A 29-year-old Computer Science graduate had the tide turning for him in June 2016. Working as a dump truck driver with SV Engineering Construction (SVEC) at Singareni Collieries Company at Manuguru in Telangana, Mr. Anil Reddy was promoted as the Driver Trainer (DT) when he won the India leg of Volvo’s Fuelwatch Challenge in the off-road category. He went on to prove his merit at SVEC right when he stood as the first runner-up at Volvo’s Asia Pacific Fuelwatch Challenge held in Sweden in September 2016.
He says: “Since India does not have left-hand drive, it proved a handicap for me in Sweden, and I lost to the winner with a difference of just 30 ml.”
Mr. Reddy received his training as a driver at Volvo India’s Hoskote plant in Bengaluru in 2010. The five-day training program changed his life, and from there on he has continuously honed his skill. The winner of the 2015 Fuelwatch Challenge inspired him to achieve the title for himself.
Mr. Reddy admits: “I wanted what Mr. Ravi Poleboina had achieved in 2015 at the Fuelwatch Challenge. I decided to prepare for the 2016 Challenge almost six months before the competition. I experimented with different combinations of RPMs and gears to find the best mileage that can be achieved. Volvo and SVEC had helped me gain the optimum combination.”
As DT, Mr. Reddy teaches his 200 driver trainees what he has learnt from his own experience and from the trainers at Volvo who have nurtured him, “It is all about learning how to save fuel and keep the vehicle tuned and achieving optimum levels of it all to be efficient. Drivers who are focused too much on saving fuel tend to drive slowly, but it results in wastage of time. Hence the key is to maintain a balance between the ideal RPM and the correct gear selection as per the terrain so that the drivers can complete the requisite number of trips in a mining scenario.”
Over the years, Mr. Reddy has learnt small but crucial ways to improve fuel efficiency while maximizing productivity. Volvo’s driver training competency, especially for mining areas, includes techniques to drive safely in off-road conditions with the added risk of rolling over, besides teaching the students how to park correctly at loading and off-loading points so that minimum time is taken while manoeuvring. Economical usage of the vehicle, brakes and proper planning minimize repair costs as well. The trainees learn how their driving behavior can influence fuel consumption and get their driving techniques evaluated by Volvo trainers.
Mr. Reddy has not only learnt but has applied these small changes in his everyday life which has helped him plan his victory at the Fuelwatch challenge. Today, as a trainer, he hopes to nurture the skills of the next Fuelwatch winner.