Commercial Van Solutions

Getting into a car accident is one sure way to ruin your day. One minute you’re driving along fine and the next thing you know you’re on the side of the road dealing with an accident. Now you have to worry about things like how you’re going to pay for the repairs, how you’re going to get to work, and possible even deal with some injuries.

Unfortunately, if you drive regularly, car accidents are just a part of life. But with a few simple tips you can make their occurrence a lot less likely. Here are a few things to keep in mind the next time you’re going to get behind the wheel.

Follow the Laws

First, and perhaps the most obvious tip, is to follow your local traffic laws. These laws are in place to not only make it safer for you to drive, but for everyone else on the road. As you’re driving, force yourself to pay extra close attention to all the rules you’re supposed to be obeying. For instance, make sure you’re not going over the speed limit. You also shouldn’t hurry through yellow lights, follow too closely behind another car, or run through stop signs. Following these laws may mean you get to your destination a few minutes later, but that’s better than not getting there at all.

Limit Distractions

Another major thing you can do is limit the amount of distractions while you drive. Distracted drivers are one of the leading causes of accidents, and while you can’t control what other drivers do, you can at least control what you do.

For starters, keep your cell phone away while you drive. Many cars now have voice command options that allow you to keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel, so make use of these. If you do need to use your phone, pull over to the side of the road first or wait until you come to a red light.

Another common distraction is music. If the music in your car is too loud, you’ll have a hard time hearing what’s going on around you. Then if some car is coming towards you and beeping their horn, you won’t be aware of it. Lastly, if you have kids, do your best to limit how much they distract you. Every parent knows that kids can be distracting in the back seat, but if you can limit your interactions with them – such as handing them something – until you’re stopped, you’ll make everyone in the car safer.

Avoid Bad Weather

Bad weather is common cause of car accidents. When it becomes harder to see where you’re going, or the road become slippery, accidents are much more likely. Sometimes driving in bad weather is unavoidable, but if it’s possible, you should try. Check the weather before heading out and make sure there are no major storms nearby. Sometimes waiting just an hour or two can make the conditions on the road much safer.

If you do need to go out in bad weather, make sure you’re prepared. This means having tires with plenty of tread, wipers and lights that work, and solid brakes. You should give your car a quick inspection before you go to ensure everything is in working order.

Don’t Drive Impaired

Finally, it’s important to be at your best so you can drive safely. We all know that you shouldn’t drink and drive, but there are other things that can limit your awareness as a driver. For instance, if you didn’t get much sleep the night before, you’re likely to fall asleep behind the wheel. You should also consider any medications you’re on and whether they can make you drowsy. Sometimes the best way to stay safe on the road is to not get behind the wheel in the first place.

What to do if You’re in an Accident

Even despite the precautions above you may still find yourself in a car accident. When this happens, take a moment to calm yourself down, then work through the standard accident procedures. This includes getting yourself and your car to a safer spot on the road, swapping information with other drivers, and taking pictures of the scene. You may also need to call for some assistance during this time, such as the police, a tow truck, or an accident attorney.

Staying Safe on the Road

By using the tips above you’ll make getting into a car accident less likely. This is good for not only your own safety, but for that of your passengers and others on the road. The important thing is to not take any unnecessary chances and to follow the rules that are there for everyone’s benefit. If you can do this, you’ll make yourself a lot safer.

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Owning a Jeep or truck with suspension parts comes with a fair amount of responsibility. Far too many drivers overlook routine maintenance, which will wear down your vehicle over time. But you don’t have to take your vehicle into the shop every time you need to make a few repairs. A mechanic will overcharge you for some of these routine tasks when you’re better off doing them yourself at home. Save some money and keep your vehicle in tip-top shape with these DIY maintenance tips.

Replace the Cabin Air Filter

One of the best things you can do to improve your lifted truck ride is swapping out the cabin air filter. It won’t help your vehicle run better, but you’ll breathe easier behind the wheel. If the air inside your vehicle doesn’t feel as fresh as you remember, just buy a new set of cabin air filters at your local auto store. Check your owner’s manual, but the cabin air filter should be in the glove box. Open it and look for a compartment in the back. Slide out the old filter and put in a new one for some much-needed fresh air.

Replace the Engine Air Filter

Your engine needs access to fresh air as well, or your vehicle’s fuel efficiency will suffer as a result. To replace the engine air filter, check your owner’s manual for further instructions.

● Open the hood and look for a square black box with metal clips on the side. Engine air filters come in all shapes and sizes, and the airbox might be hard to find.

● You can also use a vacuum to remove any dust or debris from your airbox to help your new filter last longer.

● Remove the old filter and slide the new one into the same position. Your engine will run smoother and longer.

Change the Oil and Oil Filter

Changing the oil is routine for any car owner. You can use the old-fashioned dipstick method to check your oil levels or look at your vehicle’s electronic oil gauge. You should change the oil every 2,000 to 3,000 miles, especially if you’re a heavy driver or you like to take your vehicle off road, but you might be able to hold off changing your oil until 5,000 or 10,000 miles if you have a newer vehicle. Check your owner’s manual for more information. You’ll also need to change the oil filter from time to time as well, which protects your engine from trace contaminants in the oil.

Replace the Spark Plugs

Dirty or worn out spark plugs will sap your vehicle’s fuel efficiency and make it harder for your engine to do its job. Depending on the make and model, you should only have to do this every 3,000 miles or so. Check your owner’s manual for detailed instructions.

● Open the hood, and you should see your spark plugs connected to a series of electrical wires. There could be anywhere from four to eight plugs.

● Disconnect the wire to one plug at a time, so you don’t mix up which wire goes where.

● Use a socket wrench with a spark plug attachment to remove the old plug.

● Install a new one and reconnect the wires.

Clean Off the Battery

Having a dirty battery will decrease fuel efficiency and may even prevent your engine from starting. You should be able to open the hood and visually inspect your battery. If you see any rust, white residue, or other buildup, spend a few moments cleaning it off.

● Start by removing the battery terminals, starting with the negative cable.

● Use a wire brush with battery cleaning solution—usually just baking soda and water—to clean off the posts.

● Dry the posts with a rag before reconnecting the cables.

Flush Out the Radiator

You also need to keep your vehicle’s radiator and cooling system in tip-top shape if you want them to work efficiently. Over time, the system will fill up with all kinds of debris and dirt. To clean out the system, you’ll have to do what’s known as a radiator flush.

● Check your owner’s manual, but it’s best to do this every year or two. Don’t perform this task when the vehicle is hot. Let it cool down before unscrewing your vehicle’s radiator drain plug.

● Get an old container ready, unscrew the cap, and use the container to collect the old coolant instead of having it spill out all over your driveway or garage.

● Replace drain plug and remove the radiator cap. Pour radiator cleaning solution into the radiator, along with some water, and replace the cap.

● Start your vehicle and jack up the heat to the highest setting. Let this run for about 10 minutes. Turn off the engine and let it cool down.

● Drain the radiator again by undoing the cap, and then refill it with fresh coolant.

Switch Out the Brake Pads

Replacing the brake pads tends to be a little more complicated, but, with a little preparation, you should be able to do this yourself. You should swap these out every 20,000 miles or more often if you’re an experienced rock crawler or you sit in stop-and-go traffic all day long. Again, reference your owner’s manual before you get started.

● Jack up the car on a series of jack stands.

● Break the lugs on your tires and remove the wheel.

● Remove the brake caliper, which should be just above the lugs, remove the brake caliper clips, and slide the brake pads out through the top.

● Replace the old pads with new ones and reattach the brake caliper clips.

● Compress the brake piston and place brake caliper over the new pads.

● Reinstall the brake calipers and slide your wheels back on.

You Can Do It

These DIY tasks are a must for any car owner. If you don’t feel comfortable doing some of these tasks by yourself, call a friend or visit your local mechanic. You can extend the life of your truck or Jeep with suspension parts and improve the overall lifted truck ride. Become your own mechanic and get started today.

If you are thinking of buying yourself a refrigerated van, then make sure that you do your research. Firstly, you want to make sure that you get the right refrigerated van that suits your needs and then you need to make sure that you have the right insurance.

Business Ideas – Getting Your Van Business Started And Deciding What You Want To Do!

Starting a small business with a van is easy, earning a decent living wage with a van is something else – especially when you may have little to no money to help kick start your new venture in the beginning.

What’s comforting though, is knowing that there’s always somebody, somewhere looking to get something shifted or dumped – and that means money in your pocket  – so when looking for business ideas you can turn into cold hard cash with your van, there is couple of sure fire ways you can go about it.

And, as not everybody has money just lying around, we’ll assume for the purpose of this article that we’re all starting on a shoestring.

Now having little or no money to get your van business started doesn’t mean you’re at a real disadvantage either. All it means is that instead of a fancy website and paid advertising, you’ll have to opt for a free Facebook Page for Business, old fashioned leg work and direct customer contact in the beginning.

Instead of customers finding you, you’ll have to find them initially, but the beauty of this well neglected technique is that your customers might not even know they’re your customers till the moment of contact.

And in this digital age, not many people are opting for legwork so you’re already in a good position and this is your chance to monopolise locally.

The money is always out there, all you have to do is find it. Here’s how 🙂

So, what business can you start with a van?

1) Starting A Rubbish Removal & Recycling Business!

This is by far the easiest of them all so it get’s the top spot in our list of ways to start a business with a van. As long as you have a van of course, you need little to no money other than the cost of fuel.

Door Knocking

I’m sorry but there really isn’t any other way round this, but it’s not all bad.

In this niche, door knocking is by far the best way to get the attention of a potential customer simply because you’re there, they’re there and if they do have something they want shifted to the local tip, there’s an 80% chance they’ll do a deal before having to lug it to the skip it themselves.

If you sat outside you’re local recycling centre on a Saturday morning, you would see exactly how many people grudgingly take a few hours out of their weekend to visit the local tip.

After a long working week, nobody want’s to be at the local dump on a Saturday or Sunday morning and is why it is just the money generator you should be considering when thinking about the type of business you too can start with a van.

You should target:

Private & New Build Estates.

Private and new build estates have people buying, selling, moving in and moving out more often than any other type of tenant.

Some people are down sizing and have more stuff than space, some are renovating or having new bathrooms or kitchens put in and want rid of the excess, replacing decking or some just want to make extra garage space.

Whatever their requirements, private estates is where a lot of business is so, when when thinking how best to start a business with a van and little else,  you should spend time and effort thinking about how to turn those ideas into paying work.

Council Estates

Funnily Enough, starting a small van based business if you live in or near a large council estate is as good a money in the bank and random door knocking works exceptionally well as in these types of areas.

White goods, junk and other things that are better off at the tip tend to be left in the back garden and placed on a “list of things to get round to” by the tenant.

If you knock the door and offer to uplift anything there and then, the chances are high that you’re talking to a paying customer.

Even a short drive round the local streets you’ll probably spot things that should be uplifted. Don’t be shy, chap the door.

Waste Disposal For Local Businesses

Local business do not get free waste disposal – this is something they pay for as a business expense and this applies to them all – and so is another way to earn a substantial income.

Call round local businesses to see how much they are paying and offer them a better quote for a regular service. Smaller businesses are more likely to take you up on the offer to keep their overheads down.

You shouldn’t really waste your time with larger companies such as Burger King or Argos. A) Your van is probably not capable of lifting large industrial bins and B) You should be aware of your limits and conduct yourself appropriately.

You don’t have to cold call local businesses in person, they actually prefer phone calls followed by a visit if they’re interested.

What To Say?

Chapping someone’s door then just standing there with a blank stare will only frighten them so you’ll need something to say. Script a short sentence or two, practice it and before long, speaking to a potential customer at their front door will come natural and easy.

Something like…

“Hi, my name is <your name> from <your company> and we offer affordable  recycling, junk removal and special uplift services.

Just to let you know we have a van collecting in the area today and we’re wondering if you have anything at all you would like taken to the recycling centre?”

This is more than enough. It tells them who you are, what you do and get’s them to think what they want rid of.

Always meet and greet with a smile.

I strongly suggest you do spend a few quid on an ID badge with your name and company logo and a sign written t-shirt. These can be had on Ebay for about £15 and will instantly crank your trust factor up to 10.

It will most likely be the difference between a warm welcome at the door and being suspected of a burglary waiting to happen.

Things To Be Very Aware Of!

Regardless of anything, you should NEVER handle or transport hazardous goods, chemicals or waste. If it doesn’t come out of a house or place of business, don’t touch it.

Scottish Environmental Protection Agency is pretty much a comprehensive “how to” or even more so a “how to not” guide on this.

Getting Into The Recycling Centre

As you’re a business, your local recycling centre will also charge you a fee to dispose of your van contents. In Falkirk it’s £60 but you should check with your own local authority for their entry prices.

You won’t have to pay this till you’re ready to dump your junk though so sometimes it’s just good practice just to carry the junk around with you till your van is full – that way you’ll only be paying for entry into the tip once.

If the customer is willing to accompany you to the recycling centre with ID to confirm that he is a local resident, the junk belongs to him and your van is merely transporting it , then you’ll get in for free.

You can quote less and the customer will save money.

How Much To Charge Customers!

The prices you charge your customers will reflect this cost of recycling so offer them a good deal but not so good that you’re not making a realistic profit.

Getting into the recycling centre is by visit, not by volume so be aware of how much space you have available in your van, how much you’re charging to fill that space with items and how much it’ll cost you to dispose of it in the proper way.

Investing in van ladder racks is wise business investment. Always buy the best ladder rack you can afford, as it will perform better and last longer than a budget version of this work essential.