When renting or driving a van, you will need to take into consideration a number of factors to ensure you have the right option for your transportation requirements. The most important will be your need for the vehicle, the items you are wishing to transport and their overall weight, allowing you to match the correct vehicle to your payload.
What is a payload?
The payload of your vehicle is the total weight of your load, in addition to the weight of all passengers and the driver.
Why is it important to know your payload?
Overloading your van can result in a wide range of consequences, from sluggish journeys and engine strain to hefty fines, so it is important that you are aware of your payload before setting out on the roads.
An overloaded van has the ability to end in catastrophic events, and so the police have the power to stop you at any point during your journey to assess your payload limit.
What will happen if you exceed your payload limit?
If you are found to have exceeded your allowance by 5-10%, you will be charged anything over £100.
If you are found to have exceeded your allowance by 10-15%, you will be charged anything over £200.
If you are found to have exceeded your allowance by 15-30%, you will be charged anything over £300.
If you are found to have exceeded your allowance by more than 30%, you will receive a court summon.
If you are found driving a rental vehicle with an exceeded payload, these figures will be combined with any fine which you receive from your hire company.
How to calculate your payload
To calculate the payload limit on your van, you will need to complete some simple mathematics with figures that you can locate in the vehicles handbook; the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and the kerbweight. The GVW is the maximum allowance weight for the van, including petrol, oil, load and passengers and the kerbweight is the weight of the vehicle alone.
To work out your vehicle’s payload, simply subtract the kerbweight from the GVW.
Once you have worked out the payload limit of your van, it is important that you load the vehicle in an organised and safe manor, allowing way for the smoothest journey. To ensure that you are competing this action correctly, take a look at our previous blog on how to load your van safely.
CONTACT PACE VAN HIRE
Which of our vans is best for your payload?
At Pace Van Hire, we have a selection of vans available to cater to all variations in payload. By conversing your requirements across to us, we will be able to match you with one of the following vehicles:
- Micro van | Maximum payload 500kg
- Small van| Maximum payload 610kg
- Short Wheelbase van| Maximum payload 900kg
- Long Wheelbase van| Maximum payload 950kg
- Extended Long Wheelbase van| Maximum payload 950kg
- Luton Van Hire| Maximum payload 900kg/Maximum tail lift payload 500kg
Please note that these may differ depending on the make and model of the van we supply you with. Please ask your rental agent if you have a higher payload limit than those stated above.
Here at Pace Van Hire, we can supply you with a fixed price van to cater for your payload. Many of our vehicles also comply with Euro 6 guidelines, meaning that you won’t be required to pay the ULEZ charge if travelling into the zone. If you are interested in renting one of our vehicles, give us a call on 020 7277 9853 or drop us an email at info@pacevanhire.com where we will be happy to assist you.
