One of the highlights of this year’s TRANSPORT SHOW will be the competition for renowned ‘Scania Young European Truck Driver 2014’. This major driver competition will take place at the exhibition grounds at MEC, Paiania and is expected to attract some of the best Greek truck drivers. In front of an audience of some thousands of viewers and exhibition visitors, drivers will do their best to qualify for the big final and enter a chance to win a brand new Scania!
Thousands of truck drivers from around the world have once again been invited to participate in Scania Driver Competitions – the world’s largest truck driving and training event. Scania Driver Competitions 2014 marks the sixth time this international event has been held since it was established in 2003. The 2014 event aims to attract more than 85,000 truck drivers from 40 countries.
The competition started as a response to a 2003 European Commission directive on driver training which aimed to minimise the environmental impact of truck driving by increasing road-safety awareness and improving fuel consumption. The European Commission has endorsed the event ever since.
Skilled drivers an asset
Erik Ljungberg, Senior Vice President Corporate Relations at Scania, says Scania firmly believes that skilled drivers are the single-most important asset for securing road safety, minimising the environmental impacts of road transport, and contributing to an efficient transport industry.
“Everyone in the transport industry can play a part,” he says. “Arranging extensive and demanding truck driver competitions across the world is one of Scania’s many contributions.”
“Truck drivers, the transport industry and sponsors have all shown tremendous interest in the competition,” Ljungberg says. “More than 500 drivers have pre-registered for the event in Germany alone.”
Increased driver awareness
Mikael Person, General Manager for Scania Driver Competitions, has followed the competition closely since its inception.
“We believe the competition has an impact,” he says. “The skill and awareness of drivers increases in markets where Scania arranges these competitions.”
His belief is backed up by the results of driver surveys conducted following the 2012 competitions. Participating drivers felt taking part in the competition had improved their skills. “The competition has grown from 18,000 participants ten years ago to more than 85,000 this year,” Person says.
Those who wish to participate should be of an age of up to 35 years, hold a valid professional driver’s license and either call +30 2103499283 or register online at http://scaniagr.eu/index.php/?page=events