Al-Futtaim Auto & Machinery Company (Famco), the sole UAE distributor for Volvo trucks, buses and construction equipment, has named the best truck driver in the UAE in the 2018 Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge.

The global competition, hosted by Volvo Trucks, is a bold new initiative which sees truck drivers put their skills to the test in a challenge of fuel efficiency, safety and productivity, said a statement from the company.

The UAE part of the Driver Challenge saw 35 drivers from across the emirates participate over four days, showcasing their driving capabilities, it said.

At the end of the event, Pakistani national Younis Khan from a Ras Al Khaimah-based company completed 50 km, and was crowned Volvo’s best truck driver in the UAE, it added.

In second place was, Khalil Hamza, from Sharjah; and the third runner up was Marcello Penamante from Fujairah.  

Famco will be flying Khan to the live final of the global competition, which will be held at the Volvo Trucks Experience Centre in Gothenburg, Sweden, in September. He will compete alongside the top drivers from 42 countries for the world title, said a statement.

The challenge allows drivers to demonstrate the professional skills required to handle a truck efficiently and safely using the driver aids and safety technology available on Volvo Trucks.

Using Dynafleet, Volvo Trucks’ fleet management system, drivers can measure fuel efficiency accurately based on four key aspects – braking, speed adaptation, engine and gear utilisation and standstill.  

Vladimir Knezevic, managing director of Famco – UAE, said: “Hosting the challenge here in the UAE gives us a fantastic opportunity to show our customers that, together with Volvo’s range of cutting edge products and services, these highly skilled drivers can make a very positive impact on safety and productivity.”

“We’re pleased to be able to put drivers in the spotlight and allow them to showcase their specialist driving skills which are helping to keep roads safe and minimise impact on the environment,” he said.

Jan-Erik Thorén, managing director of Volvo Trucks Middle East, said: “The challenge brings to life our core values of zero accidents, zero emissions and maximum profitability for our customers.”

“It allows us to showcase the benefits we offer in a real-world scenario, whether that’s the cost benefits for our customers, the positive impact on the environment or the safety levels we’re bringing to all road users. We will continue to help our customers and their drivers excel and get the most out of our trucks,” he added.

With Volvo’s optimised truck specifications and vehicle maintenance schedules, paired the driver skills learnt through Volvo’s on-board coaching systems, operators can save up to 10 per cent in fuel across a fleet of 50 trucks which offer annual savings of around with Dh530,000 ($144,296), it stated. – TradeArabia News Service