Travelling in style: the North-South Express

For Björn Thorausch, a professional truck driver, trips from the far north of Germany to the deep south are part of his day-to-day work. He mainly transports maritime freight, which he hauls across the country in his MAN TGX for logistics company Keller Transport GbR.

It was seven years ago that he started out as a driver. “Getting to know new people, meeting friends on my travels, seeing the world and being in a new town or city every day,” Björn explains when asked what the best things are about his job. As a long-haul trucker, his work often takes him from Germany’s far north to its deep south – hence the nickname he and his truck ended up with: the North-South Express.

Björn became familiar with the trucker’s life long before he himself got behind the wheel of an HGV: “My dad was a long-haul driver for 40 years. Ever since I was a small kid, I spent time out there with him.” Even back then, Björn says he was drawn in by the chance to gain a knowledge of the world while on the road. And one thing was certain: “Nothing else was ever an option for me,” the 26-year-old recalls.

Four and a half years ago, Björn came by another passion – his MAN vehicle. “I’ve been crazy about these tractor units since day one.”

“An MAN always gets you to your destination.”

And he is fully on board with the MAN service too: “The MAN service team in Göttingen helps out where and when they can.” The young driver is absolutely thrilled with his new MAN TGX, especially the highly comfortable ride and spacious interior it offers. Plus, his MAN TGX looks absolutely top-notch. On the outside, Björn’s silver MAN has been given a complete makeover. “For me, it’s one of the best-looking trucks I’ve been able to drive,” he says. For Björn, whose routes often start in the evening, one of the routine challenges he faces is finding a parking space at night, which is not always easy. Especially if tiredness kicks in. When that is the case, he looks forward to the cosy bed in his MAN TGX once he has found somewhere to stop over.

“You get your job done day by day,” Björn says, adding that every day has its pros as well as its cons. For Björn, none of that changes the fact that he is a trucker through and through: “Driving is my favourite pastime,” he remarks.