Transport and Logistics outfit Immo Ouest says the idea came from its director, Jean-Charles Sarr, who for several years has been trying to attract more women to the HGV driving profession.
“The integration of a toilet in the cabin of the truck is a significant plus! It is true that access to the toilets is sometimes complicated. These onboard toilets are therefore a highly appreciated comfort! It can also remove a barrier for some women who don’t dare think about our profession,” says 29-year-old Olymp, a female HGV driver who works for Immo Ouest.
According to Jean-Charles Sarr, the question of access to the toilets was raised at a company meeting regarding the driver shortage. It was then that the haulage firm started to look at the idea of having toilets in its truck cabins. The move is aimed at encouraging female drivers into the profession while also making life easier for male drivers too.
The setup is demonstrated in a video on Immo Ouest’s LinkedIn page, in which Olymp shows how the onboard portable toilet is stored under the retractable bed behind the driver’s seat.
The truck also has a hatch that allows the portable toilet to be easily taken out of the cab and emptied.
The actual toilet itself is the ‘Porta Potti’ model that’s said to be very popular with campers. Produced by Thetford, it is said to be “the most popular portable toilet in the world”. The model seen in the LinkedIn video is available for around the €80 price range, with larger versions costing a little more.
Thetford recommends that toilet be used with its own-branded waste-holding tank additives, which it claims “are the standard in the market for odour control, liquification of waste and reduction of gas build-up.”
