Scania, the Swedish-based manufacturer of trucks and buses, will soon kick off its selection process in 40 countries on five continents, aimed at identifying the world’s best truck drivers.

Scania’s Young European Truck Driver competition has evolved into a global event. Scania will also organize seminars in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), which has road safety as a theme in 2007.
“The driver is absolutely the most important factor in heavy vehicle transport services. Vehicles and infrastructure are obviously of major significance, but road safety is primarily a matter of human behavior. By means of these competitions, we want to help raise the status of professional drivers and emphasize their great importance to both road safety and the profitability of transport companies. We want to help attract more young, capable drivers into the transport business,” says Cecilia Edström, Scania’s senior vice president of corporate communications.
In the haulage industry there is a growing interest in training programs that teach safe, fuel-efficient driving. Good driving style can contribute to better traffic flow, thereby also improving fuel consumption and decreasing exhaust emissions globally. Haulers save fuel and reduce vehicle and tire wear, with smaller environmental impact as a consequence.
“Skilled, road safety-conscious drivers benefit society, transport companies and the environment. Thus driver training is a service that generates added value for our customers," says Hans-Christer Holgersson, group vice president and head of sales and services.
The competition encompasses both theoretical and practical tests in line with the European Union directive on compulsory driver training. The purpose of this new directive is to introduce professional training that focuses on safe driving and raises the safety standard of drivers, which will have a positive impact not only on society in general but also on the transport sector.
The most recent round of the world’s largest competition for heavy truck drivers was held in 2005 and attracted 30,000 contestants from 26 European countries as well as Argentina, Brazil, Taiwan and South Africa. Also competing in the 2007 competition will be Australia, South Korea, Malaysia, Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania. In Europe, Bulgaria has been added to the participating countries. The African countries will also invite bus and coach drivers to compete for the title of best bus driver.
The competitions, which are being carried out for the third time, will begin early in 2007 with qualifying rounds at various Scania dealerships and test tracks around the world. National finals will then follow, and the big final event for European countries will take place in September.