FTA announces finalists for Van Excellence Driver of the Year 2019

Thursday 23 May 2019

Fifteen of the UK’s best van drivers are celebrating today after being shortlisted for FTA’s 2019 Van Excellence Driver of the Year and Young Driver of the Year, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Vans UK.  The awards recognise the unsung heroes of Britain’s economy: the dedicated and highly accomplished drivers keeping all sectors of business trading.

The shortlisted candidates will be put through their paces during an intensive final assessment day at Bott Ltd’s commercial centre in Ashby-de-la-Zouch on Saturday 8 June 2019.  They will face a series of rigorous tests covering all areas of their roles, including legislation knowledge, driving skills, risk assessment and vehicle defect identification.  The winning applicant in each category – Driver of the Year 2019 and Young Driver of the Year 2019 – will be presented with their trophy on the day, and prizes including a holiday voucher, a GoPro and Red-Letter Day vouchers.  As well as Bott Ltd, the event is also supported by Brigade Electronics, Hertz, Lex Autolease and Quartix.

“Van drivers truly are the unsung heroes of Britain’s economy, the industrial athletes keeping all sectors of business trading,” commented Mark Cartwright, Head of Vans at FTA, the organisation representing the interests of the logistics sector.  “Their roles are both physically and mentally demanding; they must deploy several skill sets on a daily basis, including problem solving, technical understanding, initiative and time management, as well as lifting heavy goods and covering vast distances, both behind the wheel and on foot.  It is this variety and challenge that makes it an attractive career option for individuals of all ages, background and genders.”

Mr Cartwright continued: “The finalists for this year’s competition have been selected for their outstanding commitment, technical skills, diligence and compliance knowledge, and represent a wide range of UK companies across several business sectors.  We are honoured to be able to recognise and reward these outstanding drivers, as they embody the aspirations of the Van Excellence scheme – to achieve consistently high standards of compliance, safety and skill across the van market.”

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 and Ringtons Ltd.

Further information on the event can be found at www.fta.co.uk/vdoty19

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.