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Van excellence Drivers of the Year 2019 announced 

Chris Shenton of Asda and Alex Tilley of Moy Park are celebrating today after being named the Van Excellence Driver of the Year and Young Driver of the Year 2019 sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Vans, following a rigorous assessment day at Bott Ltd’s facility in AshbydelaZouch, Leicestershire.

With more than four million drivers operating vans on the UK’s roads every day, the awards recognise these unsung heroes of our economy, as Mark Cartwright, Head of Vans at FTA, which administers the Van Excellence scheme, explained: “From delivering our online shopping to keeping businesses and schools stocked with the vital materials they need, the essential services van drivers provide are often overlooked. These awards provide us the opportunity to celebrate the unsung heroes of Britain: the dedicated and highly accomplished drivers keeping businesses of all sectors trading.” The contest is also sponsored by Bott Ltd, Brigade Electronics, Hertz UK, Lex Autolease and Quartix.

Mr Cartwright continued: “Van driving is a challenging task; it is both mentally and physically demanding. Drivers must draw from several skills sets on a daily basis, including time management, legislative knowledge, mechanical insight, technical driving skill, as well the ability to lift heavy goods and walk vast distances. It is vitally important that the complexity of their roles, as well as the value they provide, is recognised on a national level.

“The aim of the Van Excellence scheme is to raise compliance levels across the industry, and each of today’s finalists has shown what can be achieved with determination and hard work. The very best van operators must be rewarded for their professionalism and high standards. We are honoured to have this platform to recognise and reward these talented individuals – they should all be very proud of their achievements.”

Chris and Alex were pitted against 12 other finalists in the competition to complete of a set of challenging tasks which covered all areas of their roles, including legislation, driving skills, risk assessment, and vehicle defect identification.  Chris and Alex excelled in each of these tests, and were rewarded for their exceptional technical skills, diligence, dedication, and compliance knowledge. In addition to trophies, prizes including a holiday voucher, a GoPro and Red-Letter Day vouchers.

Cartwright continued: “This competition shows the depth of skill and knowledge required to become a competent van driver; we hope these awards inspire a new generation to discover this rewarding and challenging career path.”

“I’m thrilled to be named as the best van driver in the UK,” commented winner Chris Shenton of Tunstall, Staffordshire. “I love my role as a driver, and I have always taken it very seriously; to be recognised for my dedication, hard work, and constant thirst for improvement over the years is overwhelming. I would like to thank my fellow drivers at ASDA whose own brilliance pushes me to be the best I can. I would also like to thank Van Excellence for providing me with this opportunity to showcase everything I have learnt throughout my driving career.”

“I’m so pleased I get to drive a van as part of my career as a joiner; I love the variety, autonomy, challenge, and opportunity it brings,” commented winner Alex Tilley of Sleaford, Lincolnshire. “To be named as the best young van driver in the UK is an overwhelming feeling and I never expected to achieve such an accolade so early in my career. I would like to thank my colleagues at Moy Park for helping me become the driver I am today.”

Third place was presented to Luke Howarth of Alliance Healthcare and Daniel Mackenzie of Scottish Water secured second place. Additional awards were presented to winners of particular skills tests:

Economical driving, sponsored by Quartix: Daniel Mackenzie of Scottish Water

Driving style, sponsored by Hertz: Daniel Mackenzie of Scottish Water

Legislation test, sponsored by Bott Ltd: Lee Magri of Kelly Fleet Services

Pre-use defect check, sponsored by Lex Autolease: Daniel Mackenzie of Scottish Water

Manoeuvring, sponsored by Brigade Electronics: Lee McCafferty of Greencore

Risk assessment, sponsored by McCarron Coates: Garry Spiller of ASDA

The shortlist features expert drivers from Asda, Alliance Healthcare, Scottish Water, Fleet Solutions by BT, Greencore, Elis, Kelly Fleet Services, Amey, G4S Cash Solutions, Moy Park Ltd andRingtons Ltd.

Administered by FTA, the leading organisation in UK logistics, the Van Excellence programme was created in 2010 to promote the safe operation of vans, represent the interests of the sector, and celebrate operators demonstrating excellent standards.  Central to the scheme is the Van Excellence Code, a set of minimum best practice standards all van operators should aspire to achieve, covering safety, efficiency and sustainability.

For further information on the Van Excellence Scheme, including how to join, please visit www.vanexcellence.co.uk.

Automotive Industry Digest

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