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Long before most people hear their alarm clock, Yves (21) is already preparing to leave. As a tanker driver at Schenk, his day starts at 6:00 a.m. with a standard vehicle check around his truck, his route plan in hand and his full attention on the job ahead. For him, this is not a temporary job or a stopgap. It is a conscious choice for a profession where responsibility plays a central role.
From a young age, Yves knew he wanted to become a truck driver. He obtained his licence at eighteen, inspired by friends who were already working on the road. After gaining experience in transport – including international work – he deliberately chose Schenk at the end of last year. Since then, he has been driving nationally with a tanker, transporting hazardous goods.
What a working day looks like as a tanker driver at Schenk
Before Yves heads out on the road, he always walks around his tanker first. He checks that everything is technically in order. Not as a formality, but because safety always comes first at Schenk. This conscious approach starts before the engine even turns over and sets the tone for the rest of the day.
Although no two days are the same, the principle remains the same: working carefully and keeping to the agreements made. Along the way there is also contact with customers. Sometimes it is a quick and practical exchange during unloading, other times there is time for a conversation over a cup of coffee. Professional where it needs to be, personal where it can be.
What Yves enjoys most is driving itself: the calm of the cab and the clear view of the road ahead.
“You have a certain freedom. You’re on your own and fully focused on your work.”
With rap music or the news playing in the background, he enjoys being on the road while keeping his full attention on the traffic around him.
Transporting hazardous goods requires more
Driving with hazardous goods requires you to think further ahead. Other road users do not always realise the impact of a tanker on the road. This calls for alertness and responsible driving behaviour. That is why all drivers at Schenk follow defensive driving training: looking ahead, thinking ahead and anticipating situations, always with safety as the main priority.
At Schenk, safety is not about ticking boxes. It is about the way you approach your work every day. New drivers receive a careful introduction to the job, supported by training sessions and driving assessments. Code 95 training is also actively supported, a legal requirement for anyone who wants to continue driving under ADR regulations.
Just as important to Yves is the freedom he is given to act professionally.
“If something doesn’t feel safe, you can indicate this, and you don’t have to do it.”
This reflects Schenk’s stop policy: every employee has the authority to stop work if safety cannot be guaranteed. It is not about working faster or harder, but about working smarter. Speed is never the goal. Safety always comes first.
Pride in finishing the job properly
At the end of the day, the satisfaction lies in the result: the load delivered correctly and the journey completed safely. Before Yves finishes, he walks around his vehicle once more, just as he did that morning. In this way, he leaves his truck safe and in good order for the next journey and the colleague who takes over after him. By now, Yves knows well what the profession asks of you. And that is exactly why he has a message for others who might be considering the same path: you do not need to know everything from the start.
“At Schenk you are supported from day one, so it’s less difficult than you might think beforehand.”
With an experienced team around you, you grow into the profession step by step. Behind every delivery stands a professional who takes their work seriously. Transport is not a background process. It is an essential link in keeping businesses running. That understanding is what gives Yves real meaning in his work: being part of the critical processes that keep our customers – and their customers – moving.
