TRUCK AND DRIVER COMBINE FOR SHELL FUEL EFFICIENCY AWARD
FreshLinc driver Frantisek Bogyi has won the Shell FuelSave Partner UK European Driving Competition 2014 – achieving the accolade behind the wheel of his beloved DAF truck.
Fleets from across Europe were invited to enter their drivers into the competition which over a two-month period assessed several factors which contribute to a fuel efficient performance. FreshLinc – who monitor the performance of their drivers throughout the year – entered twenty of their drivers, with Frantisek being awarded overall winner for the entire UK.
Frantisek explained why he thinks he won the UK round of the competition, “I am very happy to get the award but I didn’t set out to win. I just drive the same way I have done for the last 28 years, by paying close attention to the road ahead and reacting in good time so I don’t need to brake or accelerate harshly.”
Of the 236 vehicles which FreshLinc operate, 190 are DAF and Frantisek thinks the DAF trucks he drives play a big part in being able to perform his best as a driver, “I have driven trucks across Europe for many years and the DAF is by far my favourite. I am away several nights a week and my truck is my home. I wouldn’t swap DAF for any other brand.”
Frantisek achieved the award driving a Euro 5 DAF XF, but he is now behind the wheel of a Euro 6 model following the delivery of 36 new DAF XF tractor units to FreshLinc in June this year, one of which recently starred in a photo-shoot, together with a specially liveried trailer, to promote fundraising efforts towards the on-going restoration of Lincoln Cathedral. The order for these was placed after extensive trials of Euro 6 trucks by FreshLinc, which involved an in depth evaluation of a number of demonstrators in the fleet over a 12 month period.
FreshLinc Driver Development Manager Andrew Tubb explained the reasons why DAF came out on top, “We had DAF, Scania and Mercedes-Benz Euro 6 demonstrators but the others could not come close to the fuel economy figures our drivers can achieve with the DAF. It takes a while for a new vehicle to bed in before you can achieve optimum fuel performance, but even after two months the new Euro 6 vehicles are achieving 10.8mpg – which already about matches what we were getting from the Euro 5. The feedback from the drivers has also been incredibly positive when it comes to the telematics, reduced engine noise and the new look.”
From a driver’s point of view Frantisek speaks in glowing terms about the new DAF Euro 6, “I didn’t have a bad word to say about the Euro 5, but the Euro 6 is even better. To be able to drive your best it is important to get to know the truck you are driving and how it behaves. The driver display in the new XF helps the driver and truck work as one, which I think will help be even more fuel efficient in the future.”
With both the trucks and drivers performing well, FreshLinc are planning to enter fifty drivers into the Shell FuelSave Partner Competition in 2015.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Martin Hayes, Automotive PR: 020 7952 1070 mhayes@automotivepr.com
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