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New Van Market Growth: A Sign of a Flourishing Courier Industry

This January, the market for new light commercial vehicles (LCVs) has increased by 8.6%. Compared to January 2018, this is quite significant, with 22,000 new vans and pick-ups being registered (an uplift of 1,761).
Since last year, all sectors have seen growth, besides the medium vans which had a 3.9% decrease in demand. These figures have come from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), and it is interesting to see some significant variations for particular vehicles.

Demand Fluctuations

Both pickups and light car-derived vans saw large demand increases (13.4% and 31.7%) due to new and improved models being introduced to the industry. The statistics also showed an increase in the demand for large vans (weighing 2.5-3.5 tonnes) as 13,268 vehicles were registered.

The chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Mike Hawes, said that he was unsurprised by the increasing demands due to the poor figures in December 2018. While a slight bounce back was expected, further fluctuations have been predicted for coming months. Hawes stated that since “the UK’s post-Brexit future remains uncertain”, it will be difficult to know what’s to come in terms of vehicle demand.

Stability in Your Courier Network

All fleet managers strive for stability in their courier network, but with demand fluctuations as significant as this in addition to the Brexit problem, it can be very difficult to achieve a stable system. In order to be able to invest and renew their fleets, operators need a steadier market. Hawes argued that this “now depends on government providing the right conditions starting with removing the threat of ‘no-deal’.”

The Current Market Leaders

Companies with the highest market shares included Ford, with a 31.7% share and Volkswagen at 11.7%. The PSA group (Vauxhall, Citroen and Peugeot) had an impressive January sales total of 5,647, which by volume would put them high in the rankings.

Thoughts for the Future of LCVs

The director of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), Sue Robinson, is confident that the light commercial vehicle market will continue to thrive throughout 2019.

The NFDA represent commercial vehicle and franchised car retailers, and Robinson confirmed that “many new models [are] due to enter the market this year” to attract more and more buyers. She stated that the new models “coupled with attractive finance offers and better specification vehicles” have made the industry optimistic about the future of LCVs.

While fleet managers are waiting on the Brexit decision and looking to improve the stability of their courier network, new LCV models are beginning to dominate the market. Though statistics are currently unsettled, there is hope that this is a real sign of a flourishing courier industry.

Author Plate Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world’s largest neutral trading hub for same day jobs in the express freight exchange industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their online courier network, Courier Exchange provides services for matching loads and with available drivers. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.

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Some of the Strangest Courier Loads of All Time

If you’re in the logistics industry, you know courier loads can cover a large range of items, from medical equipment to marshmallows. However, no matter how diverse your cargo may be, you’re probably not expecting it to surprise you or puzzle you in any way. But that’s not always the case.
Read on for some of the strangest courier loads of all time. You never know, maybe one of these items will show up in one of your future deliveries.

The Original Deliveroo

Long before Just Eat and Deliveroo were part of our everyday life, one UK woman tried to ship her son (who, mind you, lived over 450 miles away from her) a delicious home-cooked meal – in this case, a piping hot shepherd’s pie! That’s a very long way for a takeaway to go…

The Snack

While we’re on the topic of travelling treats, one woman once mailed her friend a banana. Now, fruit and veg are common kinds of courier loads so this may not seem all that unusual. However, the banana was not in a box or parcel of any kind – it travelled completely by itself. The sender had written the address of the fruit’s skin, placed a stamp on it, slapped on a ‘Handle with Care’ warning label (bananas do bruise easily, after all) and posted it.

The Building

An American man named W H Coltharp once mailed an entire building through the US Postal Service. Of course, he didn’t send the whole thing at once; he sent it brick by brick (by brick by brick…). His reasoning? He was building a bank in Utah but thought the best bricks available were in Salt Lake City. To avoid paying a significantly higher cost to have them moved by wagon freight, he instead chose to send them in 50-pound packages through the post.

The Social Experiment

The people behind Improbable Research, a satirical academic journal, attempted to turn courier loads into a social experiment. They mailed a selection of downright weird items to see just what would be delivered. Attempts included a street sign, a balloon, a molar and a very creepy toy, which was a monkey housed in a box and addressed to ‘Little Johnnie’. The catch? Every time the box was shaken, the inanimate object would scream, ‘Help! Let me out of here!’ Aren’t you glad you weren’t the delivery driver?

The Fan Mail

Fans send their favourite celebrities the strangest things. The Jonas Brothers once received a dead baby shark, while Taylor Swift was gifted a lovely portrait of herself painted on a turtle shell.

So there you have it: some of the weirdest items couriers have ever had to deliver. From bananas to buildings, people working in the logistics industry have always had to move unusual things. Perhaps it will make you more curious about the contents of your cargo after reading this article.

Author Plate

Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world’s largest neutral trading hub for same day courier work in the express freight exchange industry. Numerous transport exchange businesses are networked together on their website, trading jobs and capacity through what is now the fastest growing Freight Exchange in the UK.

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Top Tips for How to Improve Your Driving Skills

No matter how good a driver you think you are (ok, that you know you are), there’s not a person in the world that couldn’t benefit from some advice on how to be a better one. Even if driving seems like second nature to you, if you’re involved in a career doing courier jobs it’s all too easy to fall into complacency and bad habits when you’re out on the roads so much.
While some of the following tips may seem like common sense, they certainly bear repeating. And repeating. If you’ve just started doing courier jobs you’ll find some gems, and if you’re an old dog, you might dig up a few tasty forgotten bones…

Brake it Easy

Progressive braking is the art of doing exactly what it says on the tin: braking lightly at first, then applying heavier pressure, and then finally a return to light pressure. Easy does it is the mantra, and this not only allows other motorists to see and react to what you’re doing, its also gentler on your vehicle and better on your fuel bill.

Read the Road Ahead

When you’re out on the road all day doing courier jobs, this tip is more important than most. It’s vital that you are aware of what’s going on around you – beyond simply the vehicle in front. Make it a habit to look ahead as far as you can, regularly, so you can see any potential issues before you’re on top of them.

Keep your Distance

Yes, yes, you know about the perils and annoyances of tailgating, but do you actually stick to the old ‘two-second rule’? Don’t just think about it; do as you would have done unto you and maintain a safe (two-second) distance from the car in front.

Accelerated Learning

Don’t be a jerk! If you want to improve your driving and save bundles of fuel, do this: accelerate slowwwlyyy. Smoother acceleration (and braking) has the potential to add around 20% to your fuel efficiency, and if that’s not enough to convince you, your chiropractor might have a few more reasons…

Know the Speed Limits and Stick to Them

Staying within the law is a pretty good incentive not to speed (because good luck getting any courier jobs without a licence), but so is your safety, saving money on fuel and wear and tear on your vehicle. Ignorance is no excuse: know the speed limits wherever you’re driving and stick to them. And a P.S to this tip: use your common sense and adjust your speed accordingly if you encounter bad weather or difficulty with visibility.

Concentration is Key

If you’re in control of a vehicle, you should be concentrating on the task in hand – not talking on the phone (or even taking a sneaky glance at your notifications), eating a burger, fumbling with your Google Maps or anything else that will take away your attention from the road. This becomes even more pertinent when you’re driving in built-up areas with loads of other vehicles and pedestrians just waiting to jump out into your path.

Respect the Machine

Finally, you should never lose sight of the power you wield when you get behind the wheel; but by the same token, neither should you underestimate your own vulnerability. That’s a big old lump of metal and engine components you’re zooming around in, so treat it with respect and care.

Author Plate

Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world’s largest neutral trading hub for same day courier jobs in the express freight exchange industry. Numerous transport exchange businesses are networked together on their website, trading jobs and capacity through what is now the fastest growing Freight Exchange in the UK.

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