Ford’s national fleet of Mobile Service Vans has increased by a third as the UK’s reliance on van-delivered goods rises.
With lockdown restrictions in place and an increase in online shopping and home deliveries as a result, Ford is working hard to ensure businesses are able to keep their vehicles working hard on UK roads by bringing their vehicle servicing and maintenance to their doors.
Mobile Service vans were first introduced in 2016, following a successful pilot in 2015 within M25 and now more than 100 vehicles are in operation across the UK. The Trust Ford network has now increased its active number of Mobile Service Vans by 27, growing the total number of operational vehicles by almost 30 per cent, to 130 vehicles.
The Mobile Service vans are able to service and repair Ford commercial vehicles at the owner’s convenience, with a pre-arranged time slot and location to minimise downtime. Each van is able to conduct up to five vehicle services per day, with the potential to undertake multiple services at any location, subject to health and safety risk assessments. Other work includes light maintenance and warranty repairs.
Each week, Ford’s Mobile Service vans cover 15,000 miles across the country and have racked up a total of 1.3 million miles since national launch in 2017. Some vans have travelled more than 100 miles from their Transit Centre base, to some of the most remote locations of the UK. Up to now, the 103 Ford Mobile Service vans covering all four corners of the UK have completed more than 80,000 jobs.
Trust Ford fleet
TrustFord, early adopters of Ford’s Mobile Servicing proposition, has grown its fleet over the past three years and diverted the service to support NHS and essential workers during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stuart Foulds, chairman and CEO, said: “Running a mobile servicing operation takes hard work and dedication but we have always understood our customers’ need to keep their fleets on the road. We are ambitious to keep growing our mobile servicing team and will be significantly investing in our offering in the months ahead. We aim to have grown our national network significantly by the end of this year.”
The vans are equipped with a specially-designed racking system by Edstrom, including custom shelving, storage and compartments to hold all the tools required to carry out a comprehensive service. Equipment includes a 2.5-tonne jack and axle stands to allow technicians easy access to the underside of vehicles, on-board diagnostics, allowing servicing of all Ford vehicles in the range. Ford’s Omnicraft parts range also enables the Mobile Service van technician on site to service and maintain non-Ford vehicles.
Mandy Dean, Commercial Vehicle director, Ford of Britain and Ireland, said: “Customers are relying on their vans’ smooth running more than ever. Regular servicing ensures that their vehicles remain safe, receive important updates and deliver optimal fuel economy. Our Mobile Service Van initiative is enjoying renewed interest as a Covid-secure and time-efficient way to maintain fleets.”
Ford also operates Mobile Service vans in other countries around the world – including in North America where they have more than 100 vans supporting their private retail & business customers across the country. An extensive expansion plan is in place to increase their fleet of vehicles to 200 by the end of this year.
Other markets that are undertaking Mobile Service feasibility studies include Turkey, South America, France and the Republic of Ireland.
Ford Mobile Service is now part of Ford’s Transit Centre operational standards. A full list of the sites providing this service along with opening times and contact details, can be found using the Ford Dealer locator at https://www.ford.co.uk/dealer-locator. By selecting the “Mobile Service” option in the Advanced Search tab and then adding your postcode or location, it will show the nearest Ford Mobile Service site.
Our Ford Mobile Service technicians are also fully equipped with appropriate PPE, deep cleaning processes and social distancing measures/procedures to help keep themselves and customers protected in these unprecedented times.
