Bibby Distribution driver, Mark Field, has been named as Microlise Driver of the Year for 2019, beating off stiff competition from an eligible pool of 210,000 UK drivers.

Mark also won the short distance category, for drivers who regularly undertake journeys of up to 30,000 miles per year. As overall winner, Mark triumphed over finalists from both the medium and long distance categories.

The medium distance category was won by Ceva Logistics’s driver Jonathan Phillips, with the long distance category being awarded to DHL’s Jeff Maycock.

Meanwhile Abbey Logistics Group won the Driver Excellence award, with the highest proportion of drivers in the top 1,000, based on an analysis of total telematics data.

The Microlise Driver of the Year Awards, which is growing in scale year-on-year, also included shortlisted drivers from Culina, Royal Mail, Frank Roberts, Ryder and Travis Perkins.

The winners of company-nominated categories were also announced including Kimberley Murrock from Hovis who scooped the Young Driver award and Steven Ansell from Waitrose who won HGV Hero. Joanna Dorociak from Samworth Brothers Distribution was the Most Improved Driver, while Annette Stagg from CM Downton won the Extra Mile award. The Lifetime Achievement award went to John Males from Bibby Distribution.

The independent judging panel reviewed anonymised data across each category and included Chief Executive of the Road Haulage Association, Richard Burnett; Editor of Motor Transport, Steve Hobson; the recently-retired Traffic Commissioner for Scotland, Joan Aitken; NED Board Advisor London Ambulance Service and Transport Focus, Theo De Pencier; National Officer from Unite the Union, Matt Draper; and Executive Director of Microlise, Bob Harbey.

“I would like to congratulate all the winning drivers who have demonstrated the highest level of skill and professionalism over the last twelve months,” said Microlise Executive Director, Bob Harbey, “Our industry is nothing without the drivers whose commitment and expertise keeps our economy moving.”

The full shortlist of 24 drivers, who enjoyed a Porsche track day, courtesy of MAN Truck & Bus UK, are listed below.

 

MICROLISE DRIVER OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2019 – SHORTLIST AND WINNERS

 

Microlise Driver Of The Year 2019

WINNER – Mark Field, Bibby Distribution

 

Short Distance

WINNER – Mark Field, Bibby Distribution

RUNNER UP – Richard Smart, Ryder Ltd

RUNNER UP – Anthony Birmingham, Hovis

 

Medium Distance

WINNER – Jonathan Phillips, Ceva Logistics

RUNNER UP – Paul Dolman, DHL

RUNNER UP – Marcin Schmelter, Yodel

 

Long Distance

WINNER – Jeff Maycock, DHL

RUNNER UP – John Werrill – Waitrose

RUNNER UP – Mark Cowie – Wm Armstrong

 

Driver Excellence – Sponsored by the Road Haulage Association

WINNER – Abbey Logistics Group

 

Young Driver of the Year – Sponsored by Iveco

WINNER – Kimberley Murrock, Hovis

RUNNER UP – Brandon Best, Jack Richards

RUNNER UP – Cameron Dean, CM Downton

 

HGV Hero – Sponsored by Apex

WINNER – Steven Ansell, Waitrose

RUNNER UP – Dale Coppin, Bibby Distribution

RUNNER UP – Philip Starkie, Bibby Distribution

 

Most Improved Driver of the Year – Sponsored by M6Toll

WINNER – Joanna Dorociak, Samworth Brothers Distribution

RUNNER UP – Scott Drake, DHL

RUNNER UP – Trevor Crouch, Ryder Ltd

 

Extra Mile – Sponsored by Bridgestone

WINNER – Annette Stagg, CM Downton

RUNNER UP – Paul Meadows, CM Downton

RUNNER UP –  Karl Dennis, Culina

 

Lifetime Achievement – Sponsored by Ford & Slater DAF

WINNER – John Males, Bibby Distribution

RUNNER UP – Terrence James, Hovis

RUNNER UP – Kenny Wright, CM Downton.