Volvo Trucks Malaysia’s Fuelwatch Challenge culminated in a grand finale in Shah Alam on 26th August with the winning crown going to Prai-based Kaspul Anwar Abdul Karim from Prifaria Sdn Bhd.
Victory Unveiled: Volvo Trucks Announces Fuelwatch Challenge 2017 Winners
This year’s Fuelwatch Challenge was in its eight consecutive year in Malaysia and kicked-off in July with preliminary rounds in eight locations; Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Kuching, Ipoh, Bintulu, Prai, Port Klang and Kota Kinabalu.
In addition to being one of the longest-running competitions of its kind in Malaysia, it also created history this year by having a female truck driver from Prai-based Benua Haulage Sdn Bhd, Junaidah Ibrahim, 32, in the final round. A mother of three who has been driving trucks for five years, Junaidah works alongside her truck driver husband in the same company. She also owns both rigid and container truck driving licences, rare even among the male truck drivers.
Kaspul Anwar was crowned champion amid a celebratory gala dinner at the Dorsett Grand Subang, based on the lowest fuel consumption by kilometre within the time limit set. He achieved 3.97 kilometres with one litre of fuel. The first runner-up, Johor Bahru-based Firdaus Salim from Swift Integrated Logistics Sdn Bhd, achieved 3.87km while second runner-up, Port Klang-based Ahmad Sulaiman from Konsortium PD Sdn Bhd recorded 3.84km.
In the final challenge, all eight finalists drove on a predetermined 20km route while pulling a 40-foot container on the Volvo FM 440 with I-Shift (a 12-speed, two-pedal, lightweight automated manual transmission).
Kaspul Anwar would compete with the best truckers from other parts of the world in the Drivers’ Fuel Challenge in Sweden in September. He also won a RM5,000 BSN voucher. His employer, Prifaria Sdn Bhd won an all-paid trip for one to the Finals, a one-year free subscription of Volvo Dynafleet for three trucks in the company’s fleet and a trophy.
He said: “I am overjoyed to win this competition and even more excited that I get to represent Malaysia at the global challenge in Sweden. I understand that there will be pre-competition briefing and training sessions in Sweden to be conducted by Volvo Trucks’ experts. This will be of great value to me because I really want to advance my competency and career, as I aspire to be a qualified drivers’ trainer in the future!”
First runner-up Firdaus won a trophy and RM3,000 BSN voucher and his employer received a one-year free subscription of Volvo Dynafleet for two trucks in its fleet and a trophy. Ahmad Sulaiman’s prize was a RM2,000 BSN voucher and a trophy, while his employer received a one-year free subscription of Volvo Dynafleet for one truck in its fleet and a trophy.
Mats Nilsson, Managing Director, Volvo Malaysia, said: “Fuelwatch Challenge is an extensive customer-driver outreach initiative centred on building skilled drivers and was designed so we could partner with our customers to give them a comprehensive approach to improving fuel economy and profitability.”
A total of 1,670 truck drivers participated in this year’s challenge, an increase of 19 per cent from 2016. Since its commencement in Malaysia in 2010, the Volvo Fuelwatch Challenge has mentored more than 6,000 truck drivers from all over the country on how to enhance driving competency and behaviour to be more fuel efficient and safer drivers.
