India Fuelwatch 2013
The Volvo Trucks India Fuelwatch 2013 competition brings out the importance of the best driving practices to save valuable fuel in mining operations.

Volvo Trucks India Fuelwatch 2013 Competition was held at a coal mining site in Naigaon near Chandrapur, Maharashtra recently. Atul Pandey, from SS Chatwal & Company emerged as the winner of the India Fuel Watch 2013 Competition. Drivers from key Volvo customers operating in mining segment across the country participated in the annual fuel efficiency competition.

Volvo Trucks Fuelwatch competition is part of Volvo Trucks' effort to educate drivers and create awareness among customers and other stakeholders on the importance of the best driving practices to improve fuel efficiency, reduce fuel cost and increase profitability. Fuel efficiency is the most critical aspect of profitability in mining transport and we at Volvo Trucks are committed to improving customer's overall profitability from our vehicles, while encouraging safe driving practices and environmental care through reduction in emissions. The competition highlights the importance of good, safe driving practices and promotes thorough understanding of the latest technologies of high performance tippers, to achieve the best man and machine performance. The Fuelwatch competition promotes both economic and environmental advantages of the best driving practices and brings out a positive spirit among Volvo tipper drivers. Volvo Trucks India Fuelwatch was initiated in 2010 and this is the fourth season.

"Fuel efficiency and vehicle productivity are critical considerations for fleet operations in mining transport. At Volvo Trucks, special emphasis is given to superior driving skills because it plays an important role in achieving better fuel efficiency and increased profitability" said AK Birla, Executive Vice President, Sales, Marketing & Aftermarket, VE Commercial Vehicles.

"Fuel reduction is vital, both for cost saving and lowering environmental impact. Our Fuelwatch initiative helps our customers to get the very best in fuel efficiency and lower operating costs. Fuel reduction is vital, both economically and environmentally. Environment and economy goes hand in hand," Birla added.

The competition is the ultimate test for Volvo tipper drivers to bring out the best in driving practices under tough off-road conditions and achieve highest fuel efficiency. The onset of monsoon made the competition even more challenging. Atul Pandey from S S Chatwal and Company was adjudged the winner, followed by Varinder Singh from Ranjit Buildcon who was adjudged was 1st Runner-up, and Tileshwar Prasad from Rungta Projects was adjudged 2nd Runner-up.

The winning driver achieved a remarkable 24 per cent higher fuel efficiency compared to the driver with lowest fuel efficiency in the competition. Volvo trucks have an electronic management system that records the trip data including fuel consumption. Before starting each trip, the trip meter is reset and at the end of the trip the data is downloaded through the Dynafleet trip manager software, the information is taken from the truck itself. There is no manual intervention in recording the readings leading to any possible human errors. The whole process is very transparent and well explained to all participants prior to beginning of the contest.

The competition was conducted by Volvo Trucks Driver Training Centre following global standards and practices laid down by Volvo Trucks, giving each driver identical conditions and opportunity on a carefully selected route in a coal mine. Volvo Trucks pioneered commercial vehicles Driver Training in India and in fact, Volvo Trucks is the first CV manufacturer to set up a Driver Training Centre in India. The Volvo Driver Training Centre has so far trained over 35,000 drivers and helped the drivers understand the latest truck technology, its proper use, safe driving practices and ways of achieving better fuel efficiency.

The Volvo Trucks product range in India includes the FM & FMX range of tippers, FM range of dump truck, FM rigid trucks for special application eg, fire tenders, sky lifts, boom pumps, concrete mixers and the FM/FH range of tractors in different configurations. The FM/FH series of tractors are used in long-haulage ODC (over-dimension cargo) transport applications. Today, Volvo Trucks is the most preferred truck brand in the premium European heavy- duty market and enjoys 60 per cent market share in India.

FACT SHEET

Date: 11-12 June, 2013
Site: Ranjit Buildcon Site, WCL Coal Mine, Naigaon, Chandrapur, Maharastra

  • Volvo Trucks India Fuelwatch was initiated in 2010 and this was the fourthseason of the competition. It helps drivers bring out the best fuel efficiency from a Volvo truck in real life mining conditions and is a true test of man and machine.
  • The purpose of Volvo Truck's Fuelwatch programme is to promote both the financial and environmental advantages of fuel-efficient driving. Fuelwatch competitions aim to acknowledge and reward drivers, who are central to minimising fuel consumption.
  • Drivers play a crucial role in overall profitability from the trucks. Volvo Trucks is focused on improving fuel efficiency and thereby customer's profitability, while encouraging safe driving practices and environmental care through reduction in emissions.

The Competition

  • 16 drivers out of the 40 nominations from Volvo's key customers after rigorous evaluations got a chance to participate in the India final of the competition. The competition was conducted for two days where each driver had to drive two Volvo tippers - FM 400 8x4 & FMX 440 8x4 twice each under identical operating conditions.
  • Each driver drove in total approximately 19 km which gave sufficient data for analysis. The Dynafleet trip manager software was used to download the data from the trucks which have electronic management system that records the trip data including fuel consumption. Thus, the information was taken from the truck itself with no manual intervention in recording the readings which could lead to any possible human errors. Qualitative parameters of safety, driving attitude, etc, were also taken into consideration while adjudging the winner.
  • Health checkup, sightseeing and personal accident insurance for drivers were also part of the event.
  • Necessary permissions from relevant authorities were obtained before the start of the contest.

Results

  • Difference in fuel consumption between the highest and lowest fuel efficient driver this year was a whopping 24 per cent which emphasises the point that a good driver can make a lot of difference.
  • Atul Pandey, driver from SS Chhatwal & Co, Ambikapur, was adjudged as the winner followed by Varinder Singh of Ranjit BuildCon, Chandrapur as the first runner-up and Tileshwar Prasad of Rungta Projects, Sonebhadra as the second runner-up.
  • The purpose of Fuelwatch competition was achieved as it was evident and drivers also acknowledged that good driving practices can improve fuel consumption by significantly.
  • Volvo's recent introduction FMX 440 8X4 tipper demonstrated superior fuel efficiency in the range of 7.5 per cent to 12 per cent.