The award honours top managers of road transport companies, engaged in the national or international transport of goods or passengers by road, including taxi companies, whose managerial achievements focus on solutions that improve environmental protection, road safety and productivity.

The organisation adds that: ‘An excellent manager constantly seeks to improve the high quality and sustainability of transport services the company provides by embracing, supporting and enacting a set of core values in moral qualities and labour standards as well as innovative solutions to improve environmental protection, road safety and productivity, and by developing drivers’ skills according to national and international road transport standards and best practices.’

To be nominated managers must also hold the appropriate CPC Manager Diploma and should actively promote vocational training for themselves and their staff, such as the activities of the IRU Academy’s Accredited Training Institutes, to ensure that the road transport industry and its employees are in tune with the latest legislative and practical developments impacting the sector.

IRU president Janusz Lacny stated: ‘This distinction confirms the wide professional experience, moral qualities and specific achievements of all nominees, as well as the IRU’s position that excellence in road transport can only be achieved through the proper vocational training of managers and staff.

‘This “IRU Top Manager Award” will ensure appropriate international recognition of exemplary top road transport managers who have been successfully active at the management level in the road transport industry and have demonstrated outstanding professional experience and a high level of know-how, while improving the image of the road transport industry.’

This year’s recipients come from the following countries: Azerbaijan (1), Belarus (2), Belgium (1), Denmark (2), Estonia (6), FYROM (3), Italy (2), Kazakhstan (5), Moldova (10), Morocco (3), Romania (8), Russia (7), Spain (5), Turkey (10), Ukraine (5).