Participation in UD Trucks Extra Mile Challenge is opened to all Malaysian Quester truck drivers employed with UD Trucks’ customers.
UD Trucks Extra Mile Challenge Aims to Increase Drivers’ Skills and Competency
UD Trucks and its sole distributor partner in Malaysia, Tan Chong Industrial Equipment Sdn Bhd (TCIE), recently kicked off the annual UD Trucks Extra Mile Challenge (UDEMC), which would be held for the fifth time.
The UDEMC returns with the purpose to identify and recognise the ultimate Malaysian truck driver who is most capable in embodying smart logistics for today’s trucking world. It is a friendly, educational and motivational truck drivers’ competition that aims to increase skills and competency through training, theory and practical tests. All drivers who take part are required to go through UD Trucks’ comprehensive driver training programme that is embedded in the competition structure.
One of the key challenges logistics companies are facing today is the shortage of skilled drivers. Through this competition, it enables customers to attract and retain good drivers and make each one of them an ultimate driver who is adept at fuel saving, minimising operational costs, respecting their truck and cargo and keeping the roads safe.
The competition structure is created to simulate a general transportation cycle and visualise profitable operation through three key test areas; pre-drive inspection on truck condition, fuel efficiency and safety driving, and manoeuvring and parking skills.
All these would link the driver’s skills to business reality.
“When UDEMC started in Malaysia in 2016, it was the first such drivers’ competition that was organised by a Japanese truck brand in this market and carved out as our response to meet the growing need for smart logistics by focusing on the drivers of our trucks,” said Steve Hedouin, Managing Director of UD Trucks Hub Malaysia.
“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 would 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,” said Say Teck Ming, Executive Director of TCIE.
Participation in UDEMC is opened to all Malaysian Quester truck drivers employed with UD Trucks’ customers as they would be tested using the heavy-duty UD Quester truck. The competition is being held in stages comprising pre-selections in various regions, whereby 10 finalists with the best scores would compete in the Malaysia final to be held in TCIE Ipoh. The winner would represent Malaysia in an all-expense paid trip to Japan and pit against foreign truck drivers in the global finals in October 2022. Participants are encouraged to sign up for the challenge at https://forms.gle/ykcEfRymErW1aiRm6 before 15th June, 2022.
