Last week saw our first Annual Driver of the Year Awards taking place since pre-covid. The event was hosted at the Millbrook vehicle testing centre in Bedfordshire, where 15 of our drivers from across the Aggregates and Cement operations were put through their paces in a series of challenges to crown the Cemex UK Supply Chain Driver of the Year 2023.

The day is held in memory of Keith Lacey, a former colleague, who sadly passed away 10 years ago and was a big advocate of safe and efficient driving in the days before telematics were commonplace across the sector.

The test track is based in 700 acres of Bedfordshire countryside, with over 43 miles of track. It also has off-road vehicle facilities and can lay claim to playing host to some of the leading film and tv productions across the globe including James Bond movies and the Haribo advert!

The 15 drivers in attendance were selected based on their safe and efficient driving performance over the past 12 months. Our drivers were split into five teams of three, who were then put through the following challenges in order to determine the 2023 Driver of the Year:

• Manoeuvring Challenge: Drivers were asked to make their way around an obstacle course created from traffic cones.
• Defect Test: Drivers had to identify and assess a range of defects that had been purposefully ‘planted’ on a stationary HGV vehicle.
• Road Test: A course with inclines and declines of up to 20% was set aside on one of the many circuits at the test track and drivers took a HGV around this course being scored against their performance.
• Off Road Challenge: Using an off-road vehicle, drivers made their way around a specialist off-road course and were awarded points for their control of the vehicle around the course.
• Quiz and Batak Challenge: A road safety awareness quiz and an electronic game testing an individual’s reaction speed.

After taking part in all five challenges, drivers were then given an overall score before Rob Wilkinson, UK Logistics Manager Aggregates and Asphalt, announced the winner and runner-up at the end of the day. This year, Tim Eley, was crowned as the winner of the 2023 Cemex UK Driver of the Year, with Andy Rivers being awarded the runner-up prize.

A fantastic day was had by all attendees and it was great to be able to recognise our drivers who have demonstrated the highest-levels of safe and efficient driving over the past year.

Dave Hart, UK Supply Chain Director, commenting on the event said, “It was fantastic to be able to celebrate the success of our drivers from across UK Supply Chain over the past 12 months. The awards provide a great opportunity to recognise and reward drivers who have performed to a high-level within the areas of safe and efficient driving. The day itself is great fun but also carries an important underlying message that promotes two of our key business philosophies around safety and sustainability.”

You can check out all the action on the day by clicking here to see the photos and videos: Go to this Sway

It is worth a note to mention all of the sponsors who helped with various aspects of the event and ensured that the day could go ahead – Enterprise Flex-E-Rent, Microlise, Midland Commercial, TIP Group and Volvo, and also Millbrook Vehicle Testing Centre for playing host.