Volvo Trucks Launches the Fuelwatch 2014 and Driver Development Programme

Volvo Trucks are an interesting bunch of people in that they build really cool trucks and that they have got lots of value added benefits for their customers. Yesterday they launched the Fuelwatch 2014 competition and Driver Development Programme for their customers. This competition has been going on for about 5 years here in Malaysia and it basically educates the participating drivers (and lorry owners) about how to drive safely in an economical and environmentally friendly matter. Very important as lorries actually make up a whole lot of carbon emissions in any country, delivering goods everywhere throughout the region.

The event was officiated by Encik Mohamed bin Dalib, Director of Automotive Engineering Division and Road Transport Department, Malaysian Ministry of Transport who commended Volvo’s efforts. As the transportation industry expands, it becomes more apparent that we need to also increase the quality of our truck drivers by engaging them through training programmes such as these, so as to enhance overall safety, fuel efficiency, reduction of CO2 emission and optimise uptime. 

The Volvo FM & FMX lorries

Winners from the preliminary rounds will meet at the semi-final in Shah Alam on 6th June and the champion will go on to represent Malaysia at the Fuelwatch APAC as well as the World Finals, expected to take place in Sweden later this year.

Press Release

SHAH ALAM, 2 April 2014 – The trucking industry, regarded as the lifeblood of the economy, is a vital sector that intertwines with almost all other business sectors. Without the trucking industry, business activities would come to a standstill.

Recognising this, Volvo Trucks has launched today the Volvo Fuelwatch Challenge 2014 and the Volvo Driver Development Programme with a renewed mission to build the quality of truck drivers by empowering them with more knowledge and instilling in them deeper awareness and appreciation of their contribution to the economy.

Speaking at the launch, Mats Nilsson, Managing Director, Volvo Malaysia said, “The expanding breadth and depth of economic activities lead to the growth of the commercial vehicle industry. In direct relation to the economy; a safe, efficient and responsible trucking industry, including drivers’ skills at conserving fuel and being aware of the value they bring to the table are highly essential factors in ensuring sustainable business operations and development.

“Companies in Malaysia look for continued and sustainable business growth as the economy expands. As they purchase more trucks, hire more drivers and move more goods, the demand for reliable trucking services increases. At Volvo, our trucking services stretch beyond truck sales and maintenance work. We are highly committed in helping to build the overall value offer of truck drivers as well in Malaysia. This means giving them the necessary training sessions on how to handle and optimise use of our trucks, guiding them on safety features and innovations, and how to maximise miles driven with the least fuel usage.

“So this year, we are taking our annual Fuelwatch Challenge a notch further by also officially launching the Volvo Trucks Driver Development Programme. The Driver Development Programme (DDP) is currently being offered free of charge to customers who sign up for it.

Given the importance of the role of truck drivers to the economy, these programmes provide a useful, comprehensive and hands-on approach to building well-rounded Malaysian truck drivers,” adds Nilsson.

Ian Sinclair, Product Director of Vehicle Sales and Marketing, Volvo Asia Oceania Sales who was present at the launch event explained that the Volvo Driver Development Programme is a two-module programme to equip both drivers and truck owners with specific skills on achieving higher uptime and fuel efficiency when operating their trucks.

“The first module, the Driver Training Program (DTP) combines theory and practical training that familiarises the driver with the features of the truck and how to utilize them in order to ensure the truck is operated in a most safe and fuel efficient way. The second module of the programme, Train the Trainer (TTT), is designed for fleet operators that have their own trainers or master drivers to conduct internal training for their other drivers,” said Sinclair.

Now in its fifth succeeding year, the Fuelwatch Challenge is a competition that endeavors to coach drivers on fuel economy and proper driving skills in a fun and informative competition format. It aims to help companies reduce wastage and truck operating costs by inspiring, equipping and training their truckers on fuel efficiency and to further accentuate the fact that a change in driving behaviour can in fact also play an instrumental role in reducing environmental impacts.

Volvo will be taking the preliminary rounds of Fuelwatch to areas across Malaysia including Shah Alam, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Prai, Kuching and Bintulu within the next two months as part of its quest for the next most fuel efficient truck driver in Malaysia.

Winners from the preliminary rounds will meet at the semi-final in Shah Alam on 6th June and the champion will go on to represent Malaysia at the Fuelwatch APAC as well as the World Finals, expected to take place in Sweden later this year.

Mohamad Bin Dalib, Director of Automotive Engineering Division and Road Transport Department, Malaysian Ministry of Transport commended Volvo’s efforts and said “As the transportation industry expands, it becomes more apparent that we need to also increase the quality of our truck drivers by engaging them through training programmes such as these, so as to enhance overall safety, fuel efficiency, reduction of CO2 emission and optimise uptime.

We have seen great strides undertaken by Volvo with the introduction of iSTREC in 2013 which concentrates on road safety for trucks and motorcyclists and I hope to see more in the near future.”

Zamri Bin Mohamad, winner of Fuelwatch Challenge 2013 can certainly attest to the Volvo values and the benefits reaped from this fuel efficient challenge.

“All truck drivers out there should aim to participate in the Volvo Trucks Fuelwatch Challenge as the knowledge, experience as well as friendships made are beyond comparison. When I was in Australia for the APAC finals last year, the short Driver Training session I participated in saw a marked improvement of 2.93% in my fuel consumption. In the finals, there was a difference of 17.99% in fuel consumption between the APAC winner and me. There is still so much room for me to improve my skills and as a Driver Trainer in Konsortium Logistics Berhad, I aim to participate in more DDP sessions as well as take up the TTT module of the Driver Development Program which is being launched today,” said Zamri.

Nilsson also added that there has been a progressive change in the level of awareness on fuel efficiency as well as the importance of good drivers amongst Volvo’s customers and the trucking industry since the Fuelwatch Challenge was first introduced in 2010.

The winner of the Malaysian chapter will move onto the APAC and World Finals which will be held in the home of Volvo at Gothenburg, Sweden in September 2014.

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