You never stop learning!

Manuel Eichleiter is one of those professional drivers who even as a child had his sights set on just one thing: driving trucks. He regularly went out on the road with his father and with his father’s fellow truck drivers. Today he is himself an experienced trucker but is, nevertheless, always keen to acquire new input from the trainers at MAN ProfiDrive^®.

Manuel remembers vividly how his father was the spark that ignited the truck-driving fire in him, a flame which to this day burns brightly and passionately. In the meantime he has clocked up 12 years behind the wheel as a professional driver and is still as keen as ever about his job. He gained his first practical experience in the early days with the legendary MAN F2000. “The level of technology in those days was so totally different from nowadays,” recalls Manuel. “You had virtually no driver-assistance systems and you really had to learn how to change gear properly.” But today mastering the learning curve is still crucial if you wish to continue developing your own driving skills. This is something that Manuel was already able to experience with his father, who had been persuaded to attend a driving skills training course organised by MAN ProfiDrive^® – back then at the controls of a MAN F2000. “First of all, my father was sceptical because he was convinced that he could do everything required of a driver.” But after the course, as Manuel then reported, his father admitted that he had learnt a few things which he would be putting into practice.

“I’m a regular at MAN ProfiDrive^®”

He himself attended his first training course with the MAN professional instructors in 2009 at the beginning of his career – and the topic then was trucking efficiency. “The driving instructor explained everything in such super detail and I was very impressed by his expertise.” Since then Manuel has been a regular participant at the MAN ProfiDrive^® courses. “You always learn something new there.” By and large he has already gone through and completed all the training programmes, including the course for heavy goods vehicles.

“The practical side of the training courses is really cool,” enthuses the 33-year-old. But his personal favourite is the offroad training:

“You get to know the limits of your vehicle. But you also realise everything that it can do. In the beginning you feel nothing but respect but by the end you get a little bit cocky! Everybody then is keen to test their skills and see how far they can go,”

laughs Manuel.

As well as learning and honing his skills, Manuel is extremely interested in the subject of truck development. That explains why he is also a permanent guest when it comes to taking part in MAN trials. “I have a huge interest in truck development and I would really like to contribute something towards this.” He finds the two-way exchange with the experts absolutely fascinating. And at the same time he has the added bonus of being able to pick up tips for his own daily work. As a tester for the MAN experimental body, he was allowed to examine carefully and then test various interior innovations of the new MAN TGX. One such example would be the tool known as the MAN SmartSelect, which enables foolproof operation of the multimedia system even during bumpy driving situations: “From the word go I was completely sold on this new development,” explains Manuel enthusiastically. “The positive effect for the driver is plain for all to see.”

But in general, too, Manuel is wholeheartedly convinced that throughout the years technology has been steadily optimised, bringing with it constant improvements for the drivers. He could talk for hours about all the things he has experienced in his driving career. He has completed countless trips on local and long-distance runs, during the latter of which he has been able to experience so many positive things and see so many wonderful sights: “Just passing through,” as he says, “without having to take time off.” London, Paris, Tallinn, but also trips along the Atlantic coastline and through Sicily. This likeable driver is certainly not short of experience, which he is always pleased to share with his colleagues. After all, he himself has been given many helpful tips from other experienced drivers, information for which he is most grateful.

Manuel’s boss, Heinz Forster of Forster Transporte, is delighted to have Manuel in his team and he is always pleased to hear what his employee has to say: “The opinions of my drivers are very close to my heart,” explains Heinz Forster. “I meet my drivers every week. We stand together in every sense of the words and we chat. I am always ready to listen to them, even if they wish to air any private issues. Get-togethers and parties bond us together even more. We are a family business and we really are as thick as thieves.”Heinz Forster sees Manuel’s joining the team a year ago as an absolute stroke of luck: “Drivers like Manuel are worth their weight in gold.” And for that reason he is keen to listen to him when it is a question of purchasing vehicles: “Thanks to Manuel, a new MAN is now gracing our fleet and another one is arriving in 2022.”