October is renowned as a fine time to visit the beautiful country of Japan. In the aftermath of typhoon season and in the early days of autumn, or fall, the fair and comfortable weather allows visitors plenty of chances to revel in the best parts of Japan – hiking, stunning views and incredible culture.
Adelaide-based owner-operator Matt Modra recently got the special opportunity to visit Japan, although his experience was more about tense truck driving challenges for UD Trucks rather than taking in the scenic surrounds of Mt Fuji and co.
In late October, Matt travelled to Japan with UD Trucks as part of the global final for the brand’s Extra Mile Challenge. Having finished first in the Australian competition for his skilful driving while at the helm of his very own UD Quon, Matt competed in the global final at the UD Trucks Experience Centre in Ageo, Japan, finishing first and taking home the coveted title for Australia.
“I’ve been quite humbled – it’s a bit surreal to have won the Extra Mile competition,” Matt told OwnerDriver.
“Being able to go over to Japan and experience that final and meet amazing people in the UD family was incredible.”
Matt’s experience driving trucks dates back to 2001 when he decided to change careers and obtain his heavy vehicle licence. Prior to that he had experience as a diesel mechanic for the best part of a decade, yet the laborious challenge of looking after broken-down machines in arid Adelaide heat meant he began looking for a new challenge.
A friend hooked him up, putting Matt in touch with his uncle who was in the contract crane operating game, completing subcontract driving work for various companies. A week of leave from his mechanic gig gave Matt the chance to try his hand at truck driving through a quick unofficial work experience stretch behind the wheel. His love for driving quickly grew from there, with Matt then deciding to get his licence and begin working as a subcontractor under the business name of MA & RC Modra.
“I began driving trucks at the very end of 2001, working for Fielders Steel Roofing for the best part of 14 years,” Matt says.
“I started off in a small light truck that could cart roughly 10 to 15m of material and progressively worked my way up to driving a full-size Volvo FE prime mover.”
From there, Matt then switched his business to working for Revolution Roofing. Five years later he switched to Apex Steel, who he still currently works for at MA & RC Modra. Since 2020, he has worked with the national structural and rainwater product company, helping transport material in a special UD truck.
“I bought my first UD back in 2020 not long before I started with Apex Steel,” Matt says.
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“I bought a UD Quon from South Central Truck and Bus in Wingfield, who I had built a good relationship with over the years. I had a good gut feeling that I was making the right choice buying a UD truck from there, as they had superb service.
“The trickiest bit was trying to find a prime mover that could fit a crane onto it, as this limited down my options, but UD went above and beyond by measuring the truck to ensure the crane I wanted to use would fit. It was this desire that helped the deal get across the line.”
Thus started a flourishing relationship between Matt and UD Trucks through the South Central dealership, with Matt enjoying his UD Quon to this day. His close partnership with UD Trucks and the Adelaide dealership has continued to flourish, coming in handy when UD Trucks’ Extra Mile Challenge began once again in 2024.
Launched in 2015, the UD Trucks Extra Mile Challenge is a skills-based driver competition that tests several key areas, aiming to demonstrate how improvements in driver behaviour can translate to safer driving, improved fuel consumption and reduced wear and tear on vehicles. By doing so, the competition aims to support UD’s Better Life purpose, and also seeks to recognise and celebrate the industry’s unsung heroes that keep the nation moving – truck drivers.
While Matt would go on to claim the Australian and global crown this year, his path to success was unique. In June this year, Matt emailed South Central Truck & Bus’ UD national fleet sales manager Bill Smith asking for a price guide for a new UD Quon, with the idea behind the move being to determine what his annual pay review should be.
A couple of days later he got a call from Bill, but the topic was about more than just a new Quon.
“I wasn’t interested in buying a new truck at that time, but when the time comes for a new model I wanted to make sure the cost of a new vehicle was reflected in my earnings,” Matt says.
“While on the phone with Bill, he quickly asked me if I was interested in participating in the Extra Mile Challenge. Once I asked some questions and found out there were no costs involved and it wouldn’t impact my work, I thought it was an easy decision to get involved.
“I had nothing to lose and everything to gain, so I decided to give it a red hot crack.”
Matt’s initial participation in the competition simply entailed UD Trucks extracting data from his Quon as he completed his daily runs through UD Connect telematics software, using remote satellites and other data such as fuel usage and idle time to determine Matt’s driving prowess.
At least once a week, Matt would also chat with Volvo Group Australia’s key account handover and delivery manager, and UD Trucks’ designated driver trainer, Patrick Ryan, about his driving habits and the data. By also using his UD Quon’s standard onboard coaching system, Nenpi Coach, Matt was able to enhance his overall driving technique, improving his safety and efficiency behind the wheel. The results saw Matt achieve an eight to 10 per cent improvement in his fuel efficiency in the local round, making him a standout winner of the Australian qualifying stage of the competition.
“Around the end of July, four weeks after I started the challenge, Pat called me and told me I had won the local rounds,” Matt says.
“I was told I had achieved the highest score across the performance criteria of power mode, manual mode, coasting and overall fuel efficiency – all of which were tracked remotely through UD Connect telematics.
“I was quite gobsmacked, to be honest. I didn’t think I would win it, so it was very exciting to find out I would be going to Japan to compete in the global final.”
En route to the global final at the UD Trucks Experience Centre in Ageo, Japan, Matt received a few video highlights of previous UD experiences from Pat to prepare him for the final. While Matt admits he was “a little in the dark” about what the experience would entail, he wasn’t too uncomfortable nor nervous going into it.
On the first day was an information day where Matt and his fellow global finalists went behind the scenes at UD’s global headquarters to meet members of the brand’s family, before local media descended on the site.
“UD Trucks in Japan employs around 4,500 to 5,000 people, so the final was a big deal in the area,” Matt says.
“The brand supports a lot of families, so people care. Seeing all of the hype around the final got my heart racing a little.”
Following test runs, the next day was judgement day for Matt as he began the final. Separated into two components, Matt started by partaking in a pre-start check test, where he was required to find faults within a UD Quon model. With the issues ranging from the brake lights not working to mechanical issues with the windscreen wipers, Matt was given a 10 minute window to find as many faults as he could on the truck.
From there, the practical component saw Matt jump behind the wheel of a Quon prime mover with 10 tonnes of concrete in the back. A long, thin tube container was also in the truck, with a bowl of water attached to the back of it. Throughout the 15 minute driving test, Matt had to negotiate the obstacles before him while trying to spill as little water as possible. Yet he couldn’t drive too slowly – fuel consumption and time constraints created a cacophony of challenges that meant only the most skilful driver would thrive.
For the 2024 final, Matt was that driver, finishing his successful route with a tight reverse park to claim the victory. By that night, Matt had been claimed the global champion of the UD Trucks Extra Mile Challenge.
“I was quite humbled – even now it’s still a bit surreal that I won the competition,” Matt says.
“The best part of it was that I was able to bring my 17-year-old son with me from Adelaide to Japan, so to have him come across and witness it all made it that little bit extra special.
“While it’s all a wonderful time, it makes it better to have a family member there to celebrate with you.”
The entire experience has quickly become a career highlight for Matt, as he is now revelling in the glory with the local UD Trucks team in Adelaide. Not one to stop and smell the roses, Matt is now hoping to use his special crown to give back to the UD family and other owner-operators around Australia.
“I’m wanting to give back to UD after having that special experience – I may be able to help coach the next run of drivers who compete in the competition,” Matt says.
“Experiencing the world of UD Trucks in Ageo was very special. As an owner and operator of a UD Quon, it was interesting to understand UD’s history and operations in Japan and to meet the faces behind the brand.
“I’m a big believer in the idea that the day you stop learning is the day you get left behind, and by being a part of this competition, I’ve learnt more than I could have imagined and have met some fantastic people along the way.”
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