It turns out that not only Poles complain about poor wages and working conditions in the transport industry. A German truck driver tells the “Frankfureter Allgemeine Zeitung” newspaper about what bothers him in his profession.
“No time, no comfort and little money” – says Maik, the 47-year old truck driver from Thuringia with 25 years of experience in the profession.
His “house on wheels” is small. “Any dog higher than 50 cm has the right to 8 sqm. area” – says the driver. It is said so in the Ordinance on the protection of animals.
Meanwhile, 1.90 m German can make two steps in his cabin at most. When he is on the road, the cabin is his home. “And he is on the road almost all the time” – says FAZ.
His typical day
After just a few hours of sleep in the truck Maik uses the toilet in an office building and takes a “shower” in the sink. He buys a coffee from a vending machine that smells of the plastic cup and drives to his first customer in the morning fog. The entrepreneur is waiting for the goods transported by the driver from Italy.
After the unloading, without a moment’s pause, Maik drives to the next customer. “one after another. You have to be able to withstand the stress and hectic rush” – emphasises the German.
The driver is annoyed that on many bridges, because of their technical conditions, there are speed limits for trucks. “It’s a disgrace” – he comments. In addition, each day he is struggling to find parking spaces when the tachograph calls for a break. He also fell victim to the “tarpaulin rippers” who have been prowling around the country for years.
Many difficulties – low wages” – he sums up his every-day reality.
The stress, poor infrastructure, dismal conditions in the cabin are also accompanied by the competition from the East who puts pressure on Western carriers with their low prices. “I live frugally when on the road” – Maik doesn’t buy a curry sausage for 8 euros at the station and usually cooks for himself. He earns less than 30000 euro per year. It is not a lot for him but he still drives. “In the end, it is his job” says FAZ.
And you? Would you complain if you were him?
