Do you own any commercial vehicles or plan to purchase one soon? Well, then you have landed on the right page. Before you actually get lost in the world of commercial vehicles, it is important to gain relevant information about them.
You can always gain the inside track for any vehicle you plan to purchase from an experienced professional. This way you could benefit from years of experience and expertise of an industry insider – of course, the latter has to be a trust-worthy source.
Alternatively, you always have the option of researching online to gain as much information as possible before you make the plunge. The only issue with researching for information online is that there are a lot of websites today that provide half baked knowledge with authority, only for these so called ‘experts’ to be junior writers who have themselves found that particular piece of information online. So, always make sure that you consume your information from a creditable and trustworthy source.
Discussed below is a summary of essential information which will provide you everything you need to know regarding commercial vehicles.
Commercial Vehicle and Law:
To begin with, the norms for Light Commercial Vehicles are slightly different from Heavy Commercial Vehicles. It is quite easy to understand the difference between speed limits and actually follow them.
Especially in the UK, the maximum amount of weight that a vehicle is permitted to carry is approximately, 44 tones gross including truck, fuel and the load. This means a vehicle can carry 6 sets of axles. Usually, vehicles entering the country have 2 axles and 3 axles for tractor and trailers respectively.
This means that they are restricted to only 40 tonnes at their home state and here as well.
Know more about CMR Note:
CMR is basically a consignment note which includes a standard set of transport and liability conditions. It mainly indicates that the carrier has received goods on a contract basis. This contract is between the trader and the carrier.
Some states consider this as a document of title or a declaration but the same is not in the UK. Here’s a list of all relevant information that a CMR note should include:
o Place and date at which the CMR note is completed
o Name and address of sender and receiver
o Description of goods and its packaging type (mainly for security purpose)
o Weight of goods
o Charges like carriage charges or customs charges levied on them
o Any specific instruction to prevent damage/destruction
There are 4 copies of the CMR and each one goes to the- trader, receiver, carrier respectively along with goods. At times, there is a fifth copy called the administration copy.
Type of Vehicle:
All goods vehicles which weigh up to 7.5 tonnes follow a general rule of thumb. But there are some distinctive rules for a handful of commercial vehicles. For instance, car-derived vans and dual-purpose vehicles have the same speed limit as regular cars.
Pick-up trucks are counted as a dual-purpose vehicle which means the same set of rules apply to them. To be on the safer side, it is important to check the weight of the vehicle before purchasing.
Long –Term Returns:
The initial cost of purchasing a commercial vehicle for business may seem like a huge expense. But, there are several benefits when you invest in a business vehicle rather than hiring each time you have a delivery.
The best part is that you can maintain your vehicle with regular maintenance services and wheel nut safety so that you can keep the vehicle in a great working condition. You can simply get in touch with a reputable company that provides good services in this industry.
This will eventually increase the life of your vehicle ensuring that it remains in top working condition which increases its resale value.
On-Time Delivery:
Owning a commercial vehicle for your business ensures availability of vehicle whenever you have to deliver goods to your clients at their desired location. All you have to take care of is some minimum paperwork that can be easily managed.
Since you know the current condition of your vehicle, you can quickly pass on the goods for delivery. You can expect a smooth delivery with the confidence that your vehicle is not likely to breakdown on its way to its destination. This means that you can avoid last ditch frantic calls to your mechanic to address issues, which would ultimately lead to a delayed delivery.
Branding:
A reputation of punctuality will help you build a favourable image of your company in the industry. This will help you attract customers who are more likely to hire a service that bases its reputation on being punctual.
This will help you build a strong foundation for your branding making it easier for you to reach more customers. You can also use a car-wrap with your company logo to further boost your branding efforts.
A business should consider a commercial vehicle as an investment rather than think of it as an expense because it can be of long term value to the company.
However, make sure that you hire responsible drivers because there are high penalties for bad driving and exceeding speed limits, which could land you in hot water with legal authorities. Therefore, always look for experienced and reliable drivers.
