarity. Dillamore also mentioned that Dinnages was their preferred Ford dealer to do business with and that they had found their staff nice to do business with, and we have developed a good relationship with their staff.
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This Volkswagen tour will be appearing on the following dates at these UK locations:
On August the 7th, the Volkswagen tour will be in Scotland at the Dumfries Agricultural Show, on September 7th through the 9th in Windsor at the IOG Saltex Show, on September 10th through the 12th in Sandbanks, Poole at the Animal Windfest, also on September the 10 through the 12th in Malvern at Vanfest held at the Three Counties Showground, on September 25th through the26th at the Malvern Autumn Show also at the Three Counties Showground, on October the 12th through the 17th at the International Caravan and Motorhome Show at the NEC, and on October 17th through the 20th in Birmingham at the NEC at Interbuild Onsite.

Jason Hill, the events manger for Volkswagen Commercial vehicles acknowledged the fact that people do not always have the opportunity to come by one of the Van Centres in their national network, but that with the launch of the new editions of the Volkswagen California, Caravelle and the Transporter this year that it was good time to take new Volkswagen models on tour.

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The increased payload capacity of the new generation Mercedes-Benz Vito adds to the practicality of the van, which coupled with a renewed suspension system and new sturdy bumpers makes the new generation Vito a good solution for tough, day-in-day out tasks that may be encountered.

In addition to the increase in payload capacity and renewed suspension, the new generation Vito’s comfort level is enhanced by simpler controls, improved quality in the passenger space and possible reduction in noise levels.

On top of these enticing features of the new generation of the Mercedes-Benz Vito, the vans new drive system can cut CO2 emissions and fuel use by up to 15% in comparison to previous editions. With the option of BlueEFFICIENCY, a system that provides an on demand activation of major assemblies, an eco start and stop system, and low resistance tyres; the new generation Mercedes-Benz Vito is an economic and environmentally friendly vehicle solution

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The new Iveco models showcase the flexibility that is offered by the Iveco commercial vehicle range, as they supplement the current 6.0 and 6.5 tonne models and provide those who operate Iveco Daily’s with extra payload capacity in a vehicle that is great choice for urban environments due to a narrow chassis width that is only 2,174 mm. The new models also present a new marketing opportunity for Iveco, as it provides a feasible option for those fleets that are using lightweight 7.5 tonners for short distance runs that do not need the full capacity of a Eurocargo.

The launch of the 7.0 tonne Daily and EcoDaily models complement the current 6.5 tonne variations and comes in behind Iveco’s United Kingdom launch of their light commercial vehicle range back in January of this year.

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The comfort level of the vehicle, the quality of material it is made of, and the effectiveness of the new generation Viano in the large-capacity vehicle group, make this offering by Mercedes-Benz a benchmark for other manufacturers to try to reach. In addition to the comfort, quality, and the efficiency that the Viano provides, the Mercedes-Benz Viano has raised the standards for large-capacity vans with an improved cockpit section, passenger section, and a new efficient drive system.

The Viano is equipped with BlueEFFICIENCY technology as a standard feature, making sure that the Viano provides the maximum in fuel efficiency and has a minimal affect on the environment. In addition to these awesome features, the Mercedes-Benz Viano also is fitted with a new suspension system that gives comfort the occupants, adds pleasure to the driving experience, and provides active safety.

In addition to the functional features of the new Mercedes-Benz Viano, the Viano like the passenger cars from Mercedes has been given a look all its own. The new Mercedes Viano is different from its predecessors by its distinct headlight design that is resembles the current Mercedes passenger car offerings. Additionally, the new generation Viano comes with a redesigned rear end, which with the distinct headlight design gives this large capacity Mercedes vehicle more character than it has ever enjoyed before.

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Duncan Ward, who is with BCA Pulse when commenting on the average values of fleet & lease vans made the following comments, as he tried to put the current numbersin the proper when compared to the state of the economy. He appeared to be optimistic about the long term prospects of values increasing. Below is a summerization of Duncan’s coments.

He remarked that while the short term prices have stuttered, the long term forecast is for values to increase again. He maintained that a reduction of new van sales means that there will not be the volumes of used vans available to support what will probably be a rise in demand in 2011 forward as hopefully the economy improves. Ward pointed out that we have already witnessed a shortage of vehicles due to operators extending the leases on vans that they already have and by operating the vehicles longer instead of replacing them given the current economic situation; those vehicles will be older vehicles with more miles on them. Ward concluded that in the coming months, more than likely the average age and mileage of vans that we sell will be higher.

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The owner of a Bristol based vehicle dismantler gave some advice on vehicles that are approaching the end of their life. He said that when your vehicle is getting close to being worn out beyond use it is always worth taking a trip to a local scrap yard to have the vehicle assessed for its scrap value. He said that by doing that vehicle owners would at least know what they could get for their vehicle before it took its last breath. He went on to explain that even if a vehicle breaks down some place else it is often possible to have a disposal company come and pick it up for no charge; all that is needed is a phone call and some talk. He concluded that abandoning a vehicle is not a good method of old vehicle disposal and it could also mean losing out on some money.

This is some good advice from someone who is well acquainted with the junk van and car business.

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Hull has seen enough of the growing amount of abandoned vehicles on their streets, in 2009 there was in excess of 450 vehicles discovered that were abandoned in the city. The abandoned vehicles are viewed as a hazard, and even pose a danger when noticed by local hellions who sometimes set them on fire or damage them, which brings out the emergency services in either situation, pulling the emergency personal away from other emergency situations that they may need to attend to. Having their fill of this situation, the Hull council has come out with a scheme that will allow residents to have their junk vehicles towed away and crushed at no charge.

Colchester’s response to the same issue is to tow the abandoned vehicles away and pursue the vehicle owners through DVLA for not having a displayed road Fund disc. The abandoned vehicles after identification are adorned with a notice on the vehicles windscreen, the notice lets the owners know that they have 14 days before the abandoned vehicle is hauled away. The current legislation allows the council to crush, dismantle, or sell the abandoned vehicle after meeting certain conditions to cover expenses.

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In the month of June, across the board LCV average values were £4,280, which was a drop of £186 or 4.1 per cent when compared to the average monthly values in May. This decline saw a drop in the value of fleet & lease and in part-exchange values as well, however values in nearly-new reported an increase

In breaking down the numbers, average fleet & lease values saw a decline of £164 or 3.2 per cent to £4,909, which was a back-to back decline after a streak of six record months in a row. Part-exchange values saw a decline of £74 or 2.8 per cent to £2,482. While fleet & lease saw declines, nearly-new experienced an upswing as the values of nearly-new rose from £10,950 in the month in June from May’s numbers of £10,311, which was an increase of £639 or 6.1 per cent. Volumes have stayed low as has been the case for many months.

Even though there have been declines in the fleet & lease values and in the part exchange values in the months of May and June, the year-on year values are still above the average values that were recorded in 2009.

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The campaign, which is titled “Don’t Fleece Our Fleet”, will go on tour across the United Kingdom to some of the UK’s largest truck-stops to elevate awareness and to build support for the fleet industry that has witnessed fuel duty amounts rise 15% in the recent economic downturn, with more increases coming that will total around 5%.

The diesel duty in the United Kingdom is clearly the highest in the EU, at a cost of 57.19 pence a litre, which happens to be more than double than what some of the EU competitors have to dole out. To promote the petition, The Fuelcard Company will set out on a six week tour of the United Kingdom with a huge 14ft American BBQ that will be serving up burgers to the UK’s besieged commercial vehicle drivers.

The petition that The Fuelcard Company is promoting is requesting that the Government reduce the fuel tax or freeze the tax where it’s at before the fleet industry in the United Kingdom is damaged beyond repair.

This petition by The Fuelcard Company has the support of the Road Haulage Association (RHA), which has been a consistent opponent of fuel tax increases in the United Kingdom.

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The long-running successfulness of the Vario in the high-capacity van market testifies to the Vario being a good investment as a vehicle and also as a good testimony to the Ludwigsfelde plant near Berlin. The Vario is the largest van that Mercedes-Benz offers and brings together the high load capabilities of a ‘light truck’ with agility of a van. Additionally, the Vario has a broad appeal due to providing a reliable, sophisticated, quality product that has no rivals in its combination and special-purpose body options.

Due to the front engine in the Vario, it is not like the light trucks needing a tilting cab; this makes the Vario well formed to be in the van arena. In the Vario, drivers have the benefit of easy access from the cab of the vehicle to rear area; which in turn makes the Vario suitable for parcel delivery, emergency services, mobile support unit, camper van or even a specialist shop.

Along with other great accommodating features, overall, the Vario from Mercedes is the ideal vehicle to face the challenges of the future, even going into the 15th year of its production

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The fleet will be comprised of the new version of the Volkswagen Transport that was released earlier in the year, a version that is more fuel efficient than previous models. Along with the Transporters, the fleet will also include some of Volkswagen’s Caddy vans, which is a smaller vehicle. The Volkswagen Caddy vans will be for work inside London and surrounding areas. Lex Autolease has been in charge of the contract hire agreement as well as the interior conversion work.

Arcus Engineering, an Upminster, Essex based company is a sister company to ArcusFM, the company that oversees the facilities contract for Sainsbury’s network of stores. Volkswagen’s past reputation and years of experience was a major factor in securing this order from ArcusFM.

On commenting on ArcusFM choosing a Volkswagen product, Janet Bass, ArcusFM fleet manager said that is was imperative that Arcus Engineering got started out with a fleet that could be relied on and one that was robust. She noted that the Abridge Van Centre provided much help by supplying a range of demonstrator vehicles for us to try out before we chose the ones that we were going to use.

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Renault iCare is a pro-active managed service that implements a “pay-as-you-earn” pricing system that means that payment is required only if the van is in use. Additionally, Renault’s iCare maintenance and repair service repair system communicates with the driver through telematics, which is a hands-free communication system.

Vehicles that use the iCare system are equipped with a four-way communication button that allows the van driver to have direct access to Renault Assistance, when they are in need of help. Drivers through one of the buttons can access the Renault iCare call centre 24/7 and have their call directed to the needed support service, to the AA for breakdowns, windscreen service, tyre help or the Renault Accident Support Line. The remaining three buttons can be used to access Renault iCare Operational and Administrative Support, emergency services, and a button for the customer to contact a source of their own choosing, usually their fleet manager.

As this service can be a valuable service for fleets, by providing easy, convenient access to needed services for van operators, it is also a cost effective solution as well, since fleet operators only pay for the service when van is in operation.

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The publication takes a close look at the LCV market within the United Kingdom and provides analyses on the changes and dynamics that have taken place within the LCV sector during the last couple of years. Some of the issues that are covers in the report are the routes to market and how supply and how supply and demand effects pricing, and also points out some of the effects that the recent economic downturn as had on the LCV market.

In the report Cooke also deals with the factors that will cause change in the used LCV market in the years to come. Small and Medium sized business for the most part have a preference for used LCV for their business transportation needs, being that new LCV’s can also exceed their financial grasp, and used LCV’s meet their needs very well. Additionally, LCV’s provide a benefit over using cars, since a used LCV can typically have a much longer business life than cars, with them being used by two or three businesses, while cars usually being used by only one business before going to a private motorist.

Some of the factors the report identifies as driving change in the used LCV market include: carbon footprint and CO2 emissions, the potential for an increase in electric LCV’s, fuel strategy, the debate on climate change, taxes, among other related issues that affect the use of LCV’s.