The Motor Transport Awards 2023 are now open for entries. Entries close on March 31 and the winners will be revealed at the Grosvenor House Hotel on September 6.

To keep the awards relevant to today’s road freight transport industry we have changed two categories. Apprenticeship of the Year becomes the New Talent Development Award which will be presented to the fleet operator who has worked especially hard to develop a pipeline of new recruits into the business which will meet its needs for the drivers, warehouse staff and managers of the future. While there are several excellent apprenticeships available these are not always ideally suited to many business’s talent recruitment and development needs, which is why we have broadened this award to include all industry and company initiatives designed to fill the skills gap.

The Clean Fleet Van Operator of the Year has also been replaced with the Sustainable Transport Award which is open to operators of all commercial vehicles not just vans. This award will go to the operator that can show it has a detailed environmental, social and governance (ESG) policy in place to ensure the business is: working towards carbon-neutrality in its entire operation; protects the health and well-being of its employees and the public and is able to recruit and retain the people it needs; and can achieve these laudable aims while making enough money to reinvest in the future.

The Awards are open to own account and third party operators of 11 or more commercial vehicles and small to medium size companies have been just as successful as the larger players over the years. Firms like Abbey Logistics and Expect Distribution have been multiple winners of Haulier of the Year while heavy haulage specialist Collett & Sons and events logistics firm Stagefreight have both picked up Team of the Year.

Motor Transport is holding a webinar on February 2 to give companies of all sizes some guidance on how to prepare an entry to the awards. It will be presented by Chris Robinson, MD of Boost Awards which has a successful track record of putting together over 1,700 winning entries in a wide range of industry awards. Register now for your free place.