UD Extra Mile Challenge – Ultimate drivers keep the world moving!
The UD Extra Mile Challenge is UD Trucks’ global driver competition. It uniquely simulates a transport cycle – pre-inspection, fuel efficient and safety driving, parking skills – linking driver skills to business reality.
There are local market qualification rounds, and the best driver selected in each market will qualify for the Global Final at the UD Experience Center in Ageo, Japan, where finalists compete to find out who is the ultimate driver.
The UD Extra Mile Challenge serves as a symbol for UD Trucks’ going the extra mile for customer success and commitment to support all aspects of smart logistics.
Ultimate drivers keep the world moving – and we support them
Around the world transportation companies are facing a severe challenge: a lack of skilled drivers. Our goal is to help our customers attract good drivers, and make each one of them an ultimate driver. Ultimate drivers safe fuel and operation cost, care about the truck, the cargo and the environment, and put safety first.
At UD Trucks we design our products with the driver in mind, the best trucks for all drivers. Trucks that are smart and fuel efficient, with a driver environment that makes driving as easy and enjoyable as possible.
Ultimate drivers aren’t simply born with exceptional driving skills. They have to go through a period of learning, spending time on the road, perfecting their skills, mile after mile. Our aim is to help accelerate this process to allow more drivers to become ultimate drivers as quickly as possible. That’s why we offer comprehensive driver training programs – and that’s why we created the UD Extra Mile Challenge.
UD Extra Mile Challenge competition – the concept
UD Extra Mile Challenge is a driver-skill based competition that tests drivers in three key areas: pre-drive inspection, fuel efficient and safe driving, and maneuvering and parking skills.
However, the UD Extra Mile Challenge is not only about technical ability. The focus is as much on mind set. The competition encourages drivers to think more commercially by highlighting the trade-offs between speed, delivery time, fuel efficiency, safety and smooth driving.
With UD Extra Mile Challenge we also want to motivate our drivers, and promote truck driving. It’s an important, challenging and interesting job that it’s at the heart of smart logistics.
UD Extra Mile Challenge 2022 Ultimate Driver crowned
From October 18-21, heavy-duty truck drivers from around the world competed in the UD Extra Mile Challenge 2022 global final, held at the UD Experience Center in Ageo, Japan. Due to the pandemic, this was the first time since 2018 that the global final was held, and the fifth such competition since it was introduced in 2015.
The UD Extra Mile Challenge is a driver-skill based competition that tests drivers in three key areas: pre-drive inspection, fuel efficient and safe driving, and maneuvering and parking skills.
The competition featured the top drivers from 11 countries, each having already won individual regional competitions from a field of 260 drivers. Three drivers for the heavy-duty Quon and eight for the heavy-duty Quester battled in their bid to become the Ultimate Driver.
The countries represented in the global final were Japan, Singapore, South Africa, Indonesia, Ecuador, Qatar, Zimbabwe, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Malaysia.
This year's winner was Kouichi Aizawa of Nissho Maruwn Co., Ltd. representing Japan in the Quon category, and Mr. Chawin Chalermyart of S. Kanoksub Logistics Co., Ltd. representing Thailand in the Quester category.
Quon Category Winner: Japan
Kouichi Aizawa, Nissho Maruwn Co., Ltd.
"Representing Japan in the UD Extra Mile Challenge came with much pressure to perform. It was a wonderful experience to compete with drivers from around the world. I have received support from so many people to be here today and would like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart. I will continue to do my best to drive efficiently and safely, to honor the title of Ultimate Driver."
Quester Category Winner: Thailand
Chawin Chalermyart, S. Kanoksub Logistics Co., Ltd.
"I am elated with the result and would like to thank UD Trucks for organizing this event. Through this competition I have improved my driving skills - driving more efficiently overall and optimizing the performance of my truck. It has been such a beneficial experience."
Kouji Maruyama, President of UD Trucks, said, “We thank all drivers for their tremendous effort to keep logistics moving in these challenging times. The highly skilled drivers participating in this competition contribute not only to the bottom line, but also make society better by improving the efficiency of logistics, minimizing traffic accidents, and reducing environmental impacts.“
The shortage of skilled drivers is a pressing issue facing markets the world over. The UD Extra Mile Challenge demonstrates the company’s commitment to driver education and motivation, while shining the light on the unsung heroes of Gemba – the truck drivers. It serves as a symbol for UD Trucks and how the company is going the extra mile for customer success. The competition also represents UD Trucks’ commitment to supporting smart logistics and achieving the company’s Better Life purpose, which is to make life better for people and the planet.
On behalf of the winners, Efren Zamora from Philippines, thanked UD Trucks for its support, saying “COVID-19 added challenges to our daily work. In Philippines, we were required to submit additional documentation when entering different cities, which hampered our operations somewhat. However, this was also motivation to improve my driving skills to maximize fuel efficiency while keeping safety as the top priority. Being recognized as an Ultimate Driver is a huge honor for me and I hope to become an even better driver in the future.”
Ultimate drivers keep the world moving.
To find out more, please contact your UD Trucks representative in your country. Videos from previous UD Extra Mile Challenge are available on the UD Trucks YouTube channel:
UD Extra Mile Challenge Virtual Ceremony 2020
UD Extra Mile Challenge Global Final 2018
UD Extra Mile Challenge Global Final 2017
UD Extra Mile Challenge Global Final 2016
UD Extra Mile Challenge Global Final 2015
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