This month, Fuel Oil News speaks with Ian Walters, Driver, Trainer and Assessor for Rix Petroleum and winner of the UKIFDA Driver of the Year Award 2026 to discover how Ian spends a typical day.
My alarm goes off at…
04:30am when I’m based at the Hull Depot. Yes, it’s an ungodly hour to wake but the daily commute takes 40 minutes.
I’ll arrive at work at 06:00am to spend time with the drivers carrying out their checks and to check in on any welfare matters. If I’m working away at our outer depots, it can be much earlier due to busy refinery periods.
The first thing I do is…
put the kettle on! A good day starts with a very strong coffee; it’s my daily go-go juice.
I prepare for the day ahead by…
Every day is different. My preparation is dependant on what training I’m conducting or delivering that day.
If I’m not driving, I’m training and assessing. If I’m not doing either, I’m busy report writing and document keeping. No two days are the same, so preparation must be well-coordinated.
I can’t leave the house without…
my flask of coffee, laptop and my mobile phone. If I’m working from the Hull Depot, I’ll also have my pack up made the night before to take with me.
My typical day –
I don’t really have a typical day; the role I have can see me out delivering fuel on my own in busy periods or working from our outer depots as a relief driver, should someone be on long-term sick.
If I’m training, that could be classroom presentations on health and safety within working at height or emergency spillage response or compliance checks on both drivers and the tanker fleet.
I also carry out assessments of on-road driver performance, safe systems of work whilst delivering fuel products and practical PDP, as well as coaching and mentoring new employees to the industry. I also support any driver’s mental health concerns.
It’s a full-on job and due to its variety, it’s vitally important that my diary and paperwork are all kept in order.
As well as the above, I also liaise with all our outer depot directors and business managers regarding driver needs. This can see me travelling to our most southerly depot in Greys, Essex and then to our most northerly depot in Montrose, Scotland.
My most memorable work moment…
this will have to be winning the UKIFDA Driver of the Year Award 2026. It has meant so much to me to be recognised for the hard work that I put in.
I take great pride in all aspects of my work, and to be able to celebrate this at the awards night was a great privilege and honour. Raising my award amongst the industry’s leaders was a very memorable moment indeed.
The worst part of my job…
when the job takes me away from my home and family, as well as my two amazing dogs who have become my walking partners.
As much as travelling the country keeps my job varied, I do miss my home comforts.
The best part of my job…
spending time with the drivers. It’s my core business and I find it very rewarding. I feel I give them all a positive experience throughout any visit programme and have built a trustworthy relationship with them all.
I like to keep all drivers at ease during any assessment as they can be quite daunting experiences, even for the most experienced. Time spent well within the driver cohort is where I’m best placed, so I find this the most enjoyable part of my job.
I relax after work by…
a good long walk with my dogs when I get home. If time permits, I also go running. I try my best to keep an active lifestyle and walking or running helps this.
If I’ve had a full-on day, I can take this time to reflect and plan for the following day. I’m usually tired after a long day, but I do try to keep my eyes open to watch a bit of footy as it’s currently the World Cup!
Should I be working away, I still try to keep my routine with an evening walk or run to explore my newly found surroundings.
My favourite meal…
Thursday night is pizza night in my house. If I’m home, it’s a hot and spicy one for me please!
On my bedside table is…
my mobile phone, my beloved Manchester City alarm clock and my two books, The Thursday Murder Club, and the Band of Brothers. I’m an army veteran and still get inspired by the heroics of soldiers during World War 2.
The last thing I do each day is…
put my dogs out for one last loo visit, give them their bedtime biscuits and get them settled on their beds.
I religiously pop in on my two boys to wish them a good night and have a quick catch up and then get myself in bed ready for another early start.
I’m normally in bed by…
I try my very best to be in bed by 10pm. But I’m often being woken up by my wife after nodding off on the sofa.
Image courtesy of Ian Walters/Rix Petroleum
