13 December 2005
Paul Mullan from North Antrim Community Transport was today (13 December) awarded the prestigious Optare MiDAS Community Driver of the Year Cup at a VIP Gala Awards Ceremony in Belfast.
Community Driver of the Year Paul Mullan with his trophy
Paul secured the title by overcoming stiff competition from a total of 35 Community Drivers from across Northern Ireland and went on to be awarded runner up in the MiDAS Driver of the Year UK Competition in Manchester on the 9th November.
The competition, now in its 6th year, is sponsored by Translink and is organised annually by the Community Transport Association (CTA) to highlight and acknowledge the dedication and skill of Community Drivers across NI.
Speaking at the Awards event, NI Training and Advice Officer at CTA, Shauna Haughey, said: “Community Transport is now an essential service for many people who rely on membership-based Community Transport schemes to go shopping, visiting, to training or education and to access health services.
“The Community Transport Association is delighted to acknowledge Paul as this year’s MiDAS Driver of the Year. The MiDAS scheme, which delivers minibus driver awareness training, has made a huge impact on the safety and standards of minibus driving.
“We would therefore like to congratulate and thank every driver who participated in the competition. They have demonstrated once again the exceptional qualities and high standards of NI community drivers. ”
Translink’s Irvine Lavery congratulated Paul Mullan and reinforced Translink’s support for Community Transport initiatives.
“Community Transport is vitally important; it ensures that people across Northern Ireland receive an inclusive, accessible service at all times. Translink has worked closely with CTA for many years and we are delighted to lend our support to this competition which recognises the efforts of the drivers involved in providing this valuable service.”
The MiDAS Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme began in NI in 1995 as a new training initiative for drivers requiring extra skills for minibus driving. The success of the programme is indicative of the high standard of safety and excellence of NI community transport drivers.
-ENDS-
Note to Editors:
• The Community Transport Association is a registered charity providing support to member organisations across the UK which are tackling social exclusion in their area by providing affordable, accessible transport alternatives that meet both the needs of individuals and the collective needs of their local community. The CTA promotes excellence by providing training, advice and information on voluntary and community transport.
• MiDAS was established in 1995 as a joint training initiative with Hampshire County Council to improve safety standards for minibus drivers across the UK. 200,000 drivers hold the certificate across the UK with an estimated 15,000 across NI.
• Contact: Shauna Haughey Community Transport Association 028 9040 3535/07919023690
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