MANmagazin edition Truck 1/2016 International

1/2016
very beginning. “The shortage of drivers is a
Great activities: The MAN plant tours
organised by MAN Trucker’s World are
very popular with members.
central problem for freight forwarding and
transport companies, so retaining staff is more
important than ever.” The club manager is
convinced that showing appreciation is the
best tool to accomplish that.
Just joined: Marcel N. became a
member of MAN Trucker’s World in 2015.
His friends had been raving about the
club for some time.
Rolf H. (second from right): “MAN
Trucker’s World has delighted me by
its fabulous campaigns for eight
years. Many thanks!”
She is well acquainted with the everyday
working life and hardships of drivers, who are
often exposed to extreme stresses as a result
of their profession. “They have little time off
and rarely enjoy the opportunity of relating to
their families or their surroundings.” At events
such as the bauma, the IAA, MAN Trucknology
Days or the Truck Race at the Nürburg Ring,
families and friends of the drivers are therefore
also warmly welcomed and catered for in
the MAN Trucker’s World Club tent. “It is important
to us that drivers should be able to
simply talk shop at these events without worrying
about etiquette and just feel good all
around,” explains Stürze.
In order to offer its members exceptional
experiences, the club ensures that trade fairs
and events always include special activities.
Tours at truck trial competitions, or exclusive
Big heart for the drivers: Susann
Stürze (bottom right) and her team
at MAN Trucker’s World focus on
the well-being of all club members.
Two generations of club members:
Marcel B. has been with MAN Trucker’s
World Club since 2010. To mark its 10th
anniversary, he gave his son a membership.
box visits at the Nürburg Ring are among the
highlights. Another important factor is per-
suffering injuries due to the blind spot of any
nies to be gifting a membership to their em-
sonal contact with the MAN Trucker’s World
the nearest medical office through a hotline
truck, the organisation promotes measures
ployees, as the annual dues are significantly
Club team. “It does happen that a driver will
and receive immediate treatment. For indi-
for accident prevention and also supports
below the regular costs of mandatory further
talk about personal issues – and we’re always
viduals underway with 40-tonne vehicles will
children and young people who have suffered
training hours.
here to listen,” says the club supervisor. “It
most likely lack the time to spend hours sit-
traffic accidents. So far, €283,000 has been
doesn’t make any difference whether some-
ting in a waiting room.
spent to successfully help drivers in need as
Information about all benefits, events
body drives a V8 or a 7.5-tonne vehicle, wheth-
The club is especially engaged in cases of
well as support charitable institutions.
and campaigns is sent to members not just via
er that person is a managing director or a
drivers who have developed serious needs as
To ensure road safety, regular training
e-mail but by post as well. So even the geo-
dumper truck operator. In our club, everyone
is equally important.”
To provide perfect support, Stürze had
to repeatedly put herself in the shoes of drivers
over the years and clearly reflect as to
which needs and problems the club could op-
a result of sickness, an accident or losing their
job. A dedicated fund, namely “Trucker’s
World – Drivers Help Drivers” was set up in
2007. Out of the €25 in annual membership
fees paid by club members, €7.50 go towards
the fund that supports drivers fallen on hard
times after a stroke of fate. “In many cases,
“We want drivers
to simply feel good
at our events.”
Susann Stürze, MAN Trucker’s World
courses for truck drivers are indispensable.
Since the professional truck drivers directive
issued by the European Union became mandatory
in 2006, truckers are now under obligation
to prove that they have taken 35 hours
of further training within a time frame of
five years. Members of the MAN Trucker’s
graphically most remote member of the club
– a trucker in Forest Lake near Brisbane, Australia
– receives regular communications in
his mailbox. In 2015, he travelled especially to
Europe to participate in a plant tour for club
members and was so impressed by the warm
welcome, that he later sent a five-kilo package
timally address with its offers. This also resulted
in a cooperation with DocStop, for example,
an association that provides professional
truckers with medical services while
on the road. Numerous doctors are involved
sickness benefits are by far inadequate,” says
the club manager. Depending on the seriousness
of the case, the club may donate from
€1,000 to €5,000 to help drivers get back on
their feet again. In addition, the relief fund
20 000
members
World Club can benefit from free ProfiDrive
training courses. “For many drivers, membership
is rather worthwhile just because of the
training alone. In some cases, the company
will not assume the costs, or the drivers work
of chocolate from Australia as a thank you.
More information about MAN Trucker’s
World is found at > www.man-truckers-world.com
in the association, thus forming a national
network coverage throughout Germany. If
plagued by acute problems such as a toothache
or stomach cramps, truckers can contact
also supports other charitable organisations
with donations, including Germany’s Aktion
Kinder-Unfallhilfe, a children’s accident prevention
campaign. To forestall children from
Photos: MAN
have joined MAN Trucker’s World to date.
The international drivers’ club is
represented in a total of 11 countries.
as independent contractors and would have
to pay for their training out of their own
pocket,” says Stürze. It should certainly be a
persuasive argument for transport compa-
Fans and members can also
follow MAN Trucker’s World on
Facebook and Instagram.
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