The oldest trucker in Germany has travelled more than 7 million kilometres and has just renewed his driving licence.

Karl Schabhüser, nicknamed “Shabbi” by his family and friends, obtained his driving licence for a passenger car, motorcycle and truck in 1951. He travelled a total of 7.3 million kilometres by truck over the years of his career as a driver. Today, Karl is 93 years old and has just renewed his truck driving licence. For this purpose, the German had to be examined by a cardiologist, an ophthalmologist, an internist and a laryngologist. None of the doctors saw any contraindications, so the trucker’s driving licence was renewed until 2024. Schabhüser is, therefore, the oldest person in Germany with a category C + E driving licence.

Karl Schabhüser (93) hat seinen Lkw-Führerschein verlängern lassen https://t.co/v3x92MYocL

— Uwe Petersen (@PetersenUwe) October 28, 2019

Thanks to this, “Shabbi” can continue to help in the transport company run by his daughter. As the 93-year-old says, he feels really free behind the wheel of a 40-tonne truck, reads the Westfallen Blatt daily. 

This does not mean, however, that the man regularly makes long distances as before. Karl ended his career as a driver 3 years ago at the age of 90. Although Karl assures us that he still drives as he used to, he does so occasionally. He mainly helps his daughter at the company premises or drives trucks to the workshop. 

Just after the war, the German worked together with his wife in a factory and although his wages were high, the man did not feel satisfied with his work.  “I didn’t like working indoors,” he says in an interview for Westfallen Blatt. In 1954, at the age of 28, he decided to apply for a job in a transport company.  

“There’s no old man behind you with a baton in his hand (checking if you do your job properly – editorial note),” he explains his love for the job of truck drivers. “When you get inside (the truck – editorial note), you are free. Then the boss has nothing to say anymore,” he adds. 

Although 65 years have passed since Karl’s first tour, the man is still unable to part with his job as a driver.