Lorenzo Poppelaars: ‘I like the variety and the adventure the most’ Photo: Joyce Castelijn ON THE WORK FLOOR By: Joyce Castelijn Sun 14 Jul, 15:00 Category
Who can tell a better story regarding their profession than someone who is involved in it every day? Where does their love for the profession come from? Why did they choose this profession? What is so great regarding the profession? And what does a working day actually look like? This week: international driver Lorenzo Poppelaars.
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Kennis Transport & Logistics BV is located on the Hazeldonk business park in Breda. Day in day out, their team of over 150 employees is committed to transporting goods throughout Europe. Lorenzo Poppelaars is one of these employees. As an international driver, he travels thousands of kilometers per week, with France as the main destination.
Why did you choose this work?
“This profession was instilled in me from birth. My father was also a driver, so it really runs in the family. I got it from the past. Diesel is actually in my veins,” Lorenzo says laughing. “When I started working, it was immediately in a warehouse. After that, I got my driver’s license as soon as possible and started driving domestically. Eventually, I made the switch to international driving and that was all pretty obvious to me.”
What does your work entail?
“I work as an international driver and mainly drive to France. France is big, so sometimes I have to be in the north of France to deliver goods, other times I have to go to the coast or all the way to the south. Sometimes I only drive inland for a day. That depends entirely on the planning. The freight also differs per trip. One time I transport products for farmers and the next time vehicles. That is almost never the same, so that is often a nice surprise.”
What does a working week look like?
“Yes, of course it varies a lot. I always say: ‘I know when I’m leaving, but I never know exactly when I’ll be home’. Sometimes you leave on Sunday and you’re back on Friday or Saturday. But it can also be that you leave for Paris on Monday, you’re back on Tuesday and you start a new ride on Wednesday,” says Lorenzo.
“I personally prefer to do a trip where I am away for a whole week, so that I have more rest. Then I know better what to expect and I can manage my time better. Otherwise, for example, you have to load and leave at different times during the week, but everyone has their own preferences. The planning does take that into account. That is not always easy, but they do try. For example, if I have a short trip and am home with my family for an evening, I see that as a gift.”
What makes your job so much fun?
“The variety. You never know for sure how a trip is going to go and you don’t know where you’re going to go next week. And the goods we load are different every time; I like that too. It’s almost always something different. One time it’s machines, then it’s wine and then it’s car tires. So I like the variety and the adventure the most.”
You’re constantly in the truck; isn’t that boring?
“No, generally not. I can entertain myself on the road. Nowadays everything is a luxury, so you can easily call the people at home or a few colleagues hands-free. And listening to a lot of music makes it more fun. But I have to be honest: sometimes it can be tough. If you are stuck in traffic a lot or have to start in the dark, it is not always fun, but that is just part of it. For example, in Paris I know that it is always busy and there is a traffic jam, so I prepare myself for that,” says Lorenzo.
What qualities or skills do you need as a driver?
“You really have to be independent and dare to show initiative. You often have to make decisions independently and solve situations yourself. Of course you can always call the planning department, but I like to solve as many things as possible myself and to bother the planning department as little as possible. For example, you have to be able to estimate whether it is smart to drive into a certain street or not and you have to be able to keep a cool head. It can sometimes be chaotic and you never know exactly where you will end up, so that uncertainty is part of it. For example, I always try to be at a routier in the evening, so that I can eat there and be among people. In the evening, legs under the table, food, shower and a decent toilet: I really got that from home.”
What does your future look like?
Lorenzo: “For now, definitely still on the car. I still enjoy driving and as long as it’s something different every week, I still enjoy it. I also just got my first new truck. I’m very happy with that. It’s a very nice car, so I’m going to make a lot of kilometers with it first and then we’ll see.”
Passport
Name: Lorenzo Poppelaars (33)
Company: Kennis Transport & Logistics BV
Residence: Rijsbergen
Marital status: Married and one three year old son
Function: International driver
Since: September 2017
Hobbies: Playing football and watching Formula 1
