The Driver of the Year Award is always hotly contested. The award honours exceptional delivery drivers who not only maintain high delivery standards but who also demonstrate quick thinking and a consistent ability to exceed expectations.
Claudia Weeks, Community Content Lead for Fuel Oil News, spoke to the winner of the 2025 Driver of the Year Award, Peter Stubbington, Certas Energy, and one of the runners up, Sam Howells, WP Group, to find out more about their role within the industry.
The role of tanker driver
Peter Stubbington of Certas Energy, was named as winner of the 2025 Driver of the Year Award. Having spent 14 years driving tankers, Peter has earned a reputation for attention to safety and professionalism in fuel delivery. The judges noted his focus on safe service and his commitment to finding solutions for customers. He has also progressed in his career – advancing from tanker driver to trainer and now supervisor.
Peter’s standout moment occurred when he calmly handled a potentially dangerous situation involving a horse and struggling rider on a narrow country lane, a video of which quickly went viral, gaining praise from rural and equestrian communities.
Claudia congratulated Peter on his win and asked why he decided to join the industry: “I’ve worked at Devizes Depot for around 15 years now,” Peter reflected. “We moved down to Wiltshire from London in 2007 but couldn’t find any local jobs. My wife and I both commuted back and forth to London for work for two exhausting years. I realised that there were jobs for fuel delivery drivers, so I put myself through ADR training and started applying for jobs.
“I have had many other previous roles such as a master butcher (ironic as now I follow a plant-based diet), an insurance salesman, drayman and I worked in the building trade as a HIAB driver.”
A typical day
Sam Howells, Tanker Driver for the WP Group and runner up for the Driver of the Year Award, shared what a typical day is like for him: “A normal working day as a tanker driver actually starts for me the night before.
“I receive my journey sheet the previous evening which gives me some time to have a look at my deliveries so I can plan my day and load accordingly. If the deliveries are unfamiliar then I will look on the map and plan my route, so it is efficient but also HGV suitable.
“My alarm typically goes off at 4:15am the next morning ready for a 5am start. Once I arrive at work then I will put my gear on and have a quick catchup with my colleagues and share any knowledge that may come in handy throughout the day.
“Once I have completed my walk round checks and filled out my paperwork, I will set off to load. With such a variety of customers my days could look very different from small cottages to big commercial sites. It’s important to remain alert to the various risks and scenarios I could face throughout the day.”
Sharing what his typical day looks like as a tanker driver for Certas Energy, Peter also told us what makes fuel delivery such a unique job for a driver: “My typical day starts at 4.30am. As a supervisor I like to get in and make sure the depot is open, things are working properly and that all my colleagues are okay with their day ahead.
“Then, it’s time to load my truck and get on with the deliveries for the day. I mainly deliver to domestic properties, but also agricultural loads to farmers and commercial drops to building sites, prisons, hospitals and military bases.
“I prefer being a tanker driver as opposed to a general HGV driving job. Most HGVs are long distance hauling jobs or nights away which just doesn’t appeal to me. Every job delivering fuel is different, and you can meet some really interesting characters.
“Some days I don’t see any customers but other days I will meet a diverse array of people. The elderly are always grateful for a delivery and like to have a chat and offer a cuppa. If I know there are dogs at a residence, then I will go armed with biscuits for them!”
What makes a good tanker driver?
Asked what attributes make a good tanker driver, Peter reflected before replying: “Personally, I absolutely love my job. I have a happy disposition, dedication and a good attention to detail. I’m calm, friendly, customer focused and have a willingness to go that extra step. I really do enjoy the diversity of every day. You never know what or who will happen!
“I know that my job is important, and I can make an actual difference to someone’s day, especially in the middle of winter when they have run out of fuel! I love doing my job and role well, it’s great to be there for others and I’m always providing a friendly listening ear to customers!”
Helping the world go around
Considering the question of what makes a good tanker driver, Sam agreed with Peter about the importance of being aware of the vital nature of a drivers role and also highlighted the need to stay calm in challenging situations as he shared more about his role for the WP Group: “I was previously based out of our Ringwood Depot which is home to our smaller 4-wheeler trucks, we’re located very close to the New Forest border.
“I would often do smaller deliveries but a higher quantity of them. It wouldn’t be unusual to have 15 plus domestic heating oil deliveries in a day in the wintertime. These sorts of days present a mix of challenges, from high pressure driving situations like squeezing down tight tracks and through even narrower gateways to the physical challenges of pulling the full-length hose round the back of the house – all while avoiding an array of flowers on display!
“Despite all this it makes the job more rewarding knowing that an elderly customer will be staying warm this winter, the variation also ensures that no two days are ever the same.
“After my move to our bigger Hythe Depot, I more frequently find myself at commercial sites which means seeing the same faces more often which results in a better customer relationship.
“Delivering fuel to high value customers, sometimes in their moments of need, also gives you the satisfaction that you’re making a difference and ‘helping the world go round’.”
The future of the industry
Reflecting on the future of the industry, Peter commented: “With the drive for net zero 2050 needing a move away from fossil fuels, it’s exciting to see what ideas are emerging for the sustainable fuels of the future. Our customers will all need heating fuel.
“If I could change one thing about the industry, it would be to continue to improve operational efficiency, to utilise advanced technology and implement continuous improvement initiatives.”
When asked what the best piece of industry advice was he’s received, Peter added: “There are quite a few famous celebrities (actors, singers and royalty!) who live in Wiltshire. You could easily become a bit star struck. My father-in-law gave me some excellent advice (the polite version is) – we all use toilet paper!”
Congratulations to Peter, Sam and Craig. If you have any excellent tanker drivers in your business that you would like to tell us about then please get in touch: claudia@fueloilnews.co.uk
Image courtesy of UKIFDA
