The aforementioned clip was uploaded to the Dutch video-sharing platform Dumpert under the name ‘Vrachtswaffelchauffeur’ and has been seen on the platform more than 100,000 times. The short video has since been seen on other social media platforms.
The 6-second clip shows the driver mindlessly hanging out of his cabin window while his truck continues at speed down the motorway. He is then seen simulating an act of masturbation as motorists drive by.
The story has been a source of immense embarrassment and shame for Van Straalen de Vries Transport, who has said the employee in the clip no longer works for the company.
In a statement issued on Facebook yesterday evening, Rober van Straalen, Director of Van Straalen de Vries Transport, described the driver’s behaviour as “seriously reprehensible” and added that the company was “very shocked” by the video. The director also stressed that the driver’s attitude was “unacceptable and will certainly not be tolerated”.
Earlier today, Rober van Straalen then issued the following statement to explain the driver had been fired:
On Monday, October 17, at 2 pm, I watched via an app a video that was distributed on social media. I was scared to death when I saw that a driver who was driving a VSDV vehicle was hanging out of the window and making pulling movements. I read from the driver’s face he was having a laugh, but the ground sank away from under my feet. Immediately I took action and ordered the driver to come directly to the main office. There I offered him the only appropriate solution possible at the time.
I’ve been getting calls, texts and emails all day about this. I get that, but what can we as VSDV do about this behavior? We ask our drivers to behave themselves on the road, with our customers and in their free time. We don’t do these kinds of actions. Our company is working on safety daily and after this has happened, we will definitely continue.
Our own people, and our drivers, who do their job with great passion, support me and our company and I want to thank them for that.
Now, a day later, Tuesday, October 18, it is still pushing through. The newspapers are calling and drivers are being refused at customers who think it was them. I would like to ask everyone to keep calm and assume that we acted appropriately towards the driver!
Robert van Radalenf
Although the wording above does not make it explicitly clear the driver has been dismissed, Dutch media outlet HH has confirmed that this is indeed the case.
Photo: Ceekon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image cropped)
_auf_Basis_eines_MAN_TGM..jpg){kind=link}