On the road with The Aztec

With The Aztec in its fleet, Karl Heinrich Decker Transporte has put another history-laden MAN vehicle on the road. And driver Udo Steffens is impressed by more than just the eye-catching scenes painted on his state-of-the-art MAN TGX.

Karl Heinrich Decker Transporte, a logistics company from Düren in western Germany, does not do unremarkable vehicles. But one truck or another still stands out slightly among the many special vehicles. Like the state-of-the-art MAN TGX xxx that has been placed in the care of Udo Steffens. It is not only remarkable for always being polished to a perfect shine by Udo – the MAN’s design also inevitably attracts attention. The Aztec, as the truck is called by Udo and the boss’ son Dennis Decker, carries a great deal of history along with its cargo. On one side of the MAN TGX, an Aztec gazes at a pyramid; on the other, a Spanish commander looks out over sailing ships. Plus, on the back of the cab, a large Spanish vessel sways in a storm.

Udo’s MAN is the second truck in the fleet to have a historical theme elaborately painted on its sides. In addition to The Aztec, there is another MAN TGX in service for Decker – known as The Greek. The side doors feature King Leonidas and Achilles, two heroes from Greek antiquity, conquering the roads of Europe.

Both pieces of art are the handiwork of airbrush artist Roland Just, who skilfully painted the imposing scenes on the vehicles. In the case of The Aztec, the artist was busy for a whole week.
He himself was speechless when he stood in front of the finished truck for the first time – and to this day, it still takes Udo’s breath away when he remembers that first encounter with his elegant MAN vehicle.

Otherwise, when it comes to trucks, Udo is an unflappable character. The 58-year-old has been behind the wheel since the age of 18. “I came into the profession through my dad, who also worked as a truck driver,” he says. In his career as a driver, he has been able to get to know virtually every MAN model. Starting with the old MAN Büssing models and including the MAN F2000 and the first MAN TGA. “MAN vehicles have always been a step ahead of their time,” says Udo, adding that MAN has always done that little bit more for drivers than other manufacturers.

Pleased to meet the newcomer

When Decker Jr. asked Udo if he would like to be The Aztec’s driver, Udo was only too eager: “The new model is just a superbly well-thought-out vehicle.” He particularly appreciates the smooth running of his new MAN TGX, the generous amount of space, the sophisticated assistance systems and the low fuel consumption.

“A real hit, this truck.”

And when it comes to design, there is further praise in store. Not only is Udo impressed by the look of his MAN – he also gets a highly positive reception from other drivers, customers and passers-by who take pictures and ask him questions about The Aztec. Udo invests plenty of time in vehicle care to ensure that it always looks its best. “I feel like a cleaner half the time,” he laughs. And he has plans to make the truck even more attractive by installing a custom-made wall unit and various leather trims in his cab.

Udo has already agreed on all this with his boss, who has been and remains supportive. After all, trucks like The Aztec and The Greek are also flagships for the business and receive a warm welcome everywhere they go. We are looking forward to finding out when Decker’s next super MAN will be hitting the road and what story it will tell.