Ostend based aviation services company Flightwatch will start the new year 2023 by opening a new branch at Brussels Airport. For them, the openings of a new office in Brussels fits into their mission to constantly strive for improvement.

Read the full press release here.

Today is Day of the Truck Driver. To thank the truckers for their hard work, we handed out soup to them today.

Keep up the good work!

Unions are planning an industrial action day on December 16th. Impact is also expected for the operations at BRUcargo. We would like to ask you to inform us if you have an idea of the impact on your company.

How did you become a truck driver?

I started applying everywhere and kept getting no for an answer because I had no experience. At TVP, they gave me a chance. I applied here almost 19 years ago, with no experience, and I wanted to drive abroad. I already felt it wasn't going to work out, and said: if you don't let me drive, I can't get experience either. Then I was allowed to visit them, and after an interview they hired me. It was for the inland area, they said, because I lacked experience.

The following Monday I started my first day, and in good spirits I drove with my boss to DHL in Grimbergen to load. My boss spent two days demonstrating how everything worked, I remember well that I was shocked by all that paperwork. Wednesday I was allowed to load myself, which turned out to be a big disaster, I didn't manage to put myself against the dock. The following days I tried again and again, and my boss always had to take over. By Friday night I was completely exhausted from the week, I started thinking about how it was that I just couldn't manage to maneuver correctly.

For a whole weekend I mulled over that, until it was Monday. I had to go to DHL again, and I thought: now I can do it. And indeed, from the first try I put myself right against the dock. My boss didn't believe it, so I had to drive a tour and do it over. And again, I succeeded, he then said to me: from now on you can drive alone. A week later I was scheduled to go to Paris, and from there to England, so all of a sudden I was allowed to start internationally.

That first time England was very exciting, because you must drive on the left. I ended up driving abroad for 7 years: in Spain, Germany, France, England, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands. Norway I really loved the most, there I stopped along the side to take a picture of the Fjords. TVP really gave me the opportunity of a lifetime, and now 19 years later, I still work here with full enthusiasm.

Now you mostly do domestic rides again, how come?

When I was doing foreign rides, I was only home 3-4 hours a week. After 7 years that started to weigh down. I have a wife and kids, and so she had to do everything on her own that period. After a while I said 'I quit' so I could spend more time with my family. My wife has always left the choice to me, and I'm glad I have her. One week later, I started doing inland transports.

What products do you transport at TVP?

I mainly transport products as tabacco and tech data for food stores. We are actually active all over Belgium. A few years ago, we also did the transports for the Covid vaccine. Here I had to transport the vaccines with police and security escorts. I remember well that once, I was allowed to pass an entire traffic jam. The police ordered the vehicles to make space, and I was able to skip the whole line.

What do you find the biggest challenge as a truck driver?

Traffic is the biggest challenge, especially in Belgium. I prefer to leave very early so I already have enough customers done before I get into traffic jams. Traffic really is a total disaster, especially when it's school. It's usually quieter during the vacations, though.

You’ve told us some interesting stories, what fascinates you most about being a truck driver?

It's a cool profession, having a though image. On top of that, it's the freedom it gives me. I just have to see that my job is done, that my truck is unloaded. You get in the truck and you start driving with your schedule. It involves irregular hours, but the feeling that my truck is completely unloaded at the end of the day is amazing to me. After 19 years, I have no regrets knocking on the door at the family Van Praet.

The fairs we attended in 2022 were a great success. We hope to maintain that success in 2023 by going to several international fairs again together with our community with the Brussels Airport booth.
 
You'll find more practical information and prices on the two-pager.

Is your company interested in attending one of the following fairs? Please, let Pauline Van Dun know.