TORONTO — An impeccable safety record, a courteous attitude on and off the road, and a role model in the community.

Those are the characteristics that the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) is looking for in their 2013 Truck Driver of the Year.

The OTA has opened up nominations for driver of the year. The recipient of the award gets a trophy engraved with their name and a $500 cheque courtesy of Volvo Trucks Canada. The award is presented by a Volvo Trucks Canada official at the Ontario Trucking Association convention, held in Toronto annually in November.

Plus, the driver of the year will also get their hat thrown into the CTA/Volvo Trucks Canada National Truck Driver of the Year.

Here are the details:

Eligibility:

Minimum Requirement: A professional truck driver who has been regularly employed for the last five years and during that period encountered no preventable collisions. This award program is open to company drivers and owner-operators contracted to OTA member companies.

There is no limit to how many drivers a company can nominate.

Other Criteria:

The ideal candidate is a professional in every sense of the word. He/she has an exemplary driving record, extends courtesy to other road users and puts road safety before all else.

The judges value evidence of a nominee’s active participation in programs and initiatives pertaining to highway safety. Such participation may consist of involvement in safety committees, truck driving championships, driver training programs, first-aid courses and activities of a similar nature. Judges also look for unusual courtesy extended to other road users, customer commendations and any acts of bravery or kindness arising out of highway incidents.

A nomination form can be accessed by clicking here. Submit, via post mail or electronically via email to the OTA before Aug. 30, 2013. Email: OTAcommunications@ontruck.org. Mailing address: 555 Dixon Rd. Toronto, ON., M9W 1H8.