Piotr Krahel from Poland won the world final of the Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge 2018 that took place in Gothenburg on September 13-14, 2018. Bert Johansson from Sweden and Simo Laukkanen from Finland won the second and third places, respectively.
The competition, which has been held every two years since 2009, took place for the sixth time and this year it focused on three areas: fuel efficiency, productivity and safety. This year’s competition involved more than 12,000 drivers. A total of 33 qualified to the world final. This was the first time drivers from UAE and Saudi Arabia participated in the World Finals, after winning the local competitions in their respective countries
This year’s competition involved more challenges than ever before. The set up for the World Final was based on two truck models (FH and FMX) and two tracks (fuel and productivity) in a closed off area. The winner had the highest combined score from the two different driving stations measuring safety aspects, as well as fuel efficiency and productivity.
Piotr Krahel, said: “Winning the Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge is a big achievement for me! The final was really tough and I was up against a lot of very experienced drivers. I’m impressed that Volvo Trucks stages this motivational event which attracts so many drivers from all over the world.”
The aim of the Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge is to draw attention to the important work done by truck drivers. It is also a way of attracting young people to the job, which offers good career opportunities.
Lene Larsen, project manager, Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge, said:Â “To help our customers to recruit and retain skilled drivers, we have been focusing for many years on the design of the driver’s environment and the drivability of our trucks. Driver support systems, which make it easier for drivers to manoeuvre trucks safely, and driver training covering everything from handling trucks to a fuel-efficient driving style are other examples of how we help drivers to do a first-class job and to grow and develop.”
