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Many professionals in the transport industry eventually move from the road into an office role. Tim (21) chose a different direction. After nearly three years at Schenk, where he worked in customer service and later as a planner, he decided to start training as an ADR tank truck driver.
Understanding what happens in practice
As a planner, Tim had a clear overview every day. He organised transports, coordinated with drivers and kept operations running smoothly. He knew the system inside out, but what actually happens on the road remained at a distance.
It was a thought he couldn’t shake.
Now or never
Transport runs in Tim’s blood. He grew up in an environment where the profession felt natural and familiar. After completing school, he initially chose an office role—a logical starting point, but not the final destination.
“If I don’t do it now, I might never do it.”
Through Schenk’s Talent Development Programme, he was given the opportunity to take this step. With focused guidance from experienced mentor drivers, Tim was never on his own during the training process. This support helped him build the confidence needed to perform the job independently.
You have to experience it yourself
The real change didn’t come from theory, but from practice. From the moment Tim took to the road himself, he felt the difference between understanding how things work and actually doing the work. Loading and unloading, dealing with regulations and taking responsibility on the road are not things you learn behind a desk. You have to experience them in real-life.
Today, Tim drives independently and transports products such as lubricating oils. Step by step, he is working towards chemical transport, the next phase with increased responsibility.
That responsibility is part of everyday life as an ADR driver. It means staying alert, handling cargo with care and putting safety at the heart of everything you do. Tim describes his first weeks on the road as exciting and intense, but above all very positive. It was a period of learning, exploring and discovering what works best for him.
Just do it!
For colleagues who are still unsure about taking a similar step, Tim has a clear message:
Overthinking will only get you so far. Sometimes you have to take action to find out whether something truly suits you.
“If you’ve been thinking about it for so long, you just have to take that step at some point.”
At Schenk, Tim was given that opportunity. That is what working at Schenk stands for: trust, room for development, and learning by doing.
