Fourteen of the UK’s finest van operators and drivers are celebrating today after being recognised as the ‘best of the best’ at the FTA’s 2018 Van Excellence Honours, which took place today (7 February 2019) in a glittering ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Birmingham, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Vans.
The awards, also sponsored by AA, Bott, Brigade Electronics, Hertz, Lex Autolease and Quartix, recognise and reward the van operators and drivers who have made a significant contribution to the van industry.
Mark Cartwright, Head of Vans and Light Commercial Vehicles at the Freight Transport Association (FTA), which administers the Van Excellence scheme, commented, “With more than 4.3 million vans on Britain’s roads, and the numbers increasing every year, it is important to recognise and reward the operators and drivers leading the way in excellence. All the winners, and highly commended entrants, place safety and compliance at the heart of their operations; they set a high standard for others to follow and can now take their place as the ‘best of best’ in the business. There is so much more to van operation than simply vehicle maintenance – community spirit, commitment to employee welfare and technological innovation are all integral parts of their roles. Van operators and drivers play an essential, and highly versatile, role in the UK economy, and it is high time their contributions are acknowledged.”
The full list of winners is as follows:
Helping the Community, sponsored by Quartix
- Winner: Cadent Gas
- Highly commended: Reflex Vehicle Hire
Keeping Your Show on the Road, sponsored by AA
- Winner: James Hall Couriers
- Highly commended: McGinley Support Services
Making a Difference, sponsored by Lex Autolease
- Winner: Scottish Water
Putting Drivers First, sponsored by Brigade Electronics
- Winner: Scottish Water
- Highly commended: McGinley Support Services
Using Technology for Good, sponsored by Hertz UK
- Winner: The Clancy Group
- Highly commended: McGinley Support Services
Winning at Wellbeing, sponsored by Bott Ltd
- Winner: Amey
Hero of the Year, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Vans
- Winner: John Barter – Ocado
- Highly Commended: David Sturmey – Qi Van Systems
- Highly Commended: Peter Williams – James Hall Couriers
Van Excellence Champion
- Winner: Graham Davies – Electricity North West
