Leicester man is Bus Driver of the Year
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• UK Bus Driver of the Year 1971 is Mr W. "Bob" Coleman, of Leicester Corporation Transport department. He won this distinction on Sunday when contesting the first national final of a competition that has had five eliminating rounds, organized in turn for the NBC City of Oxford undertaking and the municipalities of Leicester, Coventry, St Helens and Gelligaer.
In the final at the RTITB Motec establishment, High Ercall, Shrops, 25 drivers — five from each centre — were required to negotiate three tests involving reversing, height and width judgment, the vehicles, all the property of the Training Board, being respectively a single-deck AEC, a doubledeck Leyland Atlantean and a single-deck Leland Leopard.
After half a dozen attempts to reverse the AEC round an awkwardly placed pylon some competitors alleged that Test I was not possible; whereupon a Motec instructor demonstrated that it was. Thereafter a number of successful manoeuvres were recorded.
The winner, who had had 13 years' experience of bus driving in Leicester, returned the creditably low score of 45 driving test penalty points. There was also a Highway Code examination and a vehicle inspection in which drivers were required to "vet" a vehicle and satisfy themselves as to its serviceability for work.
Mr Eric Tindall, RTITB director-general, presented the awards and the secretary of the organizing committee, Mr J. A. Boxall, Coventry road safety officer, said that the event would be repeated next year at the same venue, there being already promises of participation from 15 local authority transport departments.
AWARDS 1. W. Coleman (Leicester), Coventry Trophy and Texaco £50 holiday voucher.
2. A. Millington (St Helens), Motor Transport award.
3. S. W. Devvicke (Leicester), Pye Telecommunications award.
Best o-m-o driver: W Coleman, Setright award. Best team: City of (Mord. Institute of Advanced Motorists award.