SODERTALJE, Sweden, Sept. 17, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Belgian victory in the world's largest competition for young truck drivers.
Laurens D'Huvetter, 28 year old Belgian driver transporting volume cargo for the company NV Vervoer Ter Vichten, won the first prize, a brand new Scania R-series truck, at the final of the international driver competition Young European Truck Driver 2005. The final, held in Sodertalje, Sweden, gathered 27 drivers from all over Europe and attracted close to 10,000 spectators.
By the victory, Laurens D'Huyvetter got his revenge on reigning European champion Michele Sandri from Italy, who ended up as number three after Milan Jakubek from Slovakia.
Some 13,000 European truck drivers have participated in Scania's road safety initiative, Young European Truck Driver. The competition has been designed for young professional drivers, born in 1970 or later, of heavy trucks from the EU member states, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.
The competition included elements such as precision manoeuvring and fuel-efficient driving, as well as theoretical tests on driving regulations and safety issues. The competition rules are based on the European Commission's new directive on driver training for truck and bus drivers.
Scania's Young European Truck Driver initiative has the endorsement of the European Commission and the International Road Transport Union (IRU). Its sponsors are Michelin and Shell. Scania has also initiated similar competitions in Latin America, with as many participants as in Europe, as well as in South Africa and Asia.
The medalists at the Scania Young European Truck Driver:
1. Laurens D'Huyvetter, NV Vervoer Ter Vichten, Belgium 2. Milan Jakubek, JMD spedicia, Slovakia 3. Michele Sandri, Andreatta Materiali Inerti, Italy
The complete results and further information about the final will be published on Scania's homepage on Sunday, September 18.
Caption, photo 1: Belgian driver Laurens D'Huyvetter, won the Young European Truck Driver 2005.
Caption, photo 2: Laurens D'Huyvetter received the first prize, a brand new truck, from Scania's President and CEO Leif Ostling.
Caption, photo 3: The winner of Young European Truck Driver Laurens D'Huyvetter, surrounded by the silver medal winner Milan Jakubek, to the right, and the bronze medal winner Michele Sandri.
Scania is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, and of industrial and marine engines. A growing proportion of the company's operations is comprised of products and services in the financial and service sectors, assuring Scania customers of cost-effective transport solutions and maximum uptime. Employing 30,000 people, Scania operates in about 100 countries. Research and development activities are concentrated in Sweden, while production plants are located in Europe and South America, with facilities for the global exchange of both components and finished vehicles. In 2004, invoiced sales totaled SEK56.7 billion and net income amounted to SEK4.1 billion.
Scania press releases are available on the Internet, www.scania.com
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