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Excitement builds for soon to be announced key industry award

The 2021 winner of the prestigious ‘Driver of the Year’ award will, this year, be presented at a virtual ceremony during UKIFDA EXPO 2021 and Future Fuels on 7-8th July 2021. As well as the coveted title the winner will also receive £1000 prize money and certificate and, most importantly, the recognition of the industry in a year of unprecedented challenges that has seen many of the industry’s drivers go well beyond the ‘extra mile’ on behalf of their customers and colleagues.

Sponsored by OAMPS – the specialist insurance advisor to the hazardous fuels and environmental industries – the 2021 Driver of the Year Award will celebrate the best UKIFDA member drivers in the industry.

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Karl Jones, account director of OAMPS hazardous industries, comments: “We’re delighted to be sponsoring the Driver of the Year award for the 20th consecutive year. By creating a competition that encourages all tanker drivers to be the best they can be in every aspect of their job – from safety to efficiency as well as customer service – we feel we’re not only rewarding the drivers but supporting the wider industry by championing the delivery of cleaner energy solutions and raising awareness around the environmental impact of accidental spillages.   As ever, we expect to be hugely impressed not only by the ultimate winner but also by the attitudes and achievements of all nominees.”

Recent winners include Clifford Tappin of Lovell Fuels, Buckinghamshire, who was named Driver of The Year 2018 after being runner-up in the 2017 awards.

Clifford Tappin stood out from his peers and won the 2018 competition, thanks to his impressive commitment to his job – demonstrated through his driving professionalism, quality of work, customer care and motivation.
And the last time it was presented, in 2019, it was James Coates of Barton Petroleum Ltd who took top honours, chosen for his exceptional customer care and going above and beyond the call of duty.

One day in particular, early in January 2019, elevated James above the competition and ensured the much-coveted award was his through his actions when he encountered an elderly lady unconscious by a busy road. James was professional and sensitive throughout as he reassured and shielded the lady, who had wandered away from her nearby sheltered housing, until the appropriate help arrived.

Following a year when liquid fuel distributor drivers have been classed as key workers and kept busy delivering fuel for farms, essential heating oil for homes as more people worked remotely and helped keep the construction industry going throughout the pandemic, UKIFDA was particularly proud to launch the search for the best tanker driver in the industry this year.

We all look forward to the unveiling of the eventual 2021 winner at this year’s virtual expo.