Microlise Driver of The Year – Celebrating Best-in-Class HGV Drivers

L-R: Nadeem Raza, Microlise CEO; Microlise Driver of The Year 2019, Mark Field, Bibby Distribution; Bob Harbey, Microlise Executive Director and Quentin Willson, motoring broadcaster and campaigner, who was MC at the Microlise Transport Conference 2019.

The Microlise Driver of the Year awards celebrate the men and women that our industry is built upon. The awards honour drivers who consistently display driving excellence and superior customer service.

Every December, the search for the UK’s best HGV driver begins in earnest as the Microlise Data Science team analyses the driving data of over 220,000 drivers’ recorded by Microlise telematics throughout the year. The data pinpoints the best short, medium and long distance drivers, prior to an overall winner being identified.

Data is anonymised and analysed, with company, contract and driver identification information removed. The process, which was initially developed in conjunction with The University of Nottingham’s Advanced Data Analytics Centre, identifies the best performing drivers. This data is then substantiated by employers, who complete questionnaires for each shortlisted driver, allowing for qualitative evidence to be gathered.

Five nomination-based categories are also included in the awards, including Young Driver, Most Improved, Lifetime Achievement, HGV Hero and Extra Mile. These awards are open to all drivers, whether they use a Microlise telematics platform or not.

An independent judging panel is then responsible for producing a shortlist of three drivers across all categories – both data and nomination based.

This year’s awards, as always, included winners with inspiring stories to share. Bibby Distribution’s John Males, a ‘gentle giant with a great sense of humour’ was recognised for forty years of service, while twenty-one year old Kimberley Murrock, who, since qualifying in December 2018, has been one of the best-performing drivers (100% on time delivery/ zero accidents/ straight A grade) with Hovis, received the Young Driver accolade.

Mark Field from Bibby Distribution, scooped the Microlise Driver of the Year Award for 2019 which was announced at this year’s Microlise Transport Conference. Mark also won the short distance category, featuring drivers who regularly undertake journeys of up to 30,000 miles per year.

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INDEPENDENT JUDGING PANEL 2019

Chief Executive of the Road Haulage Association – Richard Burnett
Editor of Motor Transport – Steve Hobson
Former Traffic Commissioner for Scotland – Joan Aitken
NED and Board Advisor London Ambulance Service and Transport Focus – Theo De Pencier
National Officer from Unite the Union, Matt Draper
Executive Director of Microlise – Bob Harbey.

MICROLISE DRIVER OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2019 – SHORTLIST AND WINNERS

Short Distance
WINNER – Mark Field – Bibby Distribution
RUNNER UP – Richard Smart, Ryder Ltd
RUNNER UP – Anthony Birmingham, Hovis

Medium Distance
WINNER – Jonathan Phillips, Ceva Logistics
RUNNER UP – Paul Dolman, DHL
RUNNER UP – Marcin Schmelter, Yodel

Long Distance
WINNER – Jeff Maycock, DHL
RUNNER UP – John Werrill – Waitrose
RUNNER UP – Mark Cowie – Wm Armstrong

Driver Excellence – Sponsored by Road Haulage Association
WINNER – Abbey Logistics Group

Extra Mile – Sponsored by Bridgestone
WINNER – Annette Stagg, CM Downton
RUNNER UP – Paul Meadows, CM Downton
RUNNER UP – Karl Dennis, Culina

HGV Hero – Sponsored by Apex
WINNER – Steven Ansell, Waitrose
RUNNER UP – Dale Coppin, Bibby Distribution
RUNNER UP – Philip Starkie, Bibby Distribution

Most Improved Driver of the Year – Sponsored by M6Toll
WINNER – Joanna Dorociak, Samworth Brothers Distribution
RUNNER UP – Scott Drake, DHL
RUNNER UP – Trevor Crouch, Ryder Ltd

Young Driver of the Year – Sponsored by Iveco
WINNER – John Males, Bibby Distribution
RUNNER UP – Terrence James, Hovis
RUNNER UP – Kenny Wright, CM Downton

Lifetime Achievement – Sponsored by Ford & Slater DAF
WINNER – Kimberley Murrock, Hovis
RUNNER UP – Brandon Best, Jack Richards
RUNNER UP – Cameron Dean, CM Downton