Any commercial van has a limit to the amount of weight that it can safely and legally carry and this varies from vehicle to vehicle. If you are hiring, leasing or buying a refrigerated van, it’s important to be aware of payloads and ensure that you stay on the right side of the law.
For refrigerated vans, this can be a little confusing.
There are two different weight ratings that you need to think about: Kerb weight and gross vehicle weight or GVW. Here we take a closer look at these and how they relate to your payload if you have a refrigerated van for your business.
What is Kerb Weight?
Kerb weight refers to the weight of the vehicle with all installed equipment when it rolls off the factory floor. You calculate this as the weight of the vehicle unloaded and before any modifications are made.
What is Gross Vehicle Weight or GVW?
This isn’t just the weight of the vehicle when it is fully loaded but also when any modifications are added and the crew are seated inside. This is critical for refrigerated vans as many are converted from non-refrigerated factory models rather than coming off the production line fully functioning.
- The gross vehicle weight leads to a GRW rating which determines the maximum weight that a van can carry and remain safe to drive without compromising its integrity.
- Refrigerated van owners need to take into account that the rating not only includes the weight of cargo but the additional modifications that are made and added to the vehicle.
- If you get stopped and are found to have a payload violation, you can be fined and be summoned to court if there are repeat violations.
The Impact on Your Refrigerated Van Payload
To understand how much payload you can put on a refrigerated van, you need to subtract the kerb weight from the GVW rating.
This is relatively simple. If, for example, you have a kerb weight of 1.9 tonnes and a GVWR of 3.5 tonnes, you have a payload allowed of 1.6 tonnes (that includes drivers and other staff and modifications as well as your stock).
Contact FridgeXpress Today
We’re the UK’s main fridge and freezer van hire specialists with a range of vehicles and trailers to help keep your business moving. With more than two decades delivering high-quality hire services to many different sectors, we offer flexible solutions whether you need one van or want to manage your entire fleet.
Our team are experts in everything to do with refrigerated vans and we can serve sectors across the entire UK. From emergency hires to long-term contracts, we think we’ve got all the bases covered.
If you would like to find out how FridgeXpress can support your business operation or you simply require a one-off hire, contact the team today.
