Van Driver of the Year 2021 - deadline extended!

Friday 04 June 2021

Following a surge of late entries, Logistics UK has extended the deadline for submissions to its Van Driver of the Year contest to 11 June 2021, to allow more companies the chance to enter their leading professional drivers into the competition. 

Taking place on Saturday 10 July 2021 at Bott Ltd in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, the contest celebrates the nation’s very best drivers, with prizes going to the overall Van Driver of the Year, the second and third place contestants, the Van Excellence Driver of the Year and individual category winners.  

Sponsored by the AA, Bott Ltd, Brigade Electronics, Hertz, Lex Autolease, Quartix and TVL, contestants will take part in a series of practical and theoretical challenges, with entrants being assessed on safe driving style, legislative knowledge, economical driving, manoeuvring, risk perception and pre-use vehicle defect checking.  

Kevin Green, Marketing and Communications Director at Logistics UK comments: “We are delighted to be extending the deadline for entries; we have had a number of fantastic submissions so far but also understand that some companies are yet to complete their entries. It has been a challenging year, with many individuals and businesses across the UK relying on van drivers for deliveries and services more than ever. The sector has done a fantastic job of adapting to meet the increased demand and we look forward to celebrating the nation’s very best drivers.” 

Van Driver of the Year 2019 winner, Chris Shenton, gives an insight into his experience of the contest: “It was fantastic to be around, and chatting to, a group of like-minded people from across the country who enjoy driving as much as I do. I really enjoyed the tasks; given we drive automatic vans for Asda, it was great to be in a new Mercedes van with manual gears! The manoeuvring challenge was my favourite task, but I have to say winning was the most enjoyable thing and it came as a wonderful shock.” 

Having won the top prize of a holiday voucher, Chris continues: “My wife and I went on an all-inclusive trip to Las Palmas in November 2019, on one of the Canary Islands. It was a fabulous holiday and I would like to once again thank Logistics UK and all those involved for running such an excellent competition. I would recommend anyone thinking about entering to do so!” 

Further information on the event and how to enter can be found at: www.logistics.org.uk/vdoty21 

Logistics UK is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With COVID-19, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods.