Van Excellence, a scheme administered by the Freight Transport Association (FTA), is celebrating its ten-year anniversary.

The FTA says that 2019 was another successful year for the scheme, with 105 companies achieving Van Excellence recognition.

Van Excellence provides operators the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to safer, more efficient and sustainable van fleets by passing a series of tests.

Sharon Mitchell, head of audits and standards at the FTA, said: “Van Excellence was launched in 2010 with the aim of professionalising van driving; ten years later – and with more than 100 certified companies in operation – we have made great strides in improving the image of the market.

“The scheme continues to go from strength to strength; this year, we welcomed on board household brands Waitrose and Wayfair, which together operate hundreds of vans in their fleets. But whether a business is operating a fleet of a 100 or a small fleet of one or two, the need for safety remains the same and must not be overlooked.”

In 2019, the FTA also launched a Vans Policy Working Group, a platform to communicate and debate the issues the market is facing. The FTA believes the group provides a ‘vital mouthpiece’ for the industry with government, regulators and other stakeholders.

Van Excellence is supported by the Gold Partners; The AA, Bott, Brigade Electronics, Hertz, Lex Autolease, Quartix and TVL.

To find out more about Van Excellence, click here.