Safe Van Loading Limits: A Guide

Anything to help keep vans safe on the road is good news says the courier team at AnyVan, who welcome a new best practice guide for transport managers from the Freight Transport Association.

The new guide sets out to provide realistic and practical advice, helping clarify both compliance and driver safety standards.

The DVSA, reported that eight in 10 vehicles are stopped because they are overloaded and 54% of vans are found with serious mechanical defects. If a van is stopped for overloading and is also found to have these issues, it could result in a court appearance or an even larger fine.

The Freight Transport Association Policy Director, James Hookham, said “With many of its members running vans as well as trucks, FTA recognises the strong need for consistent and clear guidance regarding the safe securing of loads, especially in the face of more onerous operator liability. We wanted to fill the void in guidance with meaningful advice based on realistic data to not only improve the safety of drivers and passengers in commercial vehicles, but also remove any legal ambiguities, so that operators know exactly where they stand.”

Angus Elphinstone, the CEO at AnyVan, said “Overloading of vans is an issue in the industry, not through malice aforethought of course, but trying to make each load count. And it’s not just overloading, but correct loading of a part load. Loose boxes in a van having to stop quickly can turn into instant projectiles. And when you see some cars pass you on the motorway, jammed packed with belongings, it’s a wonder that the driver can see where they are going. So we welcome anything that raises the issues regarding vehicle loading.”

Transport firms who are members of the Freight Transport Association can download a copy of “A Technical Reference on Cargo Restraint for Light Commercial Vehicles Under Accident Conditions” from the FTA site.

Also available are various van driver aides and a DVD.