A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A LUXEMBOURG TRUCKER (PART II)

Luxembourg Government Statement concerning logistics services during COVID-19:

Ensuring the flow of essential goods and services is crucial during this time according to guidelines issued by the European Commission.

Food supplies, medicines, medical and protective equipment and supplies are of top priority in the supply chain of essential goods. In the same vein, safe movement for transport workers, including truck drivers is a key factor in ensuring the adequate movement of goods. Border measures to protect health of personnel, ease restrictions and provide unobstructed movement of food as well as the introduction of priority - or "green lanes" are measures being taken to keep transport personnel healthier and moving as efficiently as possible.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A LUXEMBOURG TRUCKER

With Transports Freres Sarl:

Trucks are the lifeline between communities and essential goods and services. Trucks are keeping our world alive and well. The logistics sector is not usually something the world focusses on. But the value added our community now brings to the world is front and centre.

For that reason, Klauner has decided to publish a 3-part blog series about “A Day in the Life of a Trucker” on #MYMETIER, our industry-leading blog on truck & trailer.

We sat down with our customer and friend, Claude Freres, who operates Transports Freres Sarl about his drivers who are currently operating between Luxembourg and Italy and Luxembourg and Germany.

Q: How do you eat when you’re travelling?

A: Eating is a big challenge – I won’t deny it. Especially for drivers who are going between countries. We always travel with food prepared. If we are in a place like Munich, during the day’s working hours, we can slip into a grocery store and get food to takeaway. Sometimes you can find a few basic restaurants – you can get a takeaway pizza or sandwich. Sometimes you can only get snacks. Generally we travel with our own coffee and we sleep in the truck.

It can be very hard if the truck stops don’t have proper facilities like toilets or showers. Showering is probably the biggest issue.

The hardest part is the lack of showering. I know one driver went for an entire week without showering – just to stay safe. These conditions keep morale very hard to maintain. But we have to keep going!

Now things are already more developed. But in the first ten days of the health crisis, there was literally nowhere the drivers could stop. It was very challenging.

Some of the truck stops are open during the day for toilets etc, but many are not open during the night and that makes it hard to meet the tough challenges of moving goods and meeting deadlines for delivery.

Read Part I.