A Van Excellence Code has its first three accredited van operators, with AAH Pharmaceuticals, Enterprise and Iron Mountain UK being successfully audited.

Launched by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) in April, 2010, the scheme is aimed at establishing a voluntary set of standards for van fleets, which will prevent the need for formal legislation.

Mark Cartwright, Van Excellence manager, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome three outstanding van operators to Van Excellence.

“Each has great enthusiasm for Van Excellence and has demonstrated exemplary operating processes guaranteeing that their fleets are amongst the safest and best operated on the road.”

Coming from three completely different sectors of industry, each organisation takes the safe and efficient operation of their van fleets seriously, says the FTA.

With more than 5,000 vans between them this hat-trick represents a great start to the scheme and with a significant number of high profile operators being audited in the next few weeks, the FTA expects to be in double figures very soon.

“Van Excellence has been a very worthwhile exercise for us,” said Geoff Wright, head of corporate services at AAH Pharmaceuticals. “It provides independent acknowledgment of the comprehensive and stringent controls we use to ensure our vans are used efficiently and safely.”

Debbie Vaughan, transport compliance manager at Enterprise, added: “The accreditation process has not only verified our operational processes but also recognises the strong safety ethos that exists within the organisation.”

Van Excellence has been developed by the van operators and for Rory Morgan, national logistics general manager at Iron Mountain, that’s important.

“FTA has developed Van Excellence with the buy-in of many experienced van fleet managers and this practical approach has resulted in a straight forward and sensible scheme which can only be for the good of operators and other road users,” he said.
 

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