Van breakdowns are costing UK businesses more than £1,000 per day, according to a new study by Mercedes-Benz Vans. The research, which surveyed 500 senior decision-makers, found that the average firm loses £1,172.20 per day when vehicles are off the road.
The study revealed that businesses faced an average of 6.5 days of disruption over the past year. This downtime has significant knock-on effects, with 41% of business leaders reporting increased staff stress and 33% noting disrupted workflow. Additionally, 29% said breakdowns led to longer working hours for employees.
The financial impact extends beyond immediate losses. Nearly a quarter (24%) of businesses missed performance targets due to van downtime, while 18% feared losing contracts. Simon Neill, Operations Director at Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, emphasised the critical role of vans, stating: 'For many UK businesses, a van isn't just a van. It's the business showing up.'
The most common causes of breakdowns were mechanical failure (42%), wear and tear (34%), tyre damage (27%), road accidents (23%), and pothole damage (21%). Mercedes-Benz highlighted that parts shortages and workshop delays often prolong downtime, compounding the problem.
Neill added: 'The ambition at Mercedes-Benz Vans isn't just to be the best at fixing vans when they go wrong, but at stopping them going wrong in the first place using data and experience. Because prevention will always be better than cure.'
