On the Road to Summer: Driver Require's May Newsletter

As we head towards summer, the days are longer, the roads are (mostly) drier, but we know this time of year also brings new challenges and opportunities on the road, with the build-up to summer peak season already underway.

At Driver Require, we're committed to keeping you informed, supported, and prepared for the months ahead. In this edition of The Extra Mile, we're sharing important updates from across Driver Require - from a heartfelt tribute to our much-loved colleague Mike Beard, to celebrating Ian's incredible achievement of completing the Manchester Marathon in under three hours.

We’re also focusing on driver wellbeing and safety, with practical tips for staying safe in the sun and a timely reminder about preventing bridge strikes as traffic builds over the summer months.

Thank you, as always, for your hard work, professionalism, and commitment.

Last month, we shared the very sad news that our much-loved colleague, Mike Beard, had passed away. On Friday 25th April we came together to celebrate Mike's life at his funeral. It was a beautiful service - filled with memories, laughter and stories that Mike would have been chuckling away at. Our Operations Director, Gwynne, shared a wonderful poem he had written as an ode to Mike. The service was packed, and it was heartwarming to see so many drivers and clients in attendance - your presence meant a great deal to his family. We will forever remember and miss Mike, he leaves behind a huge hole in the Driver Require family.

Familiarity can lead to costly mistakes. Even if you know your route well, it’s vital to double check every time you head out.

Avoid bridge strikes by following three simple steps:

✅ Measure Up: Always know the height of your vehicle before setting off. If you're driving a different vehicle, don’t assume it’s the same - check it.

✅ Plan Smart: Routes can change without warning. Make sure your planned route is safe for your vehicle’s height and size. Use up-to-date navigation tools designed for HGVs whenever possible.

✅ Stay Alert: Warning signs are there for a reason – they are there to protect you, your vehicle, and the public. Stay alert to low bridge signs and never ignore them, even on familiar roads.

Remember: A few extra seconds spent double checking your route could save you from costly damage, delays, and danger.

Sun Awareness Week (12-18th May) is an important week in the annual calendar. The above photo demonstrates what 28 years of skin damage can do to a lorry drivers face. For 28 years, the driver has had his left side exposed to UVA rays transmitted through his window – whereas his right side was covered and relatively unharmed.

UVA rays are able to penetrate through glass windows and clouds and chronic exposure can lead to the destruction of the skin’s elastic fibres – which explains the deep wrinkles. Apart from ageing the skin, they also carry skin cancer risks, due to the breakdown of DNA and direct toxicity. So it’s crucial that you use sun cream every day, even when it’s cloudy outside.

Our very own Ian Datlen ran the Manchester Marathon on Sunday 27th April in an incredible time of 2 hours 58 minutes. Ian ran the London Marathon last year and was hoping for a sub 3 hour marathon, but the busy course saw him fall ever so slightly short at 3 hours and 10 seconds, so Manchester was PB time and wow did he smash it!

Ian placed 21st in his category and 679th overall out of 37,000 people - what an achievement!

Huge congratulations Ian, we're all very proud of you 👏

Our Driver of the Month for March is Marcin from Ocado Ertih.

The Ocado Team reached out to praise Marcin after he massively helped out by taking a second run to cover an absence for the team. They stated 'we just wanted to let you know how much of a help Marcin was today, if he was an Ocado driver we would have put him as our driver of the day.' Therefore, we wanted to thank and praise Marcin with our Driver of the Month!

As a big "THANK YOU" for being a Driver Require Superhero, we will be sending Marcin a £25 Amazon gift card. Thank you for your hard work and commitment, Marcin – we are proud to have you as part of the Driver Require Team!