Messer Canada recently pitted its top drivers against each other in a driver safety competition at its Mississauga, Ont., headquarters.

The day-long event was developed to celebrate the company’s top drivers from across Canada and acts as a team-building opportunity. Eight drivers – representing the company’s three regions across Canada — took part in the “rodeo” – an obstacle course in which the drivers showcased their skills.

“The drivers collect points throughout the year based on how they drive their truck, their fuel consumption, how up-to-date their training is, if they participate in safety meetings, if they report on safety conditions at customer sites, and how they contribute improvement ideas to the team,” said head of operations, François Charron.

“We can track a great deal of information from technology on the vehicles, so we can review things like speeding, following too close, and fuel consumption quite effectively. This program has encouraged a new level of excellence for our team.”

Gabriel Marcotte from Quebec City won the Driver of the Year award, and Denis Allaire from Montreal won the Gold Cup for the tournament among the regional champions.

“A constant focus on excellence is what we aim for,” said Messer Canada vice-president and general manager Karl Villeneuve. “That’s key, because success depends on your people. This competition is real-time excellence demonstrated.”