Express Dairy Driver of the Year
Page 41
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
BY A. J. Wilding FOR the second year running, Mr. R. Keech is the Express Dairy Company Driver of the Year, and Mr. J. Hudson the runner-up. This was decided last Sunday, at the company's Victoria Road, Ruislip, depot, where the finals of the competition were held. The 25 drivers taking part were the winners of local rounds at depots throughout the country during the past year.
In all, some 2,500 Express Dairy and subsidiary company drivers had competed in the rounds and those in the final showed a very high standard of driving. Fout of the drivers had been successful in the eliminating rounds of the National Lorry Driver of the Year competition. These were F. Battle and R. Harrington, vvho won their classes in the Croydon round, and F. Hattam and R. Keech who, besides winning their classes, were also named outright winners at Croydon and Southend respectively.
Four Tests There were four separate tests to decide the winner, each driver using one of two virtually identical vehicles—Morris or Austin 7-ton forward-control covered platform trucks_ The first test involved driving forward into an opening, the width being set by each driver, and then reversing into a bay about 50 ft. behind and offset some 35 ft. to the left.
Kerbside parking into a space one-anda-half times the length of the vehicle was the second test, while on the third, the driver went forward into one bay, reversed through a relatively narrow gap into a second bay adjoining it on The right, and tip to a wall. The vehicle then had to he driven . forward past the gap and reversed through it again to a wall reerected at the starting line.
The fourth test consisted of three sets of parallel lines painted on the ground. The vehicle had to be driven forward so that the offside wheels were between the first pair of lines—on the right—reversed to place the same wheels between the second pair, which were at a slight angle. and finally driven forward to get the nearside wheels between the third pair of lines, located to the left of and parallel to the first pair.
Well Laid Out All four tests were well laid out and arranged to test the drivers' ability to the maximum. The last two tests appeared to give the most trouble.
There can be no doubt of the value of competitions of this type—whether they are between drivers of many different firms, such as with the Lorry Driver of the Year, or between drivers of one corn pany, as with the Express Dairy competition. Main advantages are in the encouragement of drivers' interest in their vehicles and good and safe driving.
According to Mr. R. Harvey, directortransport of Express Dairy, the reduction of accidents in the five years his company., have been running their own competition, has resulted in insurance premiums being reduced to such a degree that the cost for 2,500 vehicles. is less than it was for 600 vehicles 15 years ago.
Well Repaid This means that the company is well repaid for the expense of running the competition, apart from the added benefits of excellent personnel relations.
Results 1. R. Keech (Harrow Road), 208.
2. J. Hudson (Sheffield), 343.
3. L. Craig (Appleby), 382.
4. S. Howes (Supermarkets), 389.
5. E. Warner (Central Stores), 419.
6. W. Lumley (Leyburn), 457.