Matthew Young of AAH Pharmaceutical won the third annual FTA Van Excellence Driver of the Year competition at Mercedes-Benz Wentworth Park, Barnsley, last month.
The runner-up was Lisa Hanley of G4S, with Gary Day of Riverford Organic Farms in third place.
The 12 finalists who took part in the contest were nominated by their fleet manager who had recognised their professionalism and driving skills. Each van driver was rated on six separate tasks – driving style, economical driving, manoeuvring, defect checking, legislation knowledge and risk awareness.
The Freight Transport Association introduced two new driving contests this year following the hugely successful Van Excellence Driver of the Year events in 2014 and 2015 – a 44 tonne contest, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Trucks, and an 18-tonne Truck Driver of the Year category.
The winners of all three contests will be assessed, and the overall winner of the FTA Driver of the Year award for 2016 will be revealed at the Freight in the City expo at Alexandra Palace on 2 November.
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.
Another amazing review for our Blackburn Service Team who continue to deliver outstanding customer service and creating a welcoming experience for every customer who visits us.
From expert support in the workshop to the all-important coffee ☕ — it’s great to see the team’s hard work recognised!
Making new best friends at the APSE event in Aviemore. Fleet, Waste and Grounds Seminar. Proud to have partnered with @fzuk.fleetservices for this event. #municipal #council #wastemanagement #truck #mercedesbenz
We’re excited to be attending the APSE Scotland Fleet, Waste & Grounds Seminar 2026 this week, at the Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort!
You’ll find us on Stand 32, where our team will be on hand to chat all things fleet, commercial vehicles and support solutions. We can`t wait to meet everyone.
Proud to see the first Mercedes-Benz Actros 2453 LS ProCabin Stream tractor unit delivered to R J Rich & Son Ltd by Richard Wilson, Truck Sales Executive at Ciceley Commercials 🚛👏
Designed for the highly specialised bulk powder sector, this impressive new vehicle will be transporting materials including sand, cement, sawdust and crushed glass — supporting the demands of local industry with a specification tailored perfectly to the job.
Featuring the 13-litre engine and a twin PTO setup to power both blower equipment and hydraulic pumps, this Actros is built to handle demanding operations efficiently and reliably.
The ProCabin StreamSpace configuration is still a relatively new addition to the Mercedes-Benz Trucks range, making this a standout addition to the R J Rich & Son Ltd fleet and a fantastic example of modern truck technology adapted for specialist regional applications.
Congratulations to the team at R J Rich & Son Ltd — we wish you many safe and productive miles ahead! ⭐
We are incredibly proud to announce that we have been awarded both Daimler Truck Dealer of the Year and Customer Service Team of the Year at the Daimler Truck Dealer of the Year Awards held at the Voco Hotel in Leicester.
These awards are a fantastic achievement for our business and recognise the commitment, professionalism and teamwork demonstrated across every part of the organisation.
Head of Network Development at Daimler Truck UK, Leonhard Niemann, commented: “I’m really proud of Ciceley Commercials – they truly deserve this. They’ve worked incredibly hard, consistently delivered strong customer satisfaction scores, and are investing significantly in the future.”
Ciceley Dealer Principal, Andy Heys, added: “I am incredibly proud of the Ciceley team and everything they continue to achieve in such a challenging and demanding industry. Their passion, commitment and drive to continually improve and do more for our customers is what makes this business so special.”
These awards not only recognise what has already been achieved, but also reflect the exciting future ahead for the business. Development of our brand-new Eurocentral site is progressing exceptionally well and remains firmly on track to open in October — another major step forward in our continued growth and investment in the future.
Thank you once again to every member of the Ciceley team for your continued hard work, and thank you to our customers for your trust, support and for continually inspiring us to raise the standard in everything we do.
We’re thrilled to share that the team at our site has received another incredible customer review!
Positive feedback like this is a fantastic reflection of the hard work, dedication, and excellent customer service the team provides day in and day out.
If you need to book your van, truck, car or bus in for a service or repair, or if you require parts support, please get in touch with the team today — they’ll be more than happy to help.
Following an impressive debut weekend at Donington Park, where the team secured a historic Qualifying Race victory and multiple top ten finishes we wish the best of luck for Round two of the 2026 BTCC season for Plato Racing.
Take a look back at the action from the opening race weekend below 👇
