An unexpected number of people turned up at the Scania Driver Competition–MIBTC Edition (SDC-ME) that was held in conjunction with the recent Malaysia International Bus, Truck and Components Expo 2015.
Held at the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre, the competition was open to anyone who wanted to have a go at driving a truck and participants had the opportunity to drive Scania P410 prime movers - the staple of Scania - to test their maneuvering skills.
More than 400 participants, who came from as far as the East Coast, were put through a challenging test that required them to drive the powerful yet fuel-efficient trucks around the competition course to complete a series of control and maneuvering skills with the least mistakes possible.
For many of them it was the first time they had ever been inside the cabin of a truck, let alone drive one, which they did with the guidance of an official Scania Driver Trainer.
There were four top drivers selected for each of the three days of the competition and they each received a genuine Scania sports bag.
“I came to the MIBTC to source for supplies for my business, and after being encouraged by my friends I signed up as a contestant and just wanted to have some fun. I did not expect to win, but I’m sure glad I did,” said En.Ghazali Hussin who was one of the 12 top drivers.
“Though it seemed that the competition was all fun, I was impressed by the coaching that the Scania Driver Trainer gave me throughout the competition and realised how serious Scania is in promoting safety for their customers and their drivers,” added the business owner from Terengganu.
A husband and wife team who came to the exhibition just to participate in the competition said they found out after learning about it from an email they had received.
“When I found out that the competition was open to all truck drivers as well as driving license holders, I told my wife, to give it a go,” said En Zamri Abdul Rahman who works for a logistic company in Port Klang.
The SDC-ME was a successful prelude to the main event in October this year, which is the Scania Driver Competition 2014/2015 Malaysia-Singapore (SDC).
The closing date for submission of entry forms for the professional drivers’ competition is on 31 July, 2015.
“The fourth edition of the SDC is now open to all drivers of trucks and buses, besides Scania vehicle drivers, so it will be a bigger and more challenging environment this year, ” said Marketing and Communication Manager of Scania Southeast Asia, Ian Tan
“We are committed to elevating the status of all commercial vehicle drivers in Malaysia by increasing the standards of safety, fuel economy and environmentally-friendly concerns. The support from Government transport agencies such as the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and Road Safety Department (JKJR) as Official Partners of the SDC; also Michelin Malaysia as Main Sponsor are testimonies to this commitment by Scania,” added Tan.
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