Art that moves: A guide to truck shows and truck insurance

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Did you know that the art scene on lorries and trucks originates from South Asia? Drivers would decorate their vehicles with religious symbols to protect them on their long journeys. Additionally, the more decorative a lorry, the higher chance that a company would see it and want to hire it for their own use. Over the years, this type of art has become popular in the West with lots of festivals popping up to celebrate and appreciate the hard work that goes into creating this moving art. With 285,000 lorries driven in the UK each year the truck community is a pretty big one. Through their insurance of lorries and trucks, Quotax has built some close relationships within this community. Speaking to Gavin Hicks, we provide you with all the tips and information you need to get involved and be successful at one of the many UK truck shows.

How did you become interested in the trucking community and particularly in truck art?
I’ve worked in haulage for most of my working life and therefore spend a lot of time in my truck and around other trucks. Being on the road a lot, I wanted a hobby that would suit my lifestyle and which I could enjoy with my friends. After trying a few different ones first, and after seeing some of my friends show trucks, this became a natural interest of mine and has since developed into something I’m very passionate about.

How do you decide on the design of your show truck?
There are lots of different designs, some are more current themes such as the Minions, and others are more classic retro styles. Personally, I wanted something that would stay timeless, not aging, and would always be recognised and loved. As a massive James Bond fan, having a 007 themed truck seemed only right. Not only is it classically British but it’s iconic and something which everyone can appreciate.

How long is the process from first design to completion?
It’s difficult to say because everyone is different; some people have a really clear vision of what they want their truck to look like and then it’s just about how much time you have available to spend on creating it. For others, like me, ideas can change and evolve as you see other show trucks and get influenced by them. It is also an ongoing process. The more shows you go to, the more new ideas you get and want to upgrade your truck. That’s what I love about it- it’s an ongoing process and you can always better your truck.

Do you take your truck to shows and if so what is your favourite show to go to?
Yes, I love going to shows! Due to Covid, a lot of the shows over the last year and a half have been cancelled which means, now that restrictions are easing, there are lots going on this year- I’ve got one nearly every weekend. My favourite has to be the Retro Truck Show. It’s one of the main ones in the UK and has the best atmosphere. Every truck there is of such high quality, it really is impressive.

What would be some of your top tips for people wanting to place in a truck show competition?
I think deciding on a budget and then accepting you won’t stick to that budget, is key. You can create amazing trucks but they do require time and money. However, detail and presentation are easily the most important factors. A truck that has intricate design details always stands out. It’s also super important to have good friends. Going to these shows with other people who share your passion really makes all the difference and makes it all so much more enjoyable.

What are the best communities for people to join who are new to this?
There are so many amazing communities out there and lots of welcoming groups on Instagram and Facebook! I’m part of two Facebook groups and we are all lovely and happy to welcome new members to our community- @trucksthatshine and @southwesttruckers

What made you decide to insure your truck with Quotax?
There are not many insurance companies who will not only insure trucks, but insurance them at a good price. I am very lucky that I found Quotax and knowing that I have good insurance has definitely helped make the process of getting into truck art a lot smoother. Also, it has provided me with a sense of ease which has meant that I can enjoy my hobby without the worry or concern of insurance.

We know it can be difficult to find insurance that covers your individual needs but we also understand that everyone has to start somewhere. At Quotax, we offer a range of insurance policies from Classic Lorry or Truck insurance for those vintage vehicles, to finding you tailored cover for your HGV. For more information about our insurance policies or to get a quote, please contact us on 0208 691 9691 or visit the contact page for other ways to contact us.

1950s Red Leyland truck

Case Study: Vintage Truck Insurance

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How often do you see a 1950s vintage truck, in great condition, driving around on the roads? Not often at all!
We had the pleasure of speaking to Christopher, the owner of a 1950s Leyland truck, who had recently taken out an insurance policy with us. In this article, discover how and why he purchased this vehicle, what his favourite features are and why he decided to use Quotax to insure his pride and joy.

Tell us a little bit about your background and the truck you own.

1950s Red Leyland truck

1950s Leyland truck

I’ve been a lorry driver for over 40 years and, in March this year, I decided to treat myself to a vintage truck to use for leisure.
In my search, I found two trucks that caught my eye – one on eBay, and one in an auction in Skegness. Initially, I visited the truck I saw on eBay which I really liked the look of; I took the truck for a little test drive to discover how it ran and enjoyed the experience. Although I liked the vehicle, I did decide to see the other truck the next day before making a decision.
After visiting the auction, I realised my heart was set on the first vintage truck I visited the previous day – a 1950s Leyland Beaver BRS truck. I went down the next Friday with my son to take it home – it was just under a 6-hour drive! The truck made it home safely and I haven’t looked back.

Where did your passion for vintage trucks come from?

My father was also a lorry driver, so the passion has been passed down to me from him. Also I love driving, and having the privilege of driving a 70+-year-old truck makes driving even more exciting!

With the truck you insured with us at Quotax, what were the main reasons for purchasing this vehicle? What would be your favourite feature?

I initially liked the look of the truck, as well as its heritage, which is why I wanted to view it in the flesh – when I liked what I saw, I purchased it! The truck can also be worked on to adjust and personalise aspects which really appealed to me, as I see this an on-going project that I can work on as and when I please.

Is this the only truck you own or do you have any others?

This is my first, and only, vintage truck.

Do you attend any rallies or special events with your truck?

I do plan to attend special events with my vintage truck at some point as I’d really enjoy that. Once the Covid-19 pandemic settles down, there may be many events that will be held where I can share my new vintage truck with other enthusiasts.

Did you modify your truck after purchasing it?

I’ve been doing the inside of the cab up, as the interior had a dirty brown colour to it. I have now managed to clean it up and I’m in the process of rubbing it down and repainting the metalwork to bring some life back into the vehicle.
When I purchased the truck, there were a number of stickers on the bodywork, which I’ve since had removed, which has made it look much cleaner, and I believe brought it back to its original look.

Unfortunately, as the seller explained to me, my Leyland truck had been stood unused for 5 years, so it ended up with an oil leak in the gearbox which needed to be fixed, but I’ve sorted that now. The mechanic I chose was a big fan of the truck and he managed to replace the part really quickly, so that gave me one less thing to worry about!
After the oil leak was fixed, I had to order a special thick gear oil, which is quite difficult to get hold of, as synthetic oils are mostly used nowadays. Purchasing synthetic oil for older vehicles, such as my Leyland vintage truck, can cause detrimental damage but luckily I found somewhere local that supplied it, so I can ensure it runs properly.

Do you think you’ll purchase any more vintage trucks in the future?

Yes I would – I found one in Preston I liked but, unfortunately, the seller didn’t get back to me about it so I decided to stop pursuing that vehicle in the end.

When looking to have your truck insured, what did you feel was important to consider?

As it’s such an old, unique vehicle, I wanted a top-notch insurance policy for it. Due to its age, there is a much higher chance that things will go wrong, so I wanted to find a policy that would provide me with a fully comprehensive cover with breakdown recovery.

So how did you discover Quotax?

Somebody I know actually mentioned Quotax to me as an insurance option, and recommended them, so that promoted me to Google the name.

Tell me about your experience with Quotax, from when you initially contacted them.

Once I found the Quotax website, I rang up to enquire about my vintage truck. From the very beginning, the sales representative was extremely understanding and listened to my needs. Due to my unique requirements, they explained that the correct policy would need to be put together for me, and Quotax came back within a couple of days with the policy details and quote.

The representative found me a policy that I was very happy with, providing the cover I needed at a great price. So, without hesitation, I took the policy out.

Would you recommend Quotax for vehicle insurance? Tell us why.

I would fully recommend Quotax Insurance. The level of service was something I very much appreciated, and I was happy to take a policy out with them before even knowing what the quote would be as a result.

Unfortunately, I did have some unpleasant experiences with other insurance companies when I was looking for someone to insure my truck with, either showing no interest in helping me or simply not being able to provide me with the policy I needed. However, I did find my experience with Quotax very refreshing, as the representative was really pleasant and not at all pushy.

Was there anything else you would like to add?
I am very happy with my purchase, I love taking the truck for rides on late Saturday afternoon. People around me have shown such an interest in the vehicle and they take pictures of it – one person even asked to take a look inside!

We agree that this is such a fantastic vehicle and we are thrilled that Christopher is now a customer of ours.
Are you looking for an insurance quote? No matter how old or unique your vehicle is, we are here to help. Speak with our friendly team for a competitive quote.

Sueted Van

Case Study: Sueted

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At the time of writing this article, we are in the midst of a global pandemic. COVID-19 has changed everything – from how we socialise, to how we shop – and businesses have had to adjust accordingly. But will these changes be permanent? 

We spoke to the founder of fashion company Sueted, Dolapo Adeyemi, to find out her perspective as a forward-thinking business owner. 

Sueted takes the in-store shopping experience to customers’ doorsteps by providing mobile boutiques fitted with premium mobile fitting rooms at the point of delivery. The company launched before the Coronavirus pandemic hit the UK, back in September 2019; Dolapo talked us through the inspiration for the business, her predictions on how COVID-19 will affect people’s shopping habits, and why she chose Quotax to insure her unique vehicle.

Tell us about Sueted. What do you offer your clients and customers, and what makes you unique?

Sueted takes the in-store experience to customers’ doorsteps by providing mobile boutiques with premium fitting rooms at the point of delivery. Our instant return option eliminates our shoppers’ return journey and shrinks the retailer’s return window by up to 90%. Sueted is able to provide triple bottom line value (people, profit, planet) to retailers in 3 different ways:

Delivery
We deliver to shoppers’ homes or offices. They try on items in their order on the spot in our mobile boutique and we help by taking back any returns to the retailer.

Popup
By running pop-ups with Sueted, brands can now enjoy true omnichannel retail by having access to very flexible high-footfall areas while saving on the set-up costs

Ads and Window Displays
Retailers can advertise their brand on any of the 4 sides of the van and stores can set up creative mobile window displays on the go.

Where did the idea come from and when did the company launch? 

We wanted to provide an opportunity for retailers to offer a special experience to their customers by allowing customers to order clothing items, try them on and choose the ones they want. We designed our elaborate vehicle to be a unique, premium offering.

After creating and testing the vehicle, we launched in September 2019 and popped up in locations such as Westfield Stratford and other centres with high street stores. We are proud to say that things really took off and the brands we have been working with have had a great experience working with this concept. 

Who is your target audience? What benefits can you offer them?

Our target audience is retailers. We offer them convenience, a time-saving solution and we save them money.

Instead of having a courier van make a second journey to a customer’s home to pick up returns, the delivery journey doubles as the return journey, immediately reducing the potential carbon footprint by half and significantly reducing the cost of returns.  

Also, disputes as to the reasons for the customers returns are eliminated since the quality and appearance of an item is verified at the point of delivery and a customer cannot claim to have received a damaged item if they  happen to damage it in the process of handling it post-delivery.

On the customer side, they don’t have to worry about going to the post office or waiting at home to make a return; they can immediately return any unwanted item once it has been tried on in the Sueted vehicle.

The bottom line is that retailers are saving money by not throwing away damaged items which, in turn, is beneficial to the planet. 

This process also reduces the number of delivery vans polluting the

environment. We don’t want customers returning items they have worn. It’s wasteful and we want

to change that.

Has the business changed or evolved since it first launched? Have you been able to operate during the lockdown?

A lot of things have happened since we launched, and we unfortunately had to close operations as shopping in a small enclosed space isn’t something we have been able to market.

That’s a great shame. It does sound like your business model is ideal for shoppers who are social distancing though?

Yes, it is suitable for shoppers who are social distancing. We are trying to establish the safest way to

reopen, as we are exploring options to be able to sterilise the van in between customers, so that people may be comfortable knowing that they are stepping into a virus-free space.

Do you think people’s shopping habits will change drastically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic? What impact do you think this will have on the fashion industry?

Yes, I think people’s shopping behaviours will change a lot. Many changes are happening in the fashion industry right now. With modelling shows all cancelled, brands are seeking more clarity on, and new ideas for, how they can present their collections to customers. We do see this as a positive change as the fashion industry can be very wasteful, especially when it comes to showing collections on runways. 

The pandemic has forced people to act, instead of just talking about these issues. A lot of things are going to change in the fashion world.

Sueted Van

Lady shopping in the Sueted Van

Shopping is sociable. As social distancing comes to an end, with our business model customers will be able to come to our Sueted vehicle with a friend, still social distancing. With Sueted, even online shopping can also be sociable.

For retailers who are purely online, the only point of contact they have with their customers is at the point of delivery and it isn’t properly managed. We see this as a missed opportunity, and something to turn into a positive experience for customers.

What does the future hold for Sueted? Have you considered how this model could be used for other products aside from clothing? If so, is that something you would consider?

We have actually had a few events with a tea company. They had a show in a square outside and they showcased their products and had samples available, which raised awareness of their brand.

Here at Sueted we are about delivering experiences.

When looking to have your vehicle insured, what did you feel was important to consider?

Our vehicle is very unique and unusual, and some people therefore gave us ridiculously high quotes and terms which we just couldn’t accept. Eventually we narrowed it down to a small handful and chose Quotax.

Sueted Van

Inside the Sueted Van

We were really lucky to find Quotax. 

How did you discover Quotax?

I think I found them online. Discovering Quotax really was a very lucky find.

Why did you decide to work with Quotax for your insurance cover?

Two things were a major factor for us: cost and responsiveness.

Every time we phoned Quotax we had someone to talk to, and it just felt right. With some of their competitors I was being put through to an off-shore call centre and felt pushed around. With Quotax it was a much more human interaction, which is what Sueted is all about!

Would you recommend Quotax for vehicle insurance? Tell us why.

I remember my first call to Quotax. It was at around 4pm. I’d forgotten that I had needed to cancel my insurance and suddenly found myself in a situation where I was unable to put my drivers on the road, which meant it was impossible to work. 

Quotax saved the day with their speed and responsiveness and their customer service was excellent. 

 

Are you looking for an insurance quote? No matter how weird and wonderful your vehicle may be, we are here to help. Get in touch with our team today for a competitive quote.