TRUCK & BUS NEWS: A Session with Mr. Mats Nilsson, MD of Volvo Trucks Malaysia - On the Volvo Trucks Fuelwatch Challenge, Hybrid Trucks, B10 biodiesel and more

 Mr Mats Nilsson with Mr Nor Rahmat - winner of the 2015 Fuelwatch Challenge Malaysia)

A roller coaster ride. That's what the past month or so has been to Yours Truly. Trips, launches, visits, business meetings, family, hobbies, other pursuits have made it a very interesting period. I now have to put myself back in time to the Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015 finals in Hua Hin, Thailand to give you a short report on the session we Malaysian automotive journalists/reporters/bloggers had with Mr Mats Nilsson, Managing Director of Volvo Trucks Malaysia. 

I'm the chap in blue...trying to look serious and professional during the interview session.

Mr Nilsson, Mats who I shall now address him in this article, is a nice chap who is deeply passionate about Volvo Trucks and Malaysia as well. He has been with the Volvo group since 1995 and for the last three years or so, he has been steering Volvo Trucks Malaysia to greater heights. He and the Volvo Trucks team have so far done a fabulous job here in Malaysia with increased sales to show for it. in 2014, Sales figures stood at a total of 451 units, comprising 422 Volvo and 29 Renault trucks (which are basically Volvo Trucks underneath and a separate business entity from Renault cars - much like Volvo cars and trucks). This was a 38.5% growth in Volvo Trucks sales in Malaysia. 

Anyway, our meet and chat session with Mats was about the Fuelwatch Challenge and more. We did not touch too much about the Malaysian economy that is currently seeing a slump these days as it is assumed that austerity measures will and have been taken. Most of us at the point of time were hyped about the Fuelwatch Challenge itself. 

The Fuelwatch Challenge is something big for Volvo Trucks Malaysia. According to Mats, at least 1,000 Malaysian drivers took part and this was a 25% increase in participation compared to last year. This has been the sixth year of competition and the competition as well as the increase participation is, according to him proof of the importance of good drivers by fleet or company owners. We see as an example this year's champion, Mr Nor Rahmat Abdul Talib's company Prifaria Sdn Bhd is one of those companies that put heavy emphasis on driver education and training. He also added that in the Malaysian leg, participants also came from companies that uses other brands of trucks and this is a form of marketing for Volvo Trucks. Drivers as well as company managers and operators would benefit from this increase awareness in training, safety and skill derived from this competition. Driver's skills and with the addition of a fleet monitoring system like Volvo's Dynafleet would enable savings in fuel consumption, tyre wear and vehicle maintenance too. 

So that is the benefit that drivers and operators. The 2015 APAC Fuelwatch Challenge finals saw stiff competition from the Australian and New Zealand participants. This is mainly because of the familiarity with the Volvo FH series of trucks which were used for the competition this year. Volvo Malaysia has an intention to bring in the FH series trucks to complement the FM series which is the one sold here. No word as to when the FH series trucks are to be actually launched yet by the way.

We then asked that since there were women participants from four countries at this year's challenge so would there be a chance of a Malaysian lady participating in upcoming Fuelwatch Challenges? According to Mats, women drivers in Malaysia would definitely be welcome to participate. It has been shown that women can handle these trucks elsewhere so why should it be different.

As for buses, we asked why isn't there a category for Volvo Buses in the Fuelwatch Challenge? "The bus market is quite small for Volvo at this moment, about 9,000 buses annually worldwide" said Mats, "But we will definitely see". This was the response after we mentioned that even though the market is small but the engagement between driver and the general public is a lot more than a truck driver on the highways. There could be a need to assist in educating bus driver too (especially in Malaysia). 

The other interesting question put forward was with the upsurge in motor vehicles going hybrid, would there be a chance of Volvo Trucks selling their diesel hybrid trucks here in Malaysia? Mats said that at this moment there are no plans for now even though there are products available (Volvo FE hybrids - check them out if you're interested). This I believe has to do with pricing, the size of truck (the heavy duty category of hybrid trucks aren't on sale everywhere yet from what I researched in order to write this article)  and whether there would be local acceptance. Pricing would be an issue because the costs of hybrids may be more than what the market wants for a truck. 

What Volvo Trucks Malaysia is ready for is, if or when the B10 grade of biodiesel is implemented here in Malaysia. Biodiesel is a diesel fuel produced from plant oils or animal fats. It is commonly sold blended with diesel derived from petroleum. Common blends include "B2" (2% biodiesel), "B5" (5% biodiesel), "B10" (10% biodiesel) and "B100" (100% biodiesel). Here, our B10 would mean 10% palm oil content owing to our large palm oil market of course. We had been hearing press releases from car manufacturers that some of their diesels cannot handle B10 grade and that it would cost damage to the engines. According to Mats, Volvo Trucks sold are able to handle such a grade of diesel. "Volvo is ready" said Mats, with confidence. 

There would be no major impact to Volvo Trucks  if and when B10 is implemented. There may be a change in the service schedule for older trucks and an installation of aftermarket kits to enable the older trucks to perform as they should. In fact, Mats then stated that Felda, which operates 90% Volvo Trucks in its large fleet has tested the B10 grade on their trucks with favourable results. 

So there you go. The interview with the Managing Director of Volvo Trucks Malaysia who also said that he loves it here in Malaysia (must be the food and the people...as the weather kinda sucks with the haze these days). I do hope this would let you folks understand a little bit more about Volvo Trucks in slightly more detail. 

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Truck news: Images from the Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015 : Real people, lots of emotion and energy.

Most of the pics below would basically tell the tale of the Malaysian Volvo Trucks contingent to the recent Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015 which was recently held in Hua Hin, Thailand. There were lots of pleasant memories made over there. The pictures will tell the story as an online record to what happened then - meeting new friends, new challenges, new experiences, the laughter and more. 

Meeting new friends...

Some archery (as well as ATV riding and paintball target practice) prior to the event

The competitors of the Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015

Truck driving at its best...with the Volvo FH 440

 ...here we have the Malaysian contingent consisting of journalists (with one chap from Singapore....Ben, we know your nickname!!!!) , our Champion and his company rep as well as the very, very pleasant people of Volvo Malaysia. The truck in the picture is the Volvo FM, a familiar sight on Malaysian roads

Post event briefing and press conference with Mr Christophe Martin, President Volvo Trucks Asia Oceania, (middle)

Weather was mostly like this over in Hua Hin...but it did not dampen any of the competitor's spirits

Lady drivers being honoured.. This was the first time women competed in the the Fuelwatch Challenge

... and one won. Fantastic effort.

Part of the Malaysian contingent during the Gala Dinner...

Mr Nor Rahmat with Mr Mats Nilsson, MD Volvo Malaysia

2015 Malaysian champion and 2015 Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge competitor, Mr Nor Rahmat

2015 On-road champion Ms Louise Marriott of New Zealand

2015 Off-road Champion Mr Ravi Poleboina of India 

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TRUCKS: Short Drive: The Volvo Trucks FH 440 Prime Mover With Tanker Trailer - I drive one on a Racetrack in Thailand

The Kaeng Krachan Circuit on the outskirts of Hua Hin, Thailand is a wonderful place to be driving anything. It is about 3.2km in length and has tight turns and undulations. It has nicely cambered corners, dips and crests that one can play with whilst driving on it. 

Volvo Trucks let me drive one of their prime movers on this race track. I would have liked a nice hot hatch but beggars can't be choosers. So thank you so very, very much whilst we are at it. The Volvo Truck in question was the latest Volvo FH 440 Sleeper Cab. The 440 means 440hp and about 2200nm torque from a Volvo D13A 13,000cc in-line 6 cylinder turbocharged engine. It runs the power it makes through a Volvo I-shift automated transmission unit that has 12 forward speeds. There are a heck of a lot of power and drivetrain configurations for the Volvo FH, from the 13liter 400hp engine to a 16liter 610hp /2800nm  trucker's dream machine special coupled with either the I-shift automatic, a 12 speed and a 14speed manual transmissions to play around with. 

Other stuff are good too. With extra low to high riding chassis heights, axle reduction gear setups, fuel tank sizes from 150liters to 900liters (600 seems to be the norm), Volvo Dynamic steering, Electronic controlled Brake System (EBS), Stretch Brake (trailer brake), hydraulic retarder and automatic park brake release (on the I-Shift gearbox only). All in all, the tech inside these FH series trucks are impressive.

Inside the FH series is also a nice place to be if you are a long haul driver. We Malaysians do not get the FH series officially at the moment and only the FM and FMX ranges for now. I suppose this is because the FH are the full monty long haul trucks that are great for intercontinental distances or cross border transport. The FM trucks are good enough for use within Peninsular Malaysia or Sabah - Sarawak routes. But a fully specific long haul truck offers much more in terms of driver comfort that it even makes sense for companies to use the Volvo FH on all trips that criss-cross the Malaysian Peninsular or that cross Sabah and Sarawak. The added height of the FH's cabin offers better driver mobility and usable space as well as more visibility outside. More comfort means less fatigue. Better for those trips anywhere.

Trucks and lorries have come a long way since the days where you see them using wooden cabins, doors without windows and makeshift steel framed, rubber strands casual recliners as their driver's seat. Everything is now done in comfort for long hauls. You only need to climb up three steps into the FH 440 and you're the king of the road. Everything is automated. The I-shift is very intelligent as its namesake. The Volvo Dynamic Steering is really dynamic and as per their advertisements, a hamster could actually turn the steering wheel. Effort is minimised so that the driver can pay more attention to the surroundings. 

Speaking of visibility from the cabin, the view from the driver's seat is excellent. It offers a clear view of things and all the wing mirrors that allows you to keep an eye on the tanker trailer that sits behind you. And rest of the interior is well thought of. This is my first time getting into a Volvo FH as well as driving it and everything easily falls into place. The instrument cluster is very legible with all important information clear to see (this is somehow better than Volvo Truck's closest competitor actually). Everything is ergonomically sound once you're in the driver's seat. Dig those red seatbelts too. Funky. So long haul should be far less stressful in my opinion.

The Kaeng Krachan Circuit is tight and meant for smaller vehicles. So it was not a place for speeding especially with a truck pulling a loaded trailer. But you can feel that 10 tons of water out back is a walk in the park for something with over 2,000Nm of torque. The shifts are quite smooth once you press the accelerator and get underway. Without the trailer in tow this could be ballistic. And very scary too. Or powahhhhhhhhhhh down the straight. Hmm...ideas... And here we were in Thailand for the Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015. Oh well, safety first. And half a million Ringgit worth of truck to think about too. So instead of aiming for the apex, you don't. When you drive a truck pulling a trailer it is wide, wide, wide and make sure that the trailer stays on the tarmac instead of eating grass. Or barrier. Or cone. Or...

So if you get into a situation, the brakes on this Volvo FH work well. On a downhill stretch of the circuit the EBS working in tandem with the truck's ABS would safety modulate the truck I was driving with a ten ton load of water (simulating load carried whilst on a commute). Steering is light and responsive and it is easy to place the truck and its trailer with ease on the tight race track (thanks to the properly positioned wing mirrors - always remember you are driving something with a trailer out back as well as your width, girth and center of gravity). 

If you were driving this rig on the highways of Malaysia or Thailand it would be quite nice in something like this. Something that all truckers should aspire for. A drive in a well equipped long haul specced truck. Now go lobby your bosses for something like this as I heard that Volvo Trucks is thinking of bringing in the FH into Malaysia soon (especially if the open border trade agreements regarding AFTA comes into play).

I really dig the red seatbelts!!!!

Instead of hitting the apex you have to go wide, wide, wide so that the trailer can have enough room to turn!!!

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Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific FuelWatch Challenge 2015 - Mr Nor Rahmat (Malaysian Champion), Prifaria Sdn Bhd & the Malaysian Press Release

Ms. Marriott about to drive...and win the Asia Pacific FuelWatch Challenge 2015

The Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015 was held in Hua Hin, Thailand from 15th to 18th September recently. Following an inspiring performance, Ms. Louise Marriott from New Zealand was announced the most fuel-efficient driver in the on-road category. Ms. Marriott became the first female driver in the competition’s history to achieve a podium finish at the event, joining Mr. Ravi Poleboina from India who was awarded the most fuel-efficient driver in the off-road segment. In addition to being the first female driver, Ms. Marriott was also the first representative from New Zealand to attain the top prize at the Fuelwatch Challenge. I wrote about this earlier if you have been following this website. However, the Volvo Trucks Malaysia press release is posted below right after this article -  it differs from the one published earlier. 

Malaysia’s very own champion, Mr. Nor Rahmat Bin Abd Talib (above), a driver with logistics company Prifaria Sdn Bhd was one of the 17 top drivers from the Asia Pacific region who took part. I thought I'd share you readers a bit about someone who is actually like one of us, a Malaysian, and one who rose to the occasion. 

The Volvo Trucks Malaysia's’ annual Fuelwatch Challenge was held as a training and competition for truck drivers and it offers a treasure trove of skills and information, equipping truckers with the ability to churn out the best fuel consumption possible for their vehicles.The qualifying round of roadshows across various cities and towns in Malaysia kicked off earlier in April of 2015 This was the sixth instalment of this annual competition, and this year’s challenge saw an overwhelming participation of over 1,000 drivers – an increase from last year’s participation of 800 drivers. Mr Nor Rahmat Bin Abd Talib, from Prifaria Sdn Bhd, Prai, basically defeated them all. He also beat 17 other semi-finalists who were all vying to become Malaysia’s most fuel-efficient truck driver. 

He recorded the highest overall accumulated score based on theoretical tests during the preliminary rounds, Mr Nor Rahmat Bin Abd Talib was one of the 18 truck drivers to push through to the semi-finals and finals – where contestants needed to battle it out in a real time driving challenge covering a 45km distance. During the real time fuel efficiency test, Mr Nor Rahmat Bin Abd Talib achieved the lowest fuel consumption, clocking 2.83 kilometres with just one litre of fuel while carrying a load of 20 tonne in the Volvo FM 440 with i-shift technology. In winning, he booked a spot at the regional finals that would be held at Hua Hin.

Now I suppose this was the easy part. Travelling to another country to compete with the best in the region is another matter. This time the Asia Pacific finals was to be held at Keang Krachan Circuit (above - a nice, tight circuit) and the surrounding areas in Hua Hin, Thailand on the 15th to the 18th of September 2015. He would be going up against the best of the Asia Pacific region. 

The Malaysian 'contingent' consisted of Mr Nor Rahmat, Prifaria's Assistant Head of Division Mr Wan Ahmad Farhan Wan Ahmad Azmi, a handful of Malaysian journalists and staff of Volvo Malaysia. Most of us were based in the Klang Valley but Mr Nor Rahmat was still working on Sunday evening, delivery a cargo of fuel somewhere in Penang. He had to be up and about by 4.00am on Monday to catch the early morning flight to KLIA2 so that he could catch the 110pm flight which we were scheduled to take to Bangkok. I heard he could not sleep much that night. It must have been the excitement. Anyway, the flight to Bangkok was delayed for over an hour before we finally left meant that we actually reached Hua Hin, by nightfall. Hua Hin is about 199km from Bangkok and took us around three hours by a Volvo coach (obviously) to get there. So day 1 was a whole lot of travel for Mr Nor Rahmat. And for all of us too.

Drawing lots to see who drives first...

At least on Tuesday he managed to get some rest. The Hilton Hotel where all the competitors stayed was very accommodating. Participants started to check in on Tuesday and the hotel was starting to be filled with Volvo truckers, Volvo Trucks staff and also journalists from around the Asia Pacific region. Now hopefully the plan by Volvo Trucks Malaysia to fly in our champion a day early can get him rested for the finals that would be held on Thursday, 18th September. 

On Wednesday, we had some recreational activities to ease the mind of the competitors. They were treated to some outdoor activities like paintball target shooting, archery and ATV riding. Of course, the most important was the time allocated for them at the Keang Krachan Circuit (about one and a half hours away from Hua Hin) to familiarise themselves with the truck that would be used for the competition. 

The truck that was used was a Volvo FH440 complete with a tanker carrying 20 tons of water. This differs very slightly from the FM440 that Mr Nor Rahmat was familiar with and the one used in the Malaysian leg of the Fuelwatch Challenge. Similar horsepower, but with a higher placed driver's cabin for better visibility (and to some extent, a more comfortable cabin for long distance travel). It basically needs an extra step up compared ot the FM models. Anyway, the competitors got a few laps to familiarise themselves with the rig. Mr Nor Rahmat actually liked driving the Volvo FH. It was easy and it felt like driving a car (it goes to show how much technology has made truck driving less of a chore these days).

Thursday was the day of reckoning. Unfortunately, the slightly packed schedule over the past few days had taken its toll on Mr Nor Rahmat. Bad luck as he caught a cold and had to take some medication. Determination made him carry on and once loaded up with medication, he competed that day. Even smiling to the cameras pointed at him. 

It was a big day for him regardless of the outcome. I could see he gave all he got and saw a portrait of pride in what he did as he stepped down from the truck. He actually competed right after Asia Pacific champion Ms. Louise Marriott. I suppose it could have been the gentle touch of a woman that enabled Louise to clinch the title. But no regrets from our Malaysian champion. He had given all he had that day and basically learnt a fair bit from the other competitors here at the regional finals. It was not only driving smoothly, but achieving a high average speed too. The best drivers that day had a higher average speed aside from maximising fuel consumption. Something that he will put some effort into the next time he is allowed to compete in a Fuelwatch Challenge again (after at least two years). 

He also noted that the drivers from Australia have technical skills that enable them to actually make on the spot repairs if they were stuck in remote places. He does note that Volvo Trucks has already been providing technical training to drivers through the company’s Driver Development Programme but he hopes that the overall trucking industry in Malaysia will also follow suit for the benefit of a larger crowd of drivers. He was also inspired by the champion Ms. Marriot and hopes that Malaysia too can one day have female truck drivers participating in the Volvo Fuelwatch Challenge.

On Friday, it was travelling day again. We met at the hotel lobby early in the morning, boarded to coach for Bangkok for a late afternoon flight back to KLIA2. After touchdown, we said our goodbyes, Mr Nor Rahmat was to catch the 730 flight back to Penang where his work awaits him. The event would leave him with unforgettable memories. 

I have to give a big hand to the management of Prifaria Sdn Bhd, a transporter for most of the petroleum companies in Malaysia. They have their head office in Kuala Terengganu and have offices peninsular-wide. Mr Nor Rahmat is based in Prai but travels throughout Peninsular Malaysia transporting the precious petrol and diesel we use for our road transport. They have a strong belief that driver training can benefit them in terms of fuel usage efficiency, road safety, driver discipline and other holistic transportation principles. In fact, as early as 2011, Prifaria had been sending their drivers to compete in the Volvo Trucks Fuelwatch Challenges. 

I can't wait for the next time Volvo Trucks let me cover the Fuelwatch Challenge. Why? It gets me closer to the people who are the backbone of the nation. It allows me to remember that these are people too instead of just mere transporters. 

Press Release

History made! – first female truck driver wins at the Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015  

• New Zealand’s Ms. Louise Marriott became the first female driver and New Zealander to be named Asia Pacific’s most fuel-efficient driver
• Mr. Ravi Poleboina from India emerged as this year’s most fuel-efficient driver in the off-road category
• Malaysia’s very own champion, Mr. Nor Rahmat Bin Abd Talib, a driver with logistics company Prifaria Sdn Bhd was one of the 17 top drivers who took part
• Fuel-efficiency margins clocked by the winners of the on-road and off-road categories would result in significant cost savings in a real-world context

[22 SEPTEMBER 2015, MALAYSIA] Volvo Trucks, a global leader in sustainable transport solutions, saw a record-setting Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015, held in Hua Hin, Thailand from 15th to 18th September recently. Following an inspiring performance at the grand final, Ms. Louise Marriott from New Zealand was announced the most fuel-efficient driver in the on-road category.

Ms. Marriott became the first female driver in the competition’s illustrious history to achieve a podium finish at the event, joining Mr. Ravi Poleboina from India who was awarded the most fuel-efficient driver in the off-road segment. In addition to being the first female driver, Ms. Marriott was also the first representative from New Zealand to attain the top prize at the Fuelwatch Challenge.  

The competition, recognised as an annual mainstay event in the industry, embodies the company’s Fuelwatch mission towards a fuel-efficient industry model. During the event, participants attended a one-day training session on fuel-efficient driving techniques and technical expertise, followed by the Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge grand finals on the second day.

Encouraging inclusive growth

The Volvo Trucks Fuelwatch Challenge kicked-off its local editions in Asia Pacific earlier this year, and saw 17 top drivers qualify to contest for the title of the region’s most fuel-efficient driver in the on-road and off-road categories at the Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015.

This included four women, representing the expanding number of female drivers within the Fuelwatch community and the industry-at-large.

Expressing her elation over the record-setting performance, Ms Marriott said: “I’m absolutely pleased to be this year’s most fuel-efficient driver and to be the first contestant to bring the trophy home to New Zealand. While our industry is often thought of as being male dominated, the Fuelwatch Challenge has been a great platform for us to show that all drivers, regardless of gender, can perform at the highest level while being fuel-efficient. I look forward to sharing the experience at Fuelwatch with my colleagues back home.”

Malaysia’s very own champion, Mr Nor Rahmat Bin Abd Talib, a driver with logistics company Prifaria Sdn Bhd was one of the elite group of 17 top drivers who took part in the final. Although he did not bring back the trophy, nonetheless he is already a winner to Malaysia. He commented that the final challenge gave him an invaluable experience, as he echoed Ms Marriot’s sentiment about the competition.

“First of all, I was already so delighted that I was the winner, among 1,100 truck drivers who took part in the local challenge, to represent Malaysia at this final challenge. Participating in the challenge in Hua Hin certainly gave me an international exposure and boosted my confidence and skills as a truck driver!” said Mr Nor Rahmat.

He also said: “I had the opportunity to learn about and drive the Volvo FH model which is not available in Malaysia currently. It is such a robust yet smooth machine. I felt like I was driving a car! It’s that easy to drive! Overall, Fuelwatch Challenge has really taught me a great deal about defensive driving and combining it with a good knowledge of your truck so that fuel efficiency truly becomes a real benefit when you apply everything that you’ve learned.”

Mr Nor Rahmat also shared that he had the opportunity to talk to and exchange driving experiences with drivers from other countries, and what he learnt was that truck drivers in Australia are equipped with a lot of technical knowledge, and not just on driving skills. He said this knowledge will come in very handy in times of minor breakdown while on the road. While he acknowledges that Volvo Trucks has already been providing technical trainings to drivers through the company’s Driver Development Programme, he hopes that the overall trucking industry in Malaysia will also follow suit for the benefit of a larger crowd of drivers. And most certainly, he was inspired by Ms. Marriot and hopes that Malaysia too can one day have female truck drivers participating in the Volvo Fuelwatch Challenge.

Fuelling positive change   

To win the title of the most fuel-efficient driver in the on-road category at this year’s Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge, Ms. Marriott clocked 17.5% less fuel compared to the highest amount of fuel burnt at the event.

In the off-road category, Mr. Poleboina clinched the top prize with a notable achievement of 12.5% less fuel consumption relative to fellow contestants.

Within the industry, fuel can account to up to 50% of the operating costs of a typical haulage business. Based on the fuel-efficiency margins recorded in the on-road and off-road finals, this would inarguably translate into significant cost savings potential in a real-world context.

Congratulating Ms. Marriott and Mr. Poleboina on their achievements, Christophe Martin, President of Volvo Trucks in Asia Oceania added: “I am delighted and proud to witness history made at this year’s Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015, with the first female driver joining the ranks of past Fuelwatch winners. Louise’s achievements will no doubt encourage aspiring female drivers, which will benefit the industry as a whole.”

Mr Martin further commented: “We at Volvo Trucks are firmly committed to the Fuelwatch mission of optimising performance at minimum cost to businesses, society and the environment. Since our inaugural event in 2007, the more than 15,000 participants of the Fuelwatch Challenge have become ambassadors of the Fuelwatch community, sharing the skills and technical knowledge that they have picked up at the event to catalyse our goal of a fuel-efficient industry. Together with them, we look forward to championing the Fuelwatch mission for the industry and the society”.

Volvo FMX for the Off-Road Challenge

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History made at the Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015 - A Motoring-Malaysia Report

I was over in Hua Hin, in Thailand to witness some history being made in the Asia Pacific trucking scene. The Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015 saw Ms. Louise Marriott became the first female driver and New Zealander to be named Asia Pacific’s most fuel-efficient driver. This was the first time Volvo Trucks has included women participation, four women, representing the expanding number of female drivers within the Fuelwatch community and the industry-at-large. 

The Volvo Trucks Fuelwatch Challenge kicked-off its local/country editions in Asia Pacific earlier this year, and saw 17 top drivers qualify to contest for the title of the region’s most fuel-efficient driver in the on-road and off-road categories at the Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015. This included four women, representing the expanding number of female drivers within the Fuelwatch community and the industry-at-large.

To win the title of the most fuel-efficient driver in the on-road category at this year’s Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge, Ms. Marriott clocked 17.5% less fuel compared to the highest amount of fuel burnt at the event. 

Now aside from the on-road challenge, there was an off-road challenge too, this was won by Mr Ravi Poleboina of India (pictured above). He clinched the top prize with a notable achievement of 12.5% less fuel consumption relative to fellow contestants.

The Volvo Trucks Fuelwatch Challenge is something intriguing and technical. It was held this year at the Kaeng Krachan circuit close to Hua Hin. Participants must navigate a Volvo FH 440 Prime Mover with a tanker trailer (filled with at least 20 tons of water) through the tight and undulating 3 over kilometer circuit as economically as possible but they cannot be too slow. They must do three laps of the circuit, reach a maximum speed of 60km/h on the straight (and not more than that) and complete the whole three laps in under 13 minutes. And they have to beat 16 other contestants to win. And then, the top three finalists would have to duke it out on the actual roads outside the circuit. Not as straightforward as you think.

The circuit...in not so many words is bloody beautiful to drive on

It is not as easy as you think as I did two laps on the circuit in the same truck (At the same time I wish I was blasting through this circuit in a Honda Civic Type R as it is fabulous!!!!!!). Whilst driving the rig was actually easy due to the fabulous technology fitted in the Volvo (I-shift gears, almost auto everything, good visibility and power), it is still the driver that is needed to ensure when you need to step on the accelerator, maintain a constant speed, coast  downhill like a pro and more management overall. To just step on the accelerator and go 'Powaahhhhhhhh' is easy, this driving economically stuff isn't a walk in a park.

I suppose this could be the reason why Ms Marriott won. A gentle touch for something so big could be actually needed. If you also asked me why Mr Poleboina of India won, you should actually see the types of roads he traverses (super narrow roads carved into hills, mountains and ravines I presume). He could be a driving God. Who knows.

Now a bit about our Malaysian champion and representative. I have the utmost respect for Mr Nor Rahmat Bin Abd Talib from Prifaria Sdn Bhd (pictured above) . He was down with a cold and was not at all well when he competed. But the dedication in him was commendable. He was loaded up with medicine and competed anyway. From what I heard, he did not do too bad. A champion in my books.

So history has been made. The first female champion of the Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge has been crowned. She would make her was to the world championships in Gothenburg sometime next year.

On a separate (and on a very self praising note), Malaysia did not come home empty handed. Yours Truly, the chap who runs this website, actually won something for Malaysia - Most Active Journalist beating journalists from 10 other countries in the Asia Pacific region. How the heck I managed that is a mystery actually (they provided us with a FitBit activity tracker each for this). Maybe it was from all the walking during the event and the shopping during all the free time as well as repeated trips to the local tailor to get the safari jacket below done. But didn't I do Malaysia proud? Of course I did.

Press Release (and more pics down below)

History made at the Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015

• New Zealand’s Ms. Louise Marriott became the first female driver and New Zealander to be named Asia Pacific’s most fuel-efficient driver
• Mr. Ravi Poleboina from India emerged as this year’s most fuel-efficient driver in the off-road category
• Fuel-efficiency margins clocked by the winners of the on-road and off-road categories would result in significant cost savings in a real-world context

[18 SEPTEMBER 2015, SINGAPORE]Volvo Trucks, a global leader in sustainable transport solutions, saw a record-setting Volvo Trucks Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015 yesterday. Following an inspiring performance at the grand final in the Thai city of Hua Hin, Louise Marriott from New Zealand was announced the most fuel-efficient driver in the on-road category.

Ms. Marriott became the first female driver in the competition’s illustrious history to achieve a podium finish at the event, joining Ravi Poleboina from India who was awarded the most fuel-efficient driver in the off-road segment. In addition to being the first female driver, Ms. Marriott was also the first representative from New Zealand to attain the top prize at the Fuelwatch Challenge.

The competition, recognised as an annual mainstay event in the industry, embodies the company’s Fuelwatch mission towards a fuel-efficient industry model. During the event, participants attended a one-day training session on fuel-efficient driving techniques and technical expertise, followed by the Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge grand finals on the second day.

Encouraging inclusive growth

This Volvo FMX was used for the Off-Road Challenge

The Volvo Trucks Fuelwatch Challenge kicked-off its local editions in Asia Pacific earlier this year, and saw 17 top drivers qualify to contest for the title of the region’s most fuel-efficient driver in the on-road and off-road categories at the Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015. This included four women, representing the expanding number of female drivers within the Fuelwatch community and the industry-at-large.

Expressing her elation over the record-setting performance, Ms Marriott said: “I’m absolutely pleased to be this year’s most fuel-efficient driver and to be the first contestant to bring the trophy home to New Zealand. While our industry is often thought of as being male dominated, the Fuelwatch Challenge has been a great platform for us to show that all drivers, regardlessof gender, can perform at the highest level while being fuel-efficient. I look forward to sharing the experience at Fuelwatch with my colleagues back home.”

Fuelling positive change

The three on-road finalists

To win the title of the most fuel-efficient driver in the on-road category at this year’s Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge, Ms. Marriott clocked 17.5% less fuel compared to the highest amount of fuel burnt at the event.

In the off-road category, Mr. Poleboina clinched the top prize with a notable achievement of 12.5% less fuel consumption relative to fellow contestants.

Within the industry, fuel can account to up to 50% of the operating costs of a typical haulage business. Based on the fuel-efficiency margins recorded in the on-road and off-road finals, this would inarguably translate into significant cost savings potential in a real-world context.

Congratulating Ms. Marriott and Mr. Poleboina on their achievements, Christophe Martin, President of Volvo Trucks in Asia Oceania added: “I am delighted and proud to witness history made at this year’s Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge 2015, with the first female driver joining the ranks of past Fuelwatch winners. Louise’s achievements will no doubt encourage aspiring female drivers, which will benefit the industry as a whole.”

Mr Martin further commented: “We at Volvo Trucks are firmly committed to the Fuelwatch mission of optimising performance at minimum cost to businesses, society and the environment. Since our inaugural event in 2007, the more than 15,000 participants of the Fuelwatch Challenge have become ambassadors of the Fuelwatch community, sharing the skills and technical knowledge that they have picked up at the event to catalyse our goal of a fuel-efficient industry. Together with them, we look forward to championing the Fuelwatch mission for the industry and the society”. 

Tips for all

National champions 2015

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