Scania East Africa Opens 2016 Driver Competition in Kenya

Truck manufacturer Scania East Africa has launched its first edition of its worldwide Scania Driver Competitions for 2016 in Kenya.

According to Mr. Per Holmstrom ,  Managing Director: Scania East Africa company, the 2016 competition   aims to identify and recognize the best bus and truck drivers from Kenya in the categories of safety, fuel efficiency and eco-friendliness.

“The Scania Driver Competitions have become a global opportunity for truck drivers to demonstrate their expertise, knowledge and professionalism.  We believe the driver is the transport operator’s single most important asset in delivering Total Operating Economy,” he said.

Holmstrom also urged different stakeholders in the transport and road sector to begin talks on how they can encourage efficient fuel consumption, efficiency and emission.

“As the vehicle industry comes up with alternative technologies and fuels to ensure sustainable fuel consumption and reduction of cost, it is import that this issue is addressed going forward. In the truck industry, 40-50 percent is on fuel cost and a good driver can bring it down to 20 percent.”

“World over, it is not easy to get a good driver,” he emphasized.

Holmstrom says drivers are the most important asset of any transport business because they can influence all areas of the transport economy, making their skills and knowledge paramount.

“The 2016 Scania Driver Competitions aim to raise levels of awareness across all three areas, which have benefits for all drivers, their families, their employers, our entire transport industry and indeed, all other road users.

Read: Scania Raises the Bar with the Launch of Scania Optimize

Mr. Johan Borgstam, Swedish Ambassador to Kenya welcomed the competition in Kenya and was optimistic it will reduce the number of fatalities reported on the Kenyan roads.

“Last year in Sweden we had only 260 fatalities from road accidents. We at the embassy are aware of NTSA’s commitment to reducing road fatalities and therefore we are willing to collaborate with them in their road safety efforts,” said ambassador Borgstam.

Mr. Francis Meja, Director General National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) said Kenyan roads are among the ten worst in the world.

“The driver is the most critical person on the road and rarely recognized, thus, we welcome this competition as it will ensure there is sustainability when it comes to road safety.”

Meja noted that Kenya being strategically placed serves land locked countries and this contributes 60 percent of the GDP is generated from the northern corridor.

The transport regulator boss on the order to  inspect vehicles that are more than four years old from the recorded date of manufacture in a bid to rid the country of roadworthy cars,  he said they are implementing the United Nations (UN) made amendments to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.

Under the NTSA rules, private vehicles will be inspected every two years while commercial ones will be checked every year in regulations set by the authority.

The key inspection areas will be vehicle lamps, indicators, headlights, horns, electrical wiring and battery, the steering system and suspension.

Other areas include; shock absorbers, brakes, tyres, seatbelts, speedometers and windows.

Legibility to participate

Participation is open to any licensed driver who is a citizen of Kenya or is a non-citizen residing in Kenya. Prospective applicants must also be employed truck or bus drivers either working for a company or self-employed with a valid license to drive heavy commercial vehicles.

Participating drivers should also possess good knowledge of transportation regulations in Kenya and be familiar with heavy trucks or buses of any brand or make.

The competition will be held in three stages, application, regionals and finals. During the application period, which will run between the 1st and 31st of May, drivers will register for the competition and take a theory test which will aid in the selection for the regional rounds.

The regional rounds will be held between the 23rd of July and the 13th of August. They will begin on the 23rd of July in Eldoret before moving on to Nairobi on the 6th of August and concluding on the 13^th of August in Mombasa.

In the regional rounds and national final, participants will drive a Scania truck or bus through an obstacle course, demonstrating their skills in safety, fuel efficiency and eco-friendliness. These tests include, reversing along a Z- shaped track and precision maneuvering, among others.

The national final will be held at the parking area of the Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday the 1^st of October. Winners of the bus and truck categories will take home a cash prize worth KES 300, 000.

In the regional rounds and national final, participants will drive a Scania truck or bus through an obstacle course, demonstrating their skills in safety, fuel efficiency and eco-friendliness. These tests include, reversing along a Z- shaped track and precision maneuvering, among others.

Globally, Scania has been holding driver competitions for 10 years, involving over 300,000 drivers from 50 countries over the decade.

Registration for the 2016 Scania Driver Competitions is now open. Find out more here.