Working tirelessly for truckers

It has been a while since Jörg Schwerdtfeger himself was on the road as a long-distance driver. But he has retained one thing from that time: his respect for the profession. And a lot of fighting spirit, which he constantly puts to use for the benefit of his fellow drivers.

Jörg Schwerdtfeger knows the industry and knows what it means to be a professional trucker. He himself sat behind the wheel of a truck for many years. As a child and teenager, he often travelled through Europe in a truck with his brother-in-law, and later obtained his truck driving licence in the German Armed Forces. ‘Since that time, I have been captivated by the profession and have appreciated the advantages of self-employed work and the freedom of the job,’ says Jörg.

He already had the desire to improve things for drivers during his time behind the wheel: he found the circumstances in the company where he worked at the time alarming and thus tried to set up a works council. ‘To a certain extent, I was pushed out: I won the court case, but a good 13 years in the company as a driver were up in smoke,’ says Jörg. ‘From that point on, I wanted to make a change when it came to ‘Togetherness’”.

Jörg manages the change in his current job as a personnel scout and driving trainer. He conducts job interviews, selects suitable team members, is also a safety officer in the company, and trains new drivers to handle the long truck. In all these activities, his main focus is on the drivers: ‘Ultimately, I am only there for our truck drivers and always try to achieve the best possible for them. Sometimes that’s not easy, because I’m always caught between two stools. But my management shows understanding in a lot of areas, so we agree for the most part.’ For Jörg, being there for the drivers also means lively exchange: that’s why he travels a lot, visits his colleagues, and helps to deal with their problems, wishes or social affairs.

It’s not about me – it’s about the drivers

And even in private, his tireless commitment to truckers continues: Jörg is publicly involved with the professional group, visits trade fairs and political events, and takes part in demonstrations together with contractors and drivers.

“On weekends, I drive to truck stops and car parks and talk to the truck drivers about the current situation in the industry. It takes a lot of time and work, but I do it out of a sense of conviction.“

Currently, he is devoting his time to the topic of parking shortages, and was able to convince his company to provide parking spaces as a way of actively participating.

His primary driving force is the desire to create better conditions for professional truckers. That was also the idea behind his Facebook page ‘I am a professional driver and have earned respect’ (Ich bin Berufskraftfahrer und habe Respekt verdient): ‘The page currently has over 45,000 permanent followers and it is growing daily. It is causing discussion and is open to the public so that it also permeates society. All that is taking place without a commercial background, on a voluntary basis,’ which, Jörg is convinced, generates the necessary trust to reach people in an honest way. The followers of the page are truckers, contractors from industry and business, citizens, politicians, police officers and press representatives. With this initiative, Jörg wants to ‘achieve greater togetherness and solve problems. Working together, people can move mountains,’ insists the 55-year-old.

From the MAN F2000 to the MAN TGX

Jörg also supports the MAN brand with full conviction: ‘I have always liked the “Lion” (the EMMA) and its predecessors, they are a part of the industry and also the foundations of the profession,’ says Jörg. In the past, his favourite truck was the MAN F2000, today it is the MAN TGX 26.510: ‘I have had the opportunity to drive it many times now and take a close look at it. It has a great interior and a great look.’ Nevertheless, he says he will remain faithful to his ‘EMMA’. ‘She has accompanied me throughout all my professional life and always served me well as a truck driver.’

Jörg is now providing his own service for the truckers who are still driving professionally and is always happy to see fellow devotees who, like him, are committed to positive development of the industry: ‘We all have opportunities – sometimes we just have to leave our comfort zone to take advantage of them.’