As we reported a few weeks ago the West Midlands Metro sent a team to the European Tram Driver Championships in Frankfurt and now the dust has settled on the contest it has been revealed that whilst they didn’t win the entire competition they have UK and Ireland bragging rights as they were placed highest amongst the three teams who went along.
The contest took place on 14th September 2024 in Frankfurt and saw a variety of challenges, including testing of reactions by bringing trams to a precise emergency halt and where drivers must skillfully stop and start the tram whilst preserving the levels of fluids in an attached water bowl.
Jasbir Kaur and Dawid Osika were chosen to represent the West Midlands Metro in the competition and overall they finished 14th. There were 26 teams sent in total with those from Dublin and Edinburgh placing slightly lower than the West Midlands Metro duo.
Anthony Stanley, West Midland Metro’s Interim Head of Operations and Safety, said: ““This was the first time they have entered the championship, and finishing mid-table against teams with far greater competition experience was a fantastic effort from Jasbir and Dawid. We take great pride in the skills of all our drivers, who are trained to the highest standards, and the competition provided a fantastic opportunity to showcase their talents and raise the profile of West Midlands Metro.”
The winning team came from Budapest.