Loughrea, County Galway native, Gabriel Warde has just won the Fleet Transport ‘Ireland’s Best Truck Driver Award 2014’ in association with Enprova. The 36-year-old driver for Lynx Transport, Galway demonstrated his superb skill levels in the Grand Final held at Citywest Hotel, Dublin on 2 October. Gabriel manoeuvered the Mercedes-Actros and Hireco box semi-trailer around the challenging course set out by Mark Dodd at Advancedrive with great precision to take the inaugural national prize.
10 professional drivers were selected to go forward for the Grand Final and like Gabriel had also to undertake a walk around check on another Actros to find planted defects and also tie down a number of loaded pallets on a Hireco/SDC trailer, safely and securely, under the watchful eye of the Health & Safety Authority. The first two rounds of the competiton focused on eco-driving and a theory test. Vehicle and driver performance was monitored in real time using Daimler FleetBoard Telematics System.
The presentation of the Vincent Sweeney Memorial Trophy and a family weekend away at the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris was made to Gabriel leading into the annual Fleet Transport Awards Gala Dinner at Citywest Hotel, which was attended by 820 representatives from the transport industry at home and abroad. Each finalist received a Fleet Transport/Mercedes-Benz limited edition jacket and a €100 fuel voucher from Enprova.
Runner-up was Adrian Brady (Brady International) Wexford with Paul Flynn (Adare Transport) Roscrea, third.
In congratulating Gabriel on his latest success in the Grand Final, Jarlath Sweeney, Group Editor, Fleet Transport magazine said, “Well done to Gabriel on winning the Irish title to put beside the Scania Young European Truck Driver award he won two years ago. In our first year in organizing this award, we are very pleased with the great reaction received from the professional driver community and the national press. We plan to be back again next year with the next phase.”
“At Enprova, we advise on and facilitate energy efficiency measures in transport for businesses and corporate fleet. Measures include assisting in improving fuel efficiency through air-kits, lubrication oils, energy efficiency tyres, vehicle tracking, eco-driving and fuel management strategies. This competition matches perfectly with what we do and best wishes to Gabriel and all the drivers who entered the competiton, “ stated Dermot Byrne, Enprova.
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