Scania announces winners of 2014 Scania China Truck Driver Competition

With two steady hands on the wheel, Feng Xing Ming took home the first of five regional finals in Chinas Scania Driver Competition. Feng's efforts to constantly become a better and safer professional driver have been inspired by his experiences on some of the world's most
accident-plagued roads.

Roads and infrastructure in China have been improving in recent years, but at the same time the number of vehicles being driven by inexperienced and poorly trained drivers has dramatically increased.
Highly valued driver training

On average, some 165 people are killed and 600 are permanently injured on China's roads every day. One reason for the appalling figures are the working conditions endured by China's professional drivers, while a lack of driver education is another.

Scania China's investment in drivers and its focus on traffic safety at the ongoing driver competitions is, as a result, highly valued, as much by drivers as by authorities and the general public.

The first regional final of this year's Scania Driver Competition in China was held in Shenzhen in the south of the country, with 2014 marking the third time the entire competition has been staged. Of 2,000 drivers who signed up this year, 50 progressed to the Shenzhen final, braving monsoonal rains to compete for three places in the national final in autumn.

Both the winner and first runner-up at Shenzhen drive for the same transport company, City Star Logistics in Guangzhou, where they were encouraged by their boss to take part in 2014 Scania China Truck Driver Competition.

"I had to finish up with my previous employer because I was involved in an accident that wasn't my fault," said Feng Xing Ming. "Simply the fact that the job was delayed meant that I was fired. Now, I'm working for a transport company that realises the value of drivers who are constantly becoming better and safer."

Since the accident, Feng has taken every opportunity to learn more about driving trucks and acquire knowledge that can make him even safer. Several of the competition rounds in Shenzhen centred on handling a truck in a safe manner. One of the training stations, where the local fire brigade trained 50 participants in safe firefighting, was especially appreciated.

Posted in: Asia Pacific,China,Commercial Vehicle,Contest,Scania,Truck