The RTITB Operator of the Year competition is now open for entrants and will stay open over the festive period and into the New Year, giving operators plenty of time to get online and compete. Sponsored by Toyota Materials Handling UK, TNT Express Services UK and Ireland and Calor Gas Ltd, the competition is open to all counterbalance operators who are currently registered on the National Operators Registration Scheme (NORS). The first stage of the competition is an online theory and hazard perception test, made up of multiple choice questions, video clips and images. Just entering at this stage could result in one lucky operator being the winner of a brand new iPad mini.
Closing on February 14th 2013, the online testing scores will then be placed into order and the successful operators will be invited to attend the preliminary heats of the competition at the IMHX (NEC, Birmingham) from 19th-22nd March 2013. Four separate heats hosting 12 operators from across the UK and Ireland will participate in a series of practical and theoretical challenges, with the two highest scoring operators being announced at the end of each day. The top two qualifiers from over the four days will also be contacted after the event for progression to the Grand Final.
So in total the top ten competitors will move forward in the competition to the Grand Final (RTITB Headquarters, Telford), where once again they will be competing against each other with the same common goal - to be crowned champion and named as the UK and Irelands Operator of the Year 2013. However, this is not the only benefit for the successful competitors as the prize for coming in first place is a brand new car, second place is a luxury holiday and third place is £1000.