BT Fleet and TomTom Business Solutions have joined Hertz, ATS Euromaster and Route Monkey as industry partners of the Freight Transport Association-backed scheme Van Excellence.

“Industry partnership of Van Excellence is the perfect opportunity for two such highly respected organisations as BT Fleet and TomTom Business Solutions to become involved the scheme,” said Mark Cartwright, FTA head of vans and light commercial vehicles.

The FTA says industry partners are an important addition to Van Excellence helping to promote and endorse the Van Excellence Code among their customers and encourage its standards to be adopted and followed throughout the light commercial vehicle sector.

Van Excellence was launched in 2010 in order to promote high standards of van operation and driving by accrediting operators against a code of good practice.

In addition to supporting Van Excellence, the industry partners will be working with FTA on a number of different initiatives throughout 2013, including a Van Excellence supplement, developing best practice guides, and three new conferences throughout the UK.

Dave Bowen, managing director, BT Fleet, said: "BT Fleet is delighted to become a Van Excellence Industry Partner and help raise awareness of the programme’s benefits. Having managed complex van fleets for over fifty years, we are perfectly placed to help van fleet operators with their day-to-day challenges; driver safety, operator compliance and peace of mind."

Giles Margerison, sales director UK and Ireland, at TomTom Business Solutions:
"TomTom Business Solutions is proud to partner with the FTA on Van Excellence. This partnership fits nicely with our goal to increase awareness of high standards of best practice in van fleets, and facilitate sustainable and successful initiatives that are underpinned by trusted, industry leading Fleet Management technology. This helps raise the standard and promote safe and efficient van fleets across all industry sectors."

Cartwright added: "This is excellent news for Van Excellence who are delighted to welcome BT Fleet and TomTom Business Solutions as Industry Partners. The support of these two organisations to Van Excellence is invaluable and is testimony to the scheme which has become such an integral part organisations who operate van, and illustrates the important part they play in the day-to-day work within the logistics industry."