It was announced by Andrew Adonis that four manufacturers would be supplying the UK with low-carbon and electric commercial vehicles: Ashwoods, Allied Vehicles, Modec and Smith Electric Vehicles.

Ashwoods have developed a hybrid van that can reduce co2 output by over 14%, whilst the three other manufacturers have created electric vans capable of demanding courier work.

Van emissions have actually been increasing since the 1990s, so it is important that firms do all they can to lower fuel emissions.

Electric and low-carbon vans are expensive to develop and manufacture on a small scale, Adonis hopes that this research phase will help provide real-life data that will prove the vehicles invaluable for a clean future.

Mr Murphy unfortunately hit a few ducks on his way back to the UK, making a hole in his radiator grill.

As the Daily Mail reports, it was only when he was back in the UK, stopping at a service station to inspect the damage that he noticed a little green head moving inside the radiator hole.

It turned out the the duck survived his unexpected long and uncomfortable journey to Britain.

The duck was swiftly taken to the vets where it was discovered it had a broken wing and was bleeding from the beak.

Thankfully the duck is being well looked after and will be recovering in a wildlife rescue centre.

If you drive a van throughout the UK or Europe Quotiva can help you find Courier Insurance that is right for you.

During the strikes many firms had to understandably look elsewhere from the Royal Mail to make sure customers received their goods on time — and of course, with so many courier firms around these days, firms are left with plenty of choice.

One firm that will be gaining a fair few fans is DPD. Instead of leaving customers with a lengthy time slot in which they will deliver an item, they’ve offered customers precise one hour time slots for a delivery. The customer can accept or decline this time slot by replying to the firm’s text message.

CEO of DPD, Dwain McDonald, believes that people who buy online, usually do so to save time. So it makes sense that the delivery service saves time too. You can’t argue with that!

The Quotiva Network can help courier firms find the best cover for their business needs. Use our website for an insurance quote comparison.

Many businesses are trying to avoid any letters they send being caught in a backlog of mail.

Cycle couriers are perhaps benefiting the most from this current strike. BikeRadar has noted that most bike courier companies have had to increase shifts and bring in extra staff in order to cope with the current demand.

It will be interesting to see whether courier firms will be able to hold on to this business once the strike is over.

If you own or run a courier firm, it’s important to have the appropriate courier insurance to protect your business.

According to the artist, the teapot was a ‘one-off piece of art, irreplaceable … Thousands of people saw it when it was exhibited at the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow almost nine years ago.’

However, Mail Boxes Etc chairman Simon Cowie has explained that the teapot ‘was not packaged by us and we were not shown the contents when it was sent.’ Cowie, carried on to say that after investigation, the teapot was shown to be packaged insufficiently.

However, the artist’s claim still stands.

This is a perfect example as to why it is important for couriers and courier firms to have a courier insurance policy, to protect themselves from claims made against them by the general public.

Whilst no-one should drive when over tired, there are times when journeys are unexpectedly extended and couriers are left with no choice but to continue driving.

The alarm is a simple design that clips on to the driver’s ear, only sounding when the drivers head tilts below an angle of 30 degrees.

Driver fatigue is a common cause of motor accidents and hopefully devices like this can help to lower sleep-related accidents.

If you own a courier firm or are a courier yourself, it is important to have the appropriate courier insurance to cover your vehicle and the goods you carry.

The ACFO believes that due to the rise in fuel prices and the ever increasing congestion charges (which are often more costly for polluting vehicles), courier companies are looking for alternatives to inefficient vans.

One courier firm that has already taken environmental issues on board is Green Mile Couriers, they use vehicles that run on LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas) which is not only kind to the environment (with lower CO2 and nitrogen oxide emissions) but also exempt from congestion charges.

If you own a courier firm or are a courier yourself, it is important to have the appropriate courier insurance to cover your vehicle and the goods you transport.