When I was but a wee lad, I used to scare the hell out of my mom by remarking constantly on my desire to be a truck driver (in the USA). I was obsessed with big rigs and wanted to live the life of BJ from the TV series 'BJ and the Bear' (look it up). My mom was sure the phase would pass but my desire for this profession lingered for quite awhile until I was eventually distracted by other metiers.She did not necessarily mind the fact that I wanted to be a truck driver it's just that, like many parents, she knew my talents were best served elsewhere. I eventually landed in international relations which is a natural fit for me. However, my truck driver-envy continues. I realize that in the states, the profession can be grueling and with today's high fuel prices, many independent truckers have gone out of business.
Life on the road is tough and I've met several ex-truckers who are happy to have moved on to other careers. Truckers in Europe have it worst with all of those limiters on the engine, border crossings, itty bitty tiny roads and language barriers. Truckers in Africa are, quite simply, a different breed.
In the Great Lakes region where I currently live, a trucker entering from Uganda into Burundi has to put up with massively corrupt police, road bandits and a general lack of any decent maintenance facility. The country does have, ironically, a 'truck station' in the capitol city where truckers can safely park their rigs for the night and have access to clean facilities.
The guy in this photo is from Uganda and he enthusiastically showed me his Mercedes rig. He was dropping a large load at a local warehouse near to where I work and told me of his trip in Bujumbura. He said, for the most part, things are much better now post-crisis but the biggest hassle is the police who will demand a large bribe if so much as a blinker light is out. Still, he said he enjoys life on the road and the independence it brings.
I envy him. His truck looks gorgeous and driving through Africa can, during the good times, be a magical experience. During the bad times, it's about as awful as you can imagine. Truckers have their own share of um, issues as well. You can plot higher HIV/AIDS rates along major trucking routes and being on the road constantly, it is only a matter of time before you have an accident with some out of control mini-bus. Regardless, I wouldn't mind giving it a go. If I were to try it, I think the USA is the obvious starting point. I'll take a massive Peterbuilt super-cab please.
Want an extreme dose of trucking? Watch 'Ice Truckers' on the Discovery Channel, that's my new favorite show next to American Choppers.
photo: east bound and down, loaded up and in Africa?
