Stotts Coaches employee Joey Liversidge (pictured, centre) has been crowned National Express Coach Driver of the Year after an event at the PalmerSport track in Bedford on Friday 11 March.
The event measures each participant’s skill and knowledge. It involves five tests in high-powered sports cars before a panel of judges decides on the winner. Joey was among 21 National Express coach drivers to take part out of 1,500 such approved staff across its network.
Individuals can only compete in the Coach Driver of the Year event if they have been awarded Driver Excellence recognition by National Express during the previous year. That scheme is the group’s means of highlighting drivers who have delivered “outstanding professional work in customer services, safety and driving skills throughout the year.”
Says Joey: “I felt like a winner just being here. Coming first and being named Driver of the Year was the icing on the cake.”
Adds National Express Service Delivery Director Ed Rickard (pictured, right): “This event is a great way of celebrating our drivers and their efforts and rewarding them with a different driving experience.
“Joey has really impressed us. Not only did he see off some tough competition on the track, but he does a tremendous job of representing National Express on the road with his colleagues and customers daily.”
The contest is sponsored by Addsecure, which provides National Express with its ‘breathalock’ device that prevents vehicles from being started before a breath sample that tests negative for alcohol has been taken.
