Bibby Distribution’s top performing drivers have been recognised and rewarded at the company’s annual Driver of the Year competition.

Nigel Hargreaves was named LGV Driver of the Year based on his performance over the past 12 months, as measured by a wealth of data from Bibby’s on-board Microlise telematics system, digital tachograph information, plus his incident-free track record.

Hargreaves, an artic driver operating from Bibby’s Wakefield depot, typically works delivering household brands from behind the wheel of his 38-tonne MAN.

He said: “I’m delighted to win this award, especially as I was up against so many good drivers. I’m just doing a job I love and happy that Bibby Distribution has recognised me in this way.”

Tony Warburton from the company’s Bury site won the Forklift Driver of the Year title in the materials handling category, after top scoring in demanding practical and theoretical tests facilitated by event sponsor Briggs Equipment UK.

Tony Warburton (centre) is presented with the MHE Driver of the Year Award by Kevin Gillespie and Zoe Lyons, both from Briggs Equipment UK

He said: “This is a great initiative to recognise the best drivers – even those of us who aren’t out on the road. The challenges certainly tested our day-to-day skills, and I’m really pleased to have come out on top.”

Duncan Eyre, managing director at Bibby Distribution, added: “At Bibby Distribution, people are at the heart of everything that we do and it’s important that we recognise the contribution that our drivers make.

“Safety and efficiency are central to our business, and our drivers of both trucks and MHE play a crucial role in delivering those benefits to customers. We know driving is a high pressure job, so these awards bring our driver family together in a fun celebration of our shared success.

“This year the judging process proved extremely tough, as we had so many drivers in close contention for the win. It’s a great reflection on the quality of the drivers we have working in the business, and their commitment to delivering day in, day out.”

Launched in 2016, the awards recognise Bibby Distribution’s top talent, with almost 150 drivers selected to take part in this year’s event.

The 22 top performing drivers across both categories were invited to Rockingham Motor Speedway for a family fun day of racing, with truck manufacturer and event sponsor MAN Truck & Bus providing a race truck for exhilarating passenger rides around the 1.5-mile, high-speed, oval circuit. MAN also donated prizes that included a Porsche driving day experience and tickets to September’s IAA Show in Hannover – the biggest road transport industry trade show in Europe.

The winners were announced at an awards dinner attended by senior management from across Bibby Distribution, and all finalists received a special uniform in recognition of their achievement.

The Driver of the Year Awards are a key part of Bibby Distribution’s Road to Zero strategy, aimed at achieving zero harm, zero waste and zero environmental impact from its operations.

As a result, the company invests heavily in tailored driver training programmes to help those behind the wheel realise their full potential. 

Main picture: Nigel Hargreaves (right) is presented with the Bibby Distribution LGV Driver of the Year Award by Neil Waters, international key account manager at MAN Truck & Bus UK

More articles on: