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Our drivers are dynamite

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Elliot Tau and Kobus Fourie unload packages as part of the competition challenge, which is structured to be as close to on-the-job reality as possible.

TNT’s Pick-Up & Delivery (PUD) drivers from around the world gathered recently to participate in the company’s fourth annual global “Drive Me Challenge’ at a former Dutch military airfield in the Netherlands. This year for the first time, TNT’s South African operations took part in the global challenge along with TNT operators from Australia, Benelux, Chile, China, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, UK and the USA.

The annual “Drive Me Challenge’ is an exciting and engaging worldwide competition for drivers, both employed by TNT and sub contractors. Participants are assessed on three elements: fuel efficiency, safety and excellent customer experience. For the participants, the “Drive Me Challenge’ is more than just an event; it’s an experience that makes them immensely proud of their role within TNT.

The sixteen contestants, who were selected as the best local drivers through national pre-rounds, teamed up with their operational managers for a fiercely competitive and good-spirited final round of this annual challenge. Drivers brought their A-game in their effort to win the coveted title of TNT’s fastest, most fuel efficient, safe and customer-oriented driver of 2010.

Peter Bakker, CEO of TNT (centre) congratulates Elliot Tau (right) and his co-driver Kobus Fourie on taking third place in the TNT Global Drive Me Challenge. Well done guys!
Peter Bakker, CEO of TNT (centre) congratulates Elliot Tau (right) and his co-driver Kobus Fourie on taking third place in the TNT Global Drive Me Challenge. Well done guys!

This year’s tough competition ended on a high with Pieter van Gompel (Netherlands) in first place and Giovanini Signorini (Italy) in second place. The 39 year old driver, Elliot Tau, representative for team TNT South Africa, along with co-driver Kobus Fourie, took third place. “TNT is an amazing company to work for. They go the extra mile to give us as drivers a wide range of opportunities and experiences to improve and teach us about driving. The ‘˜Drive Me Challenge’ taught me so much about my own driving skills, as well as how to drive safely and fuel efficiently. It was such an honour to represent TNT and my country at this year’s TNT Global Drive Me Challenge in the Netherlands’ says Tau.

“Elliot Tau has certainly done us proud. He performed well in all categories including work tasks, driving skills (safety and econo-driving) and time,’ says Mary Mashiane, National Corporate Responsibility Manager at TNT Express South Africa. As a global driver’s competition, the “Drive Me Challenge’ is designed to increase awareness among the tens-of thousands of owner-drivers, sub-contractors and employees to encourage them to drive both safely and more fuel efficiently.

The Challenge also forms part of TNT’s comprehensive global CO2 reduction program , “Planet Me.’ Operational vehicles are responsible for more than half of TNT’s total CO2 emissions; including subcontractors and TNT shoulders its responsibility for that. With the Drive Me Challenge, the company expects to improve the fuel efficiency of its vehicle fleet by about 5%. For the participating entities this would equate to a potential CO2 savings of about 15 kilo-tonnes and savings in fuel costs of more than one million Euro’s per year.

Local finals were held at TNT's Elandsfontein premises under the instruction of Eugene Herbert and his team from RAC Driving Solutions.
Local finals were held at TNT’s Elandsfontein premises under the instruction of Eugene Herbert and his team from RAC Driving Solutions.

“The Drive Me Challenge explicitly shows drivers and their managers what can be achieved in fuel efficiency and road safety by merely adopting some quite simple driving techniques,’ states Peter Bakker, CEO of TNT. “This global competition is designed to increase the engagement and awareness among all our employees and subcontractors of the relatively big impact of safe and fuel economic driving.

For example, anyone can make a difference by understanding the importance and impact of maintaining the right tyre pressure, when to use and not to use air conditioning and so on. It’s not just a positive environmental step you can take, but you’ll be saving money too. Our aim and hope is that we’ll inspire our people to alter their driving behaviour not just at work, but at home as well.’