Hitachi Transport System, Ltd. (HTS) is pleased to announce that truck drivers from the Hitachi Transport System Group (HTS Group) won the Prime Minister's Award and achieved excellent results in various categories at the 53rd National Truck Driver Contest (sponsored by the Japan Trucking Association) held on October 23 and 24.

The contest aims to raise safety awareness and to promote traffic accident prevention activities through competitions involving the high levels of driving skill required of professional truck drivers and their specialized knowledge of related laws, regulations, and vehicle structures. A total of 108 winners from prefectural competitions competed against each other using the skills and knowledge they had acquired in their daily work. A total of nine contestants from the HTS Group (3 in the 4-ton truck, 3 in the 11-ton truck, and 3 in the trailer) participated in the competition. Mr. Aimi Shimamura of Hitachi Transport System West Japan Co., Ltd. took the first place for 4-ton category with a total score of 987 points, and Mr. Kyohei Seita of Hitachi Transport System Metropolitan Co., Ltd. claimed the trailer category with a total score of 986 points. Mr. Shimamura also received the Prime Minister's Award, which is given to the competitor with the highest total score across all categories