Heavy cargo is their profession
Professional driver Oliver Messolle is not afraid of driving with large loads. On the contrary – the larger the load, the more fun it is for the passionate driver employed by Noél-Transporte.
Just the other day, the dimensions of the goods loaded by professional driver Oliver Messolle onto his MAN TGX 26.640 for Noél-Transporte measured 35 metres long, 3.70 metres wide and weighed 41.8 tonnes in total. The sprawling load was two batches of laminated timber beams that were being manufactured as a roof structure for a new warehouse and had to be transported to Essen on behalf of Holzbau van Kempen GmbH. For Olli, the fun really begins at the point where other riders would break into a sweat.
“He’s a real thoroughbred trucker.”
It says Thomas Masalkhi, who runs haulage company Noél-Transporte together with his partner Magret Noél, paying testament to his driver’s work ethic. “The longer the tour and the bigger the load, the more he enjoys it. Olli knows his stuff and is always up to date when it comes to trucks and heavy goods vehicles,” Masalkhi raves about his employee. The 46 year-old driver’s level of experience is no coincidence. He has driven trucks since 1999 and has been on tours all across Europe. Needless to say, Olli made a lot of contacts over the years. He still enjoys having a chat with many of his old colleagues to this day. They have a nice time reminiscing and telling stories about their unusual transport jobs. One of Olli’s most memorable jobs was transporting a high-bay warehouse lift from Gütersloh in western Germany to France – “the cargo was 35 metres long and 5.85 metres wide and needed to be delivered to a major producer of French fries,” he still remembers perfectly.
Once the enormous truck and trailer are en route, there’s no turning back. “We examine and propose the route in advance and it’s then specified to us during the approval process. And we’re not allowed to leave the approved route,” explains Thomas Masalkhi. So, from the outset, the foundation to everything is good planning and the experience of the driver and everyone involved. The most difficult part about transport jobs such as these is driving in normal road traffic and through localities in such a large vehicle.
Taking a pre-emptive approach is key to ensuring that everything is done professionally and works out well, Olli believes. For example, this applies to parking facilities, which need to be properly researched in advance, should a transporting job extend beyond 4.5 hours and the driver is required to take a mandatory break. It also goes without saying that, in addition to good coordination among the team, you also need a vehicle that you consider to be a reliable partner. What Olli appreciates most about his MAN TGX is its smooth running and the power delivered by the 64 hp towing vehicle. In addition, the cosy interior fittings and what he calls the “chunky look” of his truck bearing the MAN Lion also convince him that he has made the right choice.
Personally, he would like to have “four corner air suspension”, but he knows that “unfortunately, this isn’t available with 6×2 MAN vehicles.” However, he knows that “no manufacturer makes the perfect towing vehicle,” so he can overlook certain things.
The fact that he has a lot of what he looks for in a truck is thanks to his employer’s great willingness to accommodate the drivers: “Yes, our drivers had a say in the choice of vehicles as well as their interior fittings,” confirms Thomas Masalkhi. In general, the small company supports its drivers wherever possible, he continues. Some of the benefits listed by the entrepreneur include “work clothes, a company pension scheme and health insurance, petrol vouchers, visits to trade fairs and summer parties.” Each new towing vehicle is also duly celebrated with its own barbecue, he adds. “It’s important for us that our employees are content. If they’re feeling good and enjoying their work that also means the company’s doing well and there’s a good working atmosphere.”
When Olli got his MAN TGX, he travelled to Munich with his bosses and his colleague Harry to pick it up, who also collected a new MAN vehicle. This involved an overnight stay, a tour of the factory and, as you would imagine, a lot of fun. “On the day of the final delivery, both vehicles with the MAN lion stood next to each other like identical twins – it was an amazing sight!” recalls Thomas Masalkhi. Back at the company premises, employees enjoyed fresh potato pancakes and mulled wine to celebrate the arrival of the new vehicles. In the meantime, the two MAN vehicles have become fully integrated members of the team and are on hand for any heavy-duty assignments. “Be solution-oriented” is the motto of the team at Noél-Transporte, as well as “there’s no such thing as can’t”. The two passionate drivers Harry and Olli, and Thomas Masalkhi, who also still occasionally sits behind the wheel, always put this into practice when driving their MAN trucks – regardless of the how difficult the transport job is.