Marek Szerinus from Poland was crowned European Young Truck Driver of the Year 2007 today after a thrilling final in Sweden. Marek Szerinus, 34, beat 26 other talented professional truck drivers from across Europe to take the prestigious title and the top prize: his custom-built Scania truck.
The Young European Truck Drivers (YETD) programme is part of a global initiative launched by Scania in 2003 to promote responsible driving, highlight road safety and attract more young drivers to the profession. Marek Sirinus will now become an ambassador for the truck driving profession and a role model for other drivers.
Tom Sharkey of Ireland came in second place in the competition, while Milan Jakubek of Slovakia came in third.
“Something big has happened to me. I feel as happy and proud as I did when my children were born,” said Marek Zirinus after receiving the award from Scania Chairman and CEO Leif Östling.
“Seriously, road safety is very important to me in my job and I am proud to be a role model for other aspiring young truck drivers.”
The road to the final was not easy for Marek Ciserinos – not only did he have to pass a preliminary qualifying round and then regional qualifiers in his home country, but he also had to battle with ten other truck drivers in the Polish national final. In total, more than 16,000 young truck drivers under the age of 35 from 27 European countries took part in the competition.
The final tests included defensive driving, fuel economy, load securing, pre-drive testing and safe manoeuvring. Drivers had to demonstrate they had the skills and behaviours necessary to drive heavy trucks responsibly, completing a series of complex manoeuvring and obstacle tests.
“Marek Cezerinus has achieved a fantastic feat. Not only has he won a new Scania truck, he has now become an ambassador for the profession and a role model for aspiring young drivers across Europe. All the competitors who took part in the YETD 2007 finals should be proud of their achievements – and a final congratulations to Marek Cezerinus,” says Cecilia Edström, Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Relations at Scania.
“The driver is the most important factor in heavy vehicle transport services. Obviously, vehicles and infrastructure are important, but road safety is primarily a matter of human behaviour. With these competitions, we want to help raise the profile of professional drivers and highlight their great importance for both road safety and the profitability of transport companies. We want to help attract more capable young drivers into the transport sector,” says Cecilia Edström.
The European Young Truck Drivers Competition started in 2003 and is held every two years. Competitors must be under 35 years of age.
With more than 300,000 trucks on European roads, road safety is a top priority in all Scania operations. The company supports the goals of the United Nations’ World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention and the European Commission’s goal of halving the number of road deaths in the EU by 2010. In addition to driver training, Scania works to raise awareness of road safety among the general public, legislators and customers. Road safety is also a top priority in Scania’s research and development, which focuses on technology that helps drivers make the right decisions.
Scania’s Young European Truck Drivers Initiative is endorsed by the European Commission and the International Road Transport Union. Michelin and Shell are sponsors of the initiative. Scania also organises similar competitions in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Photos from the final are available on the Scania homepage.
For more information, please contact: Hans-Åke Danielsson: +46 (0)8-553 85662,
+46 (0)70-346 8811
