How many vans does a UK courier depot need?

Vans for the stops equal stops divided by drops per hour, divided by hours on the road, rounded up. Cover for absence equals that number times the absence percent, rounded up. Vans in the workshop are added as you type them. The judgement around the sum is in the courier capacity planning guide. Assumptions were checked on 25 September 2026. The result is indicative.

The formula

• Vans for the volume = stops / drops per hour / hours on the road, rounded up
• Absence cover = vans for the volume x absence percent, rounded up
• Total = vans for the volume + absence cover + vans in the workshop

Urban and rural rounds are different. Type the drops per hour the depot actually achieves. Do not use a national figure. If peak volume is only a few weeks, price a hire van or subcontracting overflow before a vehicle you will still be paying for in February.

Enter the round

If range, not stop count, is the constraint, read electric van fleet software. The courier growth readiness check asks whether the driver file and the pay run can take the extra round.

Questions

How many vans do I need for 150 stops?

Divide stops by the drops your drivers finish per hour, then by hours on the road, then add cover. The page does that sum. There is no universal UK number.

When is a second van justified?

When the first van is full on a normal week and you can still pay for it in a quiet week. Peak weeks are a reason to hire or subcontract, not automatically a reason to buy.

Should electric range change the count?

If the van cannot finish the round and return to the charger, you need a different plan, not a smaller fleet on paper. Read the electric van article before you change the count.

Is the result a purchase list?

No. It is indicative. Vans above the normal week are labelled as hire or subcontract cover.