“The Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge brings together all the different challenges that truck drivers face every day. Their skills are often the decisive factor in the productivity and profitability of our customers. Drivers also make a major contribution to road safety. The final gave us the opportunity to see incredibly skilful drivers doing an impressive job of handling their trucks,” says Maria Bergving, SVP Brand, Marketing and Communication at Volvo Trucks.
The competition took place for the sixth time and this year it focused on three areas: fuel efficiency, productivity and safety.
“The drivers competing for the title achieved excellent performances in each area. They showed that it is possible to have a highly fuel-efficient driving style, deliver a fragile load quickly in good condition and, at the same time, follow the road safety regulations to the letter.”
The aim of the Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge is to draw attention to the important work done by truck drivers. It is also a way of attracting young people to the job, which offers good career opportunities. The logistics and transport industry is constantly growing and there is now a shortage of trained drivers all over the world.
“To help our customers to recruit and retain skilled drivers, we have been focusing for many years on the design of the driver’s environment and the drivability of our trucks. Driver support systems, which make it easier for drivers to manoeuvre trucks safely, and driver training covering everything from handling trucks to a fuel-efficient driving style are other examples of how we help drivers to do a first-class job and to grow and develop,” says Lene Larsen, Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge Project Manager.
“Winning the Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge is a big achievement for me! The final was really tough and I was up against a lot of very experienced drivers. I’m impressed that Volvo Trucks stages this motivational event which attracts so many drivers from all over the world,” says Piotr Krahel.
Facts about Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge
- The competition has been held every two years since 2009
- This year’s competition involved more than 12 000 drivers. A total of 33 qualified to the world final.
- The final was held at the Volvo Trucks Experience Center in Gothenburg on September 13-14th.
- The competition aims to put the driver in focus and reinforce the importance of skilled and competent drivers.
- The main focus areas of the competition are: fuel efficiency, productivity and safety.
- The set up for the World Final was based on two truck models (FH and FMX) and two tracks (Fuel and Productivity) in a closed off area. The winner had the highest combined score from the two different driving stations measuring safety aspects, as well as fuel efficiency and productivity.
Result
First place: Piotr Krahel, Poland
Second place: Bert Johansson, Sweden
Third place: Simo Laukkanen, Finland
Link to high resolution images
SOURCE: Volvo
