Top trucking talent recognised

Some of Australia's best drivers and technicians have been recognised and rewarded in the latest local trucking industry competitions and awards.

As far as driving goes, UD Trucks Australia has announced the winner of its 2026 UD Trucks Extra Mile Challenge Australia competition: Anthony Cassar of Coolway Trans, representing Volvo Commercial Vehicles Australia Sydney West.

Launched in 2015, the UD Trucks Extra Mile Challenge is a skills-based driver competition designed to demonstrate how improvements in driver behaviour can contribute to safer driving, improved fuel efficiency and reduced vehicle wear and tear.

Over three weeks of competition, drivers were assessed through UD Connect telematics across key performance disciplines including Anticipation & Braking, Driveline Utilisation, Speed Adaptation and Standstill.

Cassar secured victory with an outstanding average score of 82.66, finishing just one point ahead of his nearest competitor.

With 27 years of driving experience behind him, Cassar will now take part in next month's Global UD Trucks Extra Mile Challenge Final, going head-to-head with 16 other regional winners behind the wheel of the UD Quon.

Australia last won the global event in 2024 when owner-operator Matt Modra of MA & RC Modra, was chosen for the trip to Japan.

Meanwhile, top honours in this year’s Iveco Master Technician Tournament has gone to Workshop Foreman, Matthew Radke, from Black Truck Sales in Toowoomba, with minor placings to Adtrans Truck Centre Senior Technician, James Bambery, and Electrician, Jarrod Hodgetts, from NZ Trucks in Christchurch.

Over 100 technicians from across Iveco’s Australian and New Zealand dealer network participated in this year’s event, with stage one of the competition involving three rounds of on-line questionnaires covering all aspects of servicing, along with fault diagnosis.

The field was then narrowed to the top-performing nine technicians – seven from Australia and two from New Zealand – who went head-to-head in a series of practical tasks at Iveco's Customer Innovation Centre in Melbourne.

Working against the clock, the finalists performed seven tasks on Iveco Daily, Eurocargo and S-Way models covering programming and CAN-Bus system diagnostics, and engaged in a remote diagnosis role play using Iveco’s Remote Assistance Service.

In selecting the winner, judges evaluated accuracy and timeliness of fault diagnosis and rectification, and overall approach to correcting vehicle issues. Each participant’s methodology, discipline and professionalism in overcoming the challenges was also considered.

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