Preparing Your Van or Fleet for the CVRT

COVID-19 restrictions are slowly lifting, and life is starting to feel like it’s getting a little bit back to normal (almost). Many businesses with large fleets will be needing to have some or all of their vehicles CVRT’d to determine their yearly road worthiness. If you’re the owner of one or more commercial vans, you’re no doubt familiar with the CVRT (formally known as DOE testing) and how important it is to maintain your fleet. As your CVRT is required to have your vehicle taxes and is necessary for any vehicle older than a year it’s imperative to ensure that testing is completed on time. If you have a large fleet of vans or cars, the costs can add up. With all of the stress in the world right now, the last thing that you should be worrying about whether or not your fleet is going to pass the inspection. At insuremyvan.ie we’ve put together a comprehensive list in how to prepare your team and your van for the CVRT. However we always recommend that you check the manual for any changes prior to booking your appointment.

Identify vehicles needing their CVRT/DOE

Depending on the age and size of your fleet, not all vehicles are going to require going through the CVRT in 2020. If you don’t already have one, it’s important to start a logbook of which vehicles will require the test. This way you can ensure they do not fall out of date and you can have plenty of time to inform your drivers or van fleet management so they can manage any vehicle issues

Clean the interior and exterior of the vehicle

When preparing to bring your van in for the CVRT, having a clean vehicle will make your life and the life of the tester a whole lot easier. Not only that, a clean vehicle is a requirement for your CVRT so that they can quickly assess the vehicle overall and an unkempt van can cause you to be turned away from your test which will cost you both time and money. We suggest putting aside time for your staff to clean the interior cab of the van as well as the back of the caddy and ensure that it’s in as good a condition as possible. In addition, the day before the test take the vehicle through a car wash. Even better – make cleaning the interior and exterior a habit of the job. This is good for the overall health of your vehicle.

Check mirrors and windscreens for cracks

While cleaning the exterior of your van, this is the perfect time to check over all mirrors and windows on your van for cracks and chips that you may not have previously identified. These will be recorded on your CVRT test and it’s important that if there is any significant damage that you get it repaired prior to going into your test.

Check your oil and top up all fluids

If you’re not already, you and your team should be regularly checking the oil and fluids on your fleet of vehicles. If you often have multiple people driving one van and rotating through shifts driving fluid and oil levels can often get forgotten about in the shuffle until it’s too late. Ensure that your oil levels, coolant, steering and brake fluid are all at optimum levels and keep a roster of when each of these have been recently checked or changed to ensure that they are managed under strict rotation.

Check your braking and suspension

One of the most important parks of your CVRT test will be the testing of braking and suspension on your vehicle. It’s imperative to ensure for yourself and the safety of others that the brakes on your van - especially if you’re carrying a heavy load are in prime condition. Testing the brakes and suspension of a van yourself can be a challenge and is best to be left to a qualified mechanic, so ensure that you leave yourself plenty of time to have your brakes and suspension checked on your fleet prior to your appointment.

Check that all lights are in working order.

When preparing your fleet of vans for the CVRT, you want to test all the lights to ensure that they are in working order. This little slip up which can be easy to miss spells out an automatic failure on the CVRT and can make the process a whole other hassle. A few days prior ensure that your team checks that all lights are working a positioned properly. One of the best ways to do this is to get your team of drivers to pair up and test each other’s vans to ensure that nothing is missed. By doing this a few days prior to the CVRT if there are any issues you can ensure to have them resolved well before your appointment time.

Check Your Tyres

The condition of the tyres in your vehicle fleet should always be of prime concern when you have a team that is out on the road driving thousands of kilometers in a given week. If your staff encounters a flat tyre it can not only cost a full day’s work if they get stuck on the side of the road, it’s also incredibly dangerous and can cause a serious accident if a tyre blows going full speed. It’s important to get into the habit of checking the state of your vans tyres but especially for your CVRT test. You want to ensure that the tyres are not experiencing excessive wear or damage, that they have maintained a strong tread and that there are no bulges or cracks that could signal an ongoing issue. Tyres should be checked at least one week prior to the CVRT to ensure that you have adequate time to get new tyres should the situation call for it. The CVRT is an important part of managing the health and safety of your fleet of vehicles. Not only will it ensure that your vehicle is running in tip-top condition, it can also help you identify any upcoming hazards that could cause danger to your drivers or other passengers on the road. For more information on the CVRT you can review the CVRT testing manuals here If you’re looking for more information on getting the best cost on your van or fleet insurance, visit insuremyvan.ie today.