27th May 2018 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates):  Al-Futtaim Auto & Machinery Company (FAMCO) has named the best truck driver in the UAE in the 2018 Volvo Trucks Driver Challenge.

The global competition, hosted by Volvo Trucks, is bold new initiative which sees truck drivers put their skills to the test in a challenge of fuel efficiency, safety and productivity. The UAE part of the Driver Challenge saw 35 drivers from across the Emirates participate over four days, showcasing their driving capabilities.

At the end of the Driver Challenge event one winner was crowned Volvo’s best truck driver in the UAE. Pakistani national, Mr Younis Khan, from a Ras Al Khaimah-based company, completed 50km. In second place was, Mr Khalil Hamza, from Sharja and the third runner up was Mr Marcello Penamante from Fujairah.  

FAMCO will be flying Mr. Khan to the live final of the global competition - which will be held at the Volvo Trucks Experience Centre in Gothenburg, Sweden in September – where he will compete alongside the top drivers from 42 countries for the world title.

The Driver Challenge allows drivers to demonstrate the professional skills required to handle a truck efficiently and safely using the drivers 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.  

Commenting on the competition, Mr. Vladimir Knezevic, Managing Director of FAMCO – UAE, said, “Hosting the Driver 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.” 

“The Volvo Driver 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,” said Mr. Jan-Erik Thorén, Managing Director of Volvo Trucks Middle East

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% in fuel across a fleet of 50 trucks which offer annual savings of around with 530,000 AED.