Overnight van retention, but with a twist..

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 18 Jun 2018, 16:07

themailman wrote:I understand the need for van retentions in smaller units that have little or no parking facilities, however we have now been offered van retentions on the condition you pick up people on the way in to work? Is that not an insurance/legal/tax minefield?

No.

Insurance: Royal Mail don't have insurance - they use a Bond.

Legal: No you have the business permission as long as you follow their rules.

Tax. No https://www.businessvans.co.uk/van-tax/ ... mpany-van/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

“What many businesses don’t realise is that the HMRC doesn’t count the commute – the drive between home and work – as private mileage, like they do with cars.

“This means that if a company van driver only uses the van for the commute and daily business, and they do not use it for personal use, they don’t actually have to pay van tax at all.

themailman · Post by **themailman** » 18 Jun 2018, 17:59

What I was really getting at is picking up of passengers on your way into work. We are being moved location (to an office with no issues with van parking hence no real need to take vans home) but there will be an issue getting people who don't drive into work due to public transport not starting until later in the morning. The solution seems to be to dangle the carrot of taking a van home, but you'll need to pick people up on the way in. Personally, I'd not be willing to be responsible for someone elses safety whilst driving them into work in a RM vehicle outwith working hours.

number one · Post by **number one** » 18 Jun 2018, 18:51

themailman wrote:What I was really getting at is picking up of passengers on your way into work. We are being moved location (to an office with no issues with van parking hence no real need to take vans home) but there will be an issue getting people who don't drive into work due to public transport not starting until later in the morning. The solution seems to be to dangle the carrot of taking a van home, but you'll need to pick people up on the way in. Personally, I'd not be willing to be responsible for someone elses safety whilst driving them into work in a RM vehicle outwith working hours.

Some people!!! Don’t you drive anybody in your own car then? Why do people look for daft excuses not to do something.

maisymoo04 · Post by **maisymoo04** » 18 Jun 2018, 19:19

you mean 1 person or if your in a expert its 2 ? cant see were the problem is really don't take it home then

fishtank · Post by **fishtank** » 18 Jun 2018, 20:00

It's not something I would do without some assurances over third-party accident cover. It might seem trivial but if you have an accident that's your fault and the passenger is hurt I'm sure there will be plenty ambulance chasers lining up looking for compensation and without an insurance company to chase they'll be looking at Royal Mail for their money. Where you would stand in that legal minefield is unclear.

themailman · Post by **themailman** » 18 Jun 2018, 20:35

number one wrote:
themailman wrote:What I was really getting at is picking up of passengers on your way into work. We are being moved location (to an office with no issues with van parking hence no real need to take vans home) but there will be an issue getting people who don't drive into work due to public transport not starting until later in the morning. The solution seems to be to dangle the carrot of taking a van home, but you'll need to pick people up on the way in. Personally, I'd not be willing to be responsible for someone elses safety whilst driving them into work in a RM vehicle outwith working hours.
Some people!!! Don’t you drive anybody in your own car then? Why do people look for daft excuses not to do something.

Giving someone else a lift to/from work in your OMV is a totally different thing, a private arrangement if you like. Being given a company van to take to and from work with the explicit condition that you need to pick people up is something I've never heard of before in RM. For the record we have a couple of 4-5 seater vans and it looks like they are being earmarked for this purpose. People are going to abandon their use of OMV to save £15-£20 a week in fuel but have to drive round like un unpaid taxi driver, seems crazy personally.

Seymour Buts · Post by **Seymour Buts** » 18 Jun 2018, 22:28

Seems barmy to me. I'm sure legally there's no problem, but practically? If it's somebody that lives near you fair enough, but how far are you expected to travel to collect? And what if somebody is running late, finishes early, does some overtime ect ect. Unpaid taxi driver as mentioned above sounds about right!

Post by **Navalron** » 19 Jun 2018, 13:27

I wouldn't take any vehicle home if I had to pick up people. I used to pick up posties when I was heading back in 7.5tonne to GMC at the end of my nightshift but that was only if they were on the road that my 318 stated i should be and gaffers didn't know about it because you weren't ment to do it but in cold pissn down mornings at 4:30 bbbbbrrrrr. Being made to do it, no.

Xr4 · Post by **Xr4** » 19 Jun 2018, 18:33

Surely you'd get paid for it though? So you would start work as soon as you step out of the door

Celgar · Post by **Celgar** » 19 Jun 2018, 18:33

You have a choice if you accept their tax free perk. You are not being forced to take a van home and can refuse to do so. It's not a passenger - it's someone else you work with at the same office as yourself.

Post by **Navalron** » 19 Jun 2018, 20:39

It's not a passenger celgar. What are they then?. Missorts!!!

plaguelift · Post by **plaguelift** » 20 Jun 2018, 19:05

Xr4 wrote:Surely you'd get paid for it though? So you would start work as soon as you step out of the door

I personally wouldn’t have a problem with it and I think Xr4 is right. You would be starting work as soon as you stepped out through your front door so make sure you’re going to get paid for it.

themailman · Post by **themailman** » 23 Jun 2018, 21:20

Not a chance are people going to be paid for it. Their 'payment' is the benefit of taking a van home.

Post by **CPTNemoUK** » 25 Jun 2018, 15:17

themailman wrote:Not a chance are people going to be paid for it. Their 'payment' is the benefit of taking a van home.

What if it took you normally 15mins to get to work. But now you had to pick someone up. Which is out of your way and now it takes you 30 mins to get to work or longer. Should you get paid then because you have to leave your house earlier?