2014 Volvo Trucks Fuelwatch Competition China Final Winner Crowned

www.chinatrucks.com: August 20th, 2014, Beijing– Being Volvo Trucks’ global initiative, Fuelwatch Competition has been held in China for 6 years, starting from 2009. After more than four-month competition, the 2014 Volvo Trucks Fuelwatch Competition China Final concluded today. 22 drivers winning in the semi-finals and internal competitions have gathered in Beijing and competed for the champion. The Fuelwatch Competition is part of Volvo Trucks’ commitment to improving driver's abilities by providing professional training and assessments focused on coaching safety and fuel-efficiency driving skills. These skills will help truck drivers develop themselves professionally and give them the opportunity to play an indispensable role in the transportation industry.

The highlight of this year’s competition was the opportunity for competitors to drive the new Volvo Trucks FH, a vehicle which has won awards such as the Red Dot Product Design Award and the iF Product Design Award. Furthermore, while driving the new FH, drivers were able to experience the renowned driving comfort of the innovative VDS (Volvo Dynamic Steering). The fuel-saving technology, ergonomic design, driving experience and safety technology of the new Volvo Trucks range have set new benchmarks for the truck industry, bringing the transportation industry six values: productivity, fuel-efficiency, uptime, safety, security, and driver appeal.
 

Only 22 drivers were won out of over 4,000 drivers for the final through company selection, training, assessment and the on-road fuel-saving driving contest. In the end, Liu Houliang from Wuhan Deppon Logistics Company was crowned the champion with his impressive fuel saving performance of 21.6L/100km. Mr Liu has been driving trucks for nearly 12 years, among which 4 years being with Volvo FM440. Next he will represent Volvo Trucks China in September at the Volvo Trucks Fuelwatch Competition World Finals in Sweden, competing against other Fuelwatch finalists from all over the world.
 

 

Mr. Liu once participated the competition last year, from which the experience help him to face the challenge calmer and smarter. Liu remarked “Driving Volvo has become part of my life. However, through participating in this competition, I realize there is still a lot of room for improvement! During the competition I was able to interact with truck drivers from all over the country and we had the opportunity to learn from each other. I learned many new ways to be fuel efficient and brought my driving skills up to the next level. Winning the China Final and representing China in the Global Final Competition is an enormous honor. I truly value this opportunity to learn from highly skilled drivers from all over the world and will strive to achieve the best results possible.”

For celebrating the 80th anniversary in China, Volvo Trucks launched the Volvo Trucks China Dream Program and the Volvo Trucks Fuelwatch Ambassador Online Selection. The two programs were opened to all truck drivers in China, giving drivers of domestically manufactured trucks an excellent opportunity to participate in a Volvo Trucks event and understand the culture of Volvo Trucks. The Fuelwatch Ambassador of 2014 is a truck driver with the internet username “Guiyang Xiao Liu”. Guiyang Xiao Liu, who drives domestically manufactured trucks, shared detailed observations and fuel saving tips from his personal driving experience, receiving nearly 90,000 views and 600 comments. Guiyang Xiao Liu will accompany Liu Houliang to Sweden to experience the excitement of the World Finals as well as take a tour of the Volvo factory and Volvo Museum. Throughout his trip he will share his experiences online with truck drivers and fans in China.

 

 

The key aspect of the Volvo Trucks China Dream Program, is that it focuses on the goals and dreams of the truck drivers themselves. Providing not only driving training but also job opportunities, the program brings drivers closer to achieving their career goals and their personal dreams. Over the course of three months Volvo received about 200 applications describing drivers’ professional goals and dreams. Nearly 85% of applicants wrote that they hoped to receive driving skills training and the opportunity to find a job of driving Volvo Truck.  

Eventually, Volvo Trucks will support Sun Honglin from Deppon Logistics Company in Foshan, Guangdong to fulfill his dream. Sun is an advanced level driver with 8 years of truck driving experience, about two-thirds of that time being spent driving Volvo. Sun Honglin explained that he always hoped to provide children from poor regions the opportunity to receive a better education. “All children should have an equal opportunity to receive the education they deserve. Children from the countryside should be able to walk down the same path in life as city children can.” Although Sun Honglin has always had this dream, it was difficult for him to make it come true. Now, as winner of them Volvo Trucks China Dream Program, Sun Honglin and Volvo Trucks will cooperate with the Library Program to bring Sun’s dream to life. In September the children of Huanggui Primary School, located in Fenggang Town, Huaiji County in Zhaoqing City in Guangdong Province will receive a brand-new library room with over 1000 Chinese language children’s books in it.
 

Eric Labat, president of Volvo Trucks China, congratulated both the China Final Champion and the Ambassador, “This year is a glorious year for Volvo Trucks. First and foremost we are celebrating our 80th Anniversary in China; at the same time, we are excited to introduce our new range to the China market. Volvo Trucks not only provides our customers with reliable, quality products, but we also pay great attention to the way that companies and drivers operate the vehicles. Volvo Trucks is a leading global brand of imported trucks and we will continue to develop our strengths and provide strong support for the rapid and efficient development of the Chinese transportation industry.”

 

Volvo Trucks provides complete transport solutions for professional and demanding customers, offering a full range of medium to heavy duty trucks. Customer support is secured via a global network of 2,100 dealers and workshops in more than 140 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 14 countries across the globe. In 2013 more than 116,000 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses and construction equipment, and drive systems for marine and industrial applications. The Group also provides solutions for financing and service. Volvo’s work is based on the core values quality, safety and environmental care.

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