Van fleet crisis highlighted as MOT failures, missed maintenance and rising downtime put operators under pressure

New industry data shows that van fleets are facing a growing operational crisis as maintenance standards decline, MOT failure rates climb and downtime continues to rise. The warning comes from TyreSafe and a panel of senior fleet leaders who say the UK’s 5.1 million vans are now at greater risk of unplanned repairs, higher operating costs and avoidable safety issues.

TyreSafe’s analysis of DVSA MOT data shows that 25.9 percent of vans failed their MOT at the first attempt, more than double the rate for cars at 12.6 percent. In several regions, van failure rates exceed 30 percent. The majority of issues relate to basic maintenance items such as tyres, brakes and suspension, with many failures linked to advisories that were never addressed. Industry experts say these patterns point to a shift away from routine preventative maintenance towards a reactive, “fix it when it breaks” approach.

Poor maintenance means vehicles off road and lost income

The consequences for fleets are significant. MOT failures and unplanned repairs lead to extended downtime, lost billable hours and increased hire or replacement vehicle costs. Tyres alone represent a major concern, with underinflation, uneven wear and neglected damage frequently identified during MOT tests.

BTMA (The British Tyre Manufacturers' Association), NTDA (National Tyre Distributors Association) and ITMA (International Tyre Manufacturers' Association) representatives all echoed the same message: van tyres are being allowed to run beyond safe limits, leading to higher breakdown risk and premature replacement costs.

The problem is being compounded by the growing size and workload of the UK van parc. Vans are now used more intensively than ever for logistics, service operations and last-mile delivery, yet are often subject to stretched maintenance cycles.

National Highways stressed that poorly maintained vans also impact road safety and cause avoidable congestion when breakdowns occur.

The need for proactive fleet management

Alongside the TyreSafe findings, new insights from i247 Group’s recent “Fleet Futures – Redefining TCO” underline a wider structural challenge. Fleet experts agreed that many operators still rely on reactive maintenance models, which drive up operational total cost of ownership (TCO).

i247 Commercial Director Steve Thornton explained that fleets are split into two types: those that simply track costs, and those that actively optimise them through proactive, data-led management.

He warned that decisions based solely on convenience, such as using the nearest repairer or opting for parts that happen to be in stock, often result in higher long-term costs and more downtime.

Telematics and connected vehicle data were highlighted as essential tools for reversing this trend.Representatives from Targa Viasat and others explained how real-time tyre pressure monitoring, early fault detection and predictive servicing can prevent small issues escalating into failures.

A simple example is spotting an underinflated tyre before a warning light appears, allowing the driver to correct it and avoid unnecessary wear or a roadside breakdown.

Panellists also pointed to the emerging role of artificial intelligence and digital fleet modelling. These technologies can turn large volumes of vehicle data into actionable maintenance insights, helping fleet managers understand when components are likely to fail, model costs more accurately and schedule work at the most efficient time.

Improved driver education was also cited as a major factor, with behaviour influencing fuel efficiency, tyre wear and component life more than many fleets realise.

What learnings should van fleets adopt?

Industry bodies say the combined message is clear. Fleets should adopt strict six-monthly inspections, act immediately on advisories, and use data to anticipate faults rather than react to them.

TyreSafe’s conclusion is that the UK can no longer rely on annual MOTs as the main maintenance touchpoint for vans, given their heavy daily workloads. The organisation is urging operators to review their policies to improve safety and reduce unnecessary downtime.

With van usage continuing to grow and ZEV mandates tightening across the decade, the need for proactive maintenance and data-led fleet management has never been more important.

Fleets that embrace early intervention, tyre management and connected diagnostics stand to make the strongest gains in cost control, vehicle uptime, and safety performance.

Photo by Mathias Reding on Unsplash