FTA Driver of The Year 2016

David West of Huddersfield based company, Total Foodservice Solutions beat off competition from 11 other finalists yesterday to be named the Freight Transport Association’s Truck Driver of the Year 18 tonne 2016 sponsored by Bridgestone Tyres.

Dave worked for the company (then named Howarths of Huddersfield) in 1975, straight from leaving school, before joining the Royal Corps of Transport in 1976, where he passed his HGV class 1.

He returned to Total Foodservice in 2012 as a Transfer Driver working 2pm until 7pm driving a DAF 18.5 tonne refrigerated wagon from the Huddersfield Depot to the Clitheroe Depot in Lancashire and returning. Loading and unloading Frozen, Chilled and Ambient goods at each end.  Dave also collects goods from suppliers one morning a week and is happy to help out working extra hours in the warehouse or making emergency deliveries.

David Fox, distribution manager said:

Dave West is a credit to Total Foodservice. He is hard working & always friendly, getting on well with all staff at both depots. He also has tremendous customer service skills with our customers.

Dave will always go above and beyond his duties to help out, though his home life sometimes restricts him. Dave has recently taken on the full-time care of his two grandchildren. He is the single carer of the children due to sadly loosing his wife to cancer a few years ago. We salute him for this, especially since he continues to work hard and is yet to take a single day off sick! If only all drivers were the same.

The competition, held at Mercedes-Benz at Wentworth Park, Barnsley, put drivers through their paces in a number of tests including driving skills (fuel economy and driver behaviour), manoeuvring ability, risk awareness, legislative knowledge and their ability to identify pre-use defects of the vehicle. Contestants were scored on each task and ranked based on their scores.

The winner was announced by June Powell, FTA’s Director of Operations, and prizes were presented by Jenny Tyers from sponsor Bridgestone Tyres.

Ms Powell said:

Today’s contestants have shown the exceptional skill and expertise it takes to be a professional driver and FTA is proud to recognise and reward their vital role in the logistics industry.

FTA introduced three separate driving contests this year following the hugely successful Van Excellence Driver of the Year events in 2014 and 2015. The competitions celebrate the skills and abilities of professional drivers across the whole sector and aim to raise awareness of the importance of freight and logistics.

Other winners from yesterday’s event were:

• 2nd place: Stephen Bainbridge – Hargreaves Logistics
• 3rd place: Michael Lomax – Booker Ltd

• Fuel economy driving task supported by Isotrak: John Broughan - Armstrong Priestley
• Driving style task supported by Isotrak: Ivor Haslett - RiverRidge Recycling 
• Pre-use defect check task supported by Bridgestone Partners: Dean Dabell - Pedigree Wholesale 
• Legislation test compiled FTA Member Advice Centre: Michael Read - Marwood Electricals 
• Manoeuvring task: David West - Total Foodservice Solutions.

Total Foodservice were required to submit an in-depth application along with evidence to show they met the Operational Standards Criteria before being invited to enter, so to be chosen as a finalist was an achievement in itself.

Dave is now also a finalist for the FTA ‘Best of the Best’ drivers awards which will be held in London later this year.