What’s your favourite thing about being out on the road in your truck?
Definitely the feeling you get from it. You are alone and there is nobody over your shoulder giving out orders every minute of the day. You can more or less plan your jobs to suit you so I suppose that element of independence is nice and in a way you are your own boss.
What trucks have you driven over the last couple of years and what do you like about the Mercedes trucks in particular?
I’ve driven in Volvos, Scanias, MAN and Mercedes trucks and the Mercedes-Benz is definitely the most comfortable in my opinion since there is more space in the cab which I like. You can always find a good position to put your seat in which is really important when the cab is your office. The mirrors are perfect as well and that leads to safer driving on my part. On some of the other trucks I have driven it is harder to observe the road from the cab.
Do you drive across the continent or are you mainly based in Ireland?
I only drive in Ireland as I am only assigned to local jobs. Thankfully I don’t have to sleep in my truck so I get to go home every night which is a major perk in the trucking industry.
Do you think that driving locally in the greater Dublin region is more strenuous compared to long distance journeys across the country?
Definitely, most days I have to change trailers 6 or 7 times connecting them and disconnecting them. Also, if you mainly drive on the motorway you can drive straight the majority of the time but for me I have to constantly drive in tighter spaces in and around the city.
That sounds quite mentally challenging. Do you find it very stressful?
It’s not too bad as you learn to adapt. From time to time it can be tough if there is a build-up of heavy traffic but mostly it’s ok. When I’m doing my evening shifts, whilst there is traffic up until around 7 or 8 o’clock, afterwards the road is free so you have to just be patient.
What is your favourite feature in your Mercedes truck?
I like the lane assist feature. At times on the road you can feel tired especially later in the day so this feature helps to maintain your focus on the road. If your attention is drawn from the road ahead it lets you know! I am looking forward to the mirror cameras on the newer trucks launching soon.
If someone was in your position 2 years ago whereby they were considering a change in their career to become a truck driver what advice would you give them?
I would advise them to make sure they are committed to driving trucks every day for a living not just for a couple of hours the odd day. If you are sure about that aspect then I would say why not go for it? Do the job that you like! Leaving my job 2 years ago to pursue this career was difficult as it was risky but I am very happy now that I took that risk and it has definitely paid off.
