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Last updated: 24 March 2026
If you run vans for work, training isn’t just about “better driving” — it’s also about legal compliance, risk reduction, and being able to show you’ve taken reasonable steps to manage safety.
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) now operates as Logistics UK, and it continues to run Van Excellence – a scheme built around agreed industry standards for “what good looks like” in van operations.
What training is available now?
Logistics UK currently lists Van Excellence training options including Managing Van Operations, which is aimed at raising standards across van operations using the Van Excellence standards as the baseline.
For people who support operators (for example, suppliers and advisors), Logistics UK also lists a Van Excellence course for Van Industry Suppliers (delivered in-company).
What the courses typically cover (and why it matters)
While the exact modules can vary by course and delivery format, Logistics UK’s Van Excellence training is designed to help businesses operate safely, legally and efficiently.
Topics commonly referenced across Van Excellence materials include:
- Vehicle standards, administration and maintenance systems
- Driver licensing and competence management
- Load security and overloading prevention
- Speed limits and compliance
- Towing equipment and related rules
- Operator-licensing awareness and, where relevant, passenger-carrying van considerations
Certificate of Excellence: how certification works
For courses such as Managing Van Operations, Logistics UK states that delegates can complete an assessment and, on successful completion, receive a Certificate of Excellence valid for three years. It also notes the course can be delivered without the assessment, in which case a certificate of attendance is issued.
Who this training is most useful for
Van Excellence-style training is typically most valuable if you:
- Manage or supervise a van fleet (including grey fleet exposure)
- Need to tighten compliance processes (licensing, maintenance, load safety, towing)
- Want documented evidence of management intent and competence controls (useful after incidents or audits)
Why this matters for claims and liability
Training won’t prevent every collision — but it can reduce the likelihood of predictable failures (maintenance gaps, licensing issues, unsafe loading) and helps demonstrate that you’re actively managing risk. That can be important if you ever need to explain your safety systems after a serious incident.
Source
- Logistics UK Training — “Managing Van Operations” (course outline + Certificate of Excellence valid 3 years)
- Logistics UK — “Van Excellence” (scheme overview / standards framing)
- Logistics UK — “Van Excellence Standards” (PDF standards reference)
- Logistics UK (Logistics Magazine portal) — compliance topics list incl. passenger-carrying vans
- Van Fleet World — FTA rebrand to Logistics UK (branding context)
- Logistics UK press release — Van Excellence created in 2010 (10-year note)
VanCompare Editorial Team
The VanCompare Editorial Team produces clear, practical guidance on UK van insurance and related topics. We work with FCA authorised insurance providers and use insurer information where relevant to explain cover in plain English and help drivers make informed decisions.
Where relevant, our content is checked against publicly available UK guidance and information from sources such as the FCA and GOV.UK to help keep it accurate and up to date.
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