Lytx Recognises ‘Coach of the Year’ and ‘Driver of the Year’ at Inaugural UK User Group Conference
16-02-2020
Lytx and representatives from fleets across the UK discussed fleet safety, productivity, technology innovation and best practices
MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND — October 15, 2019 — Lytx®, a global leader in machine vision and artificial intelligence-powered video telematics, successfully recognised its first-ever U.K. 2019 "Driver of the Year" and "Coach of the Year” at its inaugural U.K. User Group Conference on 26 September. Winners of these distinctions exemplify outstanding professional driving and coaching practices while currently using Lytx's Driver Safety Programme.
Representatives from commercial and public fleets from across the U.K. attended the event and exchanged ideas and best practices on fleet safety, productivity, and technology. Conference attendees experienced a comprehensive, educational agenda of panels and presentations from peers, industry experts, and visionaries on topics including effective driver coaching strategies, turning data into action, maintaining the momentum of a good safety culture, and the future of video technology.
“It was so powerful and rewarding to exchange ideas and best practices with our clients and see so many dedicated individuals and fleets engaged in how to make the roads safer for the communities they serve,” said Damian Penney, vice president and Europe general manager at Lytx. “Over the last year, we have helped numerous clients achieve and surpass their safety goals and reduce risky driving behaviours and collisions.”
Coach and Driver of the Year Awards
The Lytx U.K. 2019 Driver of the Year” and “Coach of the Year Awards recognise an exceptional group of professional drivers and coaches currently using the Lytx Driver Safety Programme. This year’s recipients embody the conference theme, “Make Safety Your Goal,” and show how strong safety practices can lead to real results.
Coach of the Year: Bob Willson, Quality Line Transport
Lytx UK Coach of the Year Winner Bob Willson (center) with David Riordan (L) and Damian Penney (R) from Lytx
The recipient of the 2019 Coach of the Year Award, Bob Willson is committed to providing the gold standard for safety at Quality Line Transport. To deliver the highest level of safety day in and day out for his drivers, Willson holds regular safety awareness days, where he speaks with drivers one on one. He writes a personal letter to every driver who has an event and follows up with a face-to-face interaction to ensure he is providing the utmost guidance and support. His efforts have resulted in noticeable month-over-month safety improvements, including a reduction in collisions.
Driver of the Year: Derek Ashley, Alfa Travel, LTD.
Lytx UK Driver of the Year Winner Derek Ashley (center) with David Riordan (L) and Damian Penney (R) from Lytx
A driver with 23 years of experience, Derek Ashley has provided enjoyable holidays for Alfa Travel passengers for the past two years, and is the recipient of the 2019 Driver of the Year Award. Throughout his career at Alfa Travel, Ashley has built a great rapport with each passenger group by providing outstanding customer service and fulfilling a personal commitment to ensure each passenger makes it safely to their destination. In his spare time, Ashley enjoys giving back to the community through charity and volunteer work, including cycling 300 miles for cancer research.
Event keynote speaker Paul Fletcher, former professional footballer, and managing director of University & College of Football Business, spoke on performing well within a successful team. Panelists included Andy Evans, personnel and compliance director, R.T. Keedwell Ltd.; Anthony Harding, driver systems support manager, Flogas Britain Limited; Greg Wilson, compliance manager, UPS SCS U.K. Ltd.; Mark Heffernan, operations & safety director, National Express; Mark Turner-Monk, deputy operations manager, Ensign Bus Company; Paul Bull, operations director, Alfa Travel; and Tim Eaton, head of logistics and supply chain, Flogas Britain Limited.