UD Trucks and its sole distributor partner in Malaysia, Tan Chong Industrial Equipment Sdn Bhd (TCIE), recently kicked off the 2019 edition of the annual UD Trucks Extra Mile Challenge (UDEMC). This unique truck driver's competition is held by UD Trucks to identify, recognise and ultimately reward the best Malaysian truck driver who will get to represent the country and compete against other truck drivers throughout the world in the UDEMC global finals which will be held in Japan in April of 2020.
The UD Trucks Extra Mile Challenge (UDEMC) is now in its fourth consecutive year here in Malaysia. This truck driver's competition is a friendly, educational and motivational contest that aims to increase skills and competency through training, theory and practical tests. Contestants who take part are required to go through UD Trucks’ comprehensive driver training programme which is embedded into the competition structure.
UDEMC has the aim to retain good drivers and help them progress and adapt to changes in the industry where the competition is an award of recognition among peers and it also adds more proper trucking knowledge to the contestants from the driver training programme as well as meeting other contestants who are also the best from other companies and countries.
When UDEMC started in Malaysia in 2016, it was the first such drivers’ competition that was organized by a Japanese truck brand in this market. It has actually helped the company's brand recognition among Malaysian truck drivers and many are actually waiting for a chance to participate.
Steve Hedouin, Managing Director, UD Trucks Hub Malaysia said, “UDEMC is carved out as our response to meet the growing need for smart logistics, by focusing on the drivers of our trucks. Smart logistics, supported by smart transportation means there is efficiency, profitability, sustainability and safety in the moving of goods and these should co-exist in harmony with the environment and society. Central to this is the ultimate truck driver who is the enabler and who can best symbolise the spirit of this competition.”
“UDEMC is an extension of our brand promise to constantly go the extra mile for our customers. One of the key challenges logistics companies are often faced with today is the shortage of skilled drivers. This competition complements what we do in terms of building smarter trucks the world needs today. Through it, our goal is to also help our customers attract and retain good drivers, and make each one of them an ultimate driver who is adept on saving fuel and operation cost, the truck, the cargo and the environment, and who always puts safety first,” added Hedouin.
Every contestant in UDEMC has a chance to demonstrate his skills, knowledge and professionalism through a series of tests. There are three key test areas in the competition - Pre-drive inspection on truck condition, fuel efficiency and safety driving, and manoeuvring and parking skills. So contestants have to understand their truck aside from just driving efficiently and expertly.
The key purpose of the competition structure is to simulate a general transportation cycle and to visualize profitable operation through avoiding downtime, maintaining low-cost operation, preventing accidents and ensuring shorter trip time through efficient driving. All these will link the driver’s skills to business reality.
Jaclyn Loy, Chief Operating Officer of TCIE also had a few words to say about the competition. She said, “The UDEMC is more than just about technical driving ability. It also encourages the drivers to think commercially and how their competency can deliver actual productivity and benefits everyone through fuel efficiency and safety.At the end, each driver will be able to find out how they’ve performed as their test results are monetised into clear and understandable transport cost and revenue calculations.”
“Truck drivers are absolutely essential to the entire smart logistics process. They are the unsung heroes in the economy, moving goods and cargo every single day, rain or shine. Participating in UDEMC will allow them to see their own positive impact as well as instil a sense of pride in their jobs and inspire them to be exceptional smart logistics drivers. This is what the industry needs for its future growth,” added Loy. This is what we meant about something other than just monetary reward. It is something like that pat on the back for a job well done.
Participation in UDEMC is open to all qualified Malaysian UD Quester truck drivers employed with UD Trucks’ customers. The participants will be tested using the heavy-duty UD Quester truck. The competition is being held in stages comprising firstly, the local market qualification rounds taking place across Malaysia.
From these rounds which are held in Batu Caves, Johor Bahru, Bukit Mertajam and Kuantan, 10 drivers with the best scores will proceed to compete in the Malaysia final competition to be held in TCIE, Ipoh in November. The best of the best from Malaysia will get to represent the country and pit against other foreign truck drivers in the global finals in Japan in April next year. There, they will get to see, mingle and ultimately pit their talents against the best from everywhere else.
In white shirt in the middle four are (8th from left):
1. Justin Liew, Regional Sales Manager, Tan Chong Industrial Equipment Sdn Bhd
2. Lum Chee Leong, Head of National Sales, Tan Chong Industrial Equipment Sdn Bhd
3. Jaclyn Loy, Chief Operating Officer, Tan Chong Industrial Equipment Sdn Bhd
4. Patrick Leong, Sales Manager, Tan Chong Industrial Equipment Sdn Bhd
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