Kuala Lumpur, 16 May 2012 – Volvo Malaysia’s annual Fuelwatch Challenge has helped put Malaysian truckers on the global map for the past two years, pitting our local champions against the world’s best truck drivers. Back for the third time, Volvo Malaysia is again conducting a nationwide search for the best Malaysian trucker to represent the country in the Global Drivers Fuel Challenge by Volvo Trucks to be held in Australia later this year.

Volvo Malaysia also launched the Globe Truckers club to offer Malaysian truckers a constant stream of news and useful information that will advance them in their long-term careers. Malaysian truckers will now have a platform to interact within the trucking community to share and exchange knowledge, experiences and stories with other members.

The Fuelwatch Challenge is not just about driving skills, it is about achieving maximum fuel efficiency through a comprehensive approach encompassing vehicle optimisation and maintenance, performance monitoring, safety measures and driver behaviour through a nationwide competition format.

Volvo’s Fuelwatch concept for maximum efficiency revolves around 6 key processes:

• Optimized Trucks
• Fuel Saving Maintenance
• Efficiency Upgrades
• Trip Manager
• Driver Development
• Fuel Management Service

All participants are required to undergo a driver’s training, briefing, and a written test to prepare and qualify them for the challenge. During the semi-finals, 20 participants will be divided into groups and compete for a position in the finals. The six finalists will then drive on a predetermined 50km route, where the winner will be selected based on lowest percentage of fuel consumption within the time limit set. The champion of the Malaysia Fuelwatch Challenge will receive RM 5,000 BSN voucher and the chance to compete in Australia against truckers from across the globe. His employer will receive a voucher for RM 10,000 worth of genuine parts from Volvo and a trip to Australia to watch the Malaysian champion compete for the world title.

“The Fuelwatch Challenge is more than a driving competition. We, at Volvo, aim to create better understanding and awareness on fuel efficiency, safety, maintenance, vehicle optimisation and driver behaviour.” said Mansoor Ahmed, President, Volvo Trucks Group, Region Malaysia.

“Putting people to work on solving quality, safety, and environmental issues is one of the best ways to instil pride and ownership to achieve our goals. We offer our drivers the stakeholder responsibility in propelling our industry,”

He adds that given that Malaysia is also taking proactive steps to reduce carbon emission by ruling Petroleum companies to upgrade their refinery plants to process Euro 4 and Euro 5 grade diesels by 2014, it complements Volvo Trucks efforts in creating a sustainable environment as well as emphasising the importance of fuel efficiency.

“Volvo possibly has the most fuel and performance efficient trucks in the market and therefore we take it as our duty to educate others on the issue.” added Mansoor.

Mansoor shared that his observations from previous Fuelwatch Challenge showed that the variation of fuel consumption between the worst and the best is between 20 – 30%. The difference on fuel consumption between the top finalists was more than 15%.

“My observation shows beyond a doubt that a driver makes all the difference when it comes to fuel efficiency. Which is why this year, we are opening our driver training session to all participants, whereby they will be taught simple measures that can significantly reduce fuel consumption.” shared Mansoor.

Adnan Laili, last year’s Malaysia Fuelwatch Challenge winner, is proud to be a true Volvo Truck custodian and endorses the Volvo values in his everyday routine. Having won over thousands of participants last year, Adnan was one of the select few from around the world competing in the Global Drivers Fuel Challenge by Volvo Trucks in Sweden last year.

Volvo Malaysia announced Adnan as the official 2012 ambassador for Fuelwatch Challenge and Globe Truckers club to raise awareness on the importance of fuel-efficiency, safety, quality, and environment care.

“Adnan has been a certified truck driver for the past fifteen years. We believe that with Adnan’s experience, knowledge, passion, mentorship capabilities, he can spread our cause of elevating standards across Malaysian drivers to a different level,” affirms Mansoor.

Topics that participants will go through during the pre-Challenge training are:

• Daily checks and general rules to ensure fuel-efficiency driving
• Crucial factors that affect fuel consumption
• Importance of safe driving as a contributor to fuel-efficiency driving
• Uphill, downhill, and route selections and driving tactics and styles
• Understanding of the components in the truck to enable improved fuel-efficiency driving

Volvo Malaysia ensures that the information, tips, and know-hows are made available to the Malaysian truck drivers circle through its newly-established Globe Truckers club.

“We encourage all Malaysian truck drivers to sign up with us because the benefits are limitless. They can sign up during our roadshows or at any Volvo centres where they will receive their membership card and freebies on the spot,” explains Mansoor. In true Volvo Way, Mansoor adds, putting people first also means offering a listening platform for its members to voice their feedback. “We have created a Facebook tab off the main page of facebook.com/VolvoTrucksMalaysia in Bahasa Malaysia as a platform for Globe Truckers member discussions.”

All Globe Trucker members will receive car stickers, newsletters, annual get-togethers, competitions, birthday card and gift. Volvo is planning to extend discount on Volvo Merchandise, other external merchant benefits, tailored Driver Trainer classes, back-to-school kits and scholarship programs for the members’ children by the end of the year.