Melbourne's top tram drivers are gearing up to test their skills against the best tram drivers from across the globe, as they prepare to compete at the inaugural Tram Driver World Championship in Vienna next month.
Minister for Public Transport Gabrielle Williams today visited Yarra Trams' New Preston Depot to meet the team representing Melbourne, drawing on their years of driving experience on the world's largest tram network.
Tram Drivers Sally Burgess and Craig Maher were selected from a competitive field of more than 1,400 drivers to represent Australia at the Championship, coached by team manager Sharon Marshall.
Competing amongst 27 teams representing 25 countries from six continents, the team will go head-to-head against the best light rail drivers from across the world.
Drivers will compete in eight challenges to put their driving skills to the test, with disciplines ranging from precision stopping, speed control without seeing the speedometer, and even tram bowling, using the nose of the tram to push a huge ball to knock over a set of pins.
In 2022, Yarra Trams was the first ever non-European country chosen to compete in the European Tram Driver Championships, held in Leipzig, Germany, where they placed 10th out of 25 teams at the contest.
The first ever Tram Driver World Championships will take place in Vienna on Saturday, 13 September, with the competition streamed live from 4:00pm AEST.
Melbourne's tram network is the largest in the world, with more than 250 kilometres of double track and over 5,000 daily services moving almost 200 million passengers every year.
As stated by Minister for Public Transport Gabrielle Williams
"Melbourne's tram drivers are among the best in the world, and we'll cheer them on as they head to Vienna to try to bring home the first ever Tram Driver World Championship trophy."
As stated by Craig Maher
"I love driving trams - it's an incredible privilege to be part of something that helps people get where they need to go every day. Representing Melbourne on the world stage at the Championship is a dream come true."
As stated by Sally Burgess
"So much skill and pride go into what we do at Yarra Trams - to have the chance to show that in front of an international audience was something I couldn't pass up!"
