The industry’s finest get a chance to be recognised as ABC magazine launches ‘Bus Driver of the Month’
By David Goeldner | September 1, 2011
Mercedes-Benz Bus & Coach Group has teamed up with ABC magazine to launch an exciting new initiative aimed at recognising the industry’s most important asset – the drivers.
Each month the Mercedes-Benz Bus Driver of the Month award will acknowledge the outstanding performance of a professional bus or coach driver, including driving skill and safety record, attitude and contribution to industry improvement.
The monthly winner will be prominently profiled in ABC magazine and will also be rewarded with a range of Mercedes-Benz merchandise, including jacket, shirt and cap – as well as a framed copy of their magazine profile.
Nominees must be full-time employed drivers or owner-operators currently engaged on school, city/route of tour/charter services.
Nominations can be made by anyone – although self-nominations will not be accepted.
Entries should provide evidence of:
· Career history, including a list of employers, years served, positions held, and key achievements
· Driving skill, including kilometres travelled and accident/infringement record
· A high degree of pride in their personal presentation and their vehicle’s presentation
· Professional attitude towards their job, customers and the industry as a whole
· Wider contribution to both their employer/s and the industry.
Nominations should be accompanied by a high-quality, electronic photograph that can be used for publicity purposes – and should include full details of both the nominator and nominee.
The winner will be judged by ABC Managing Editor David Goeldner based on the above criteria.
Entries for the inaugural Mercedes-Benz Bus Driver of the Month award close Friday, October 21, 2011, with the winner to be announced in the November issue of ABC magazine.
Monthly winners will be eligible for the Mercedes-Benz Bus Driver of the Year award, which will be unveiled at the 2012 BusVic Maintenance Conference and Bus Expo.
Mercedes-Benz Asia Pacific Corporate Communications Senior Manager David McCarthy says the three-star marque has sold buses into Australia for almost 50 years and is an important part of the overall business.
“We want to give some of that support back to the industry,” he says.
McCarthy says bus drivers have the most precious cargo of all – people.
“We like the fact that safety is part of the criteria for this award,” he says.
“That’s important to us as a company, and it’s pretty important to the bus industry.”
McCarthy says the driver is the ambassador for a bus company, and also an ambassador for the bus supplier.
The skill levels that drivers display each day should also be recognised, according to McCarthy.
“Some people say anyone can drive a bus, but it can be pretty challenging and it’s not just a job,” he says.
McCarthy says Mercedes-Benz chose ABC magazine to honour Australia’s best bus drivers as it is the ‘journal of note’.
“I know that people in the industry read it and that’s why we chose ABC,” he says.
SEND ENTRIES TO:
David Goeldner
Managing Editor
Australasian Bus & Coach
PO Box 3712
South Brisbane Q 4010
Email: dgoeldner@acpmagazines.com.au