Can you imagine designing a passenger car and not having a driving license?

Would you want to buy a car from someone that has never even driven one?

I don’t think it’s a surprise that my answers to that is I for sure cannot and No.

Some people have wondered why I now have driving license for heavy truck with heavy trailer (“långtradarkörkort” as some say in Sweden).  Well, how can you make sure that you make the right decisions when it comes to visibility, manoeuvring, engine performance or durability? How can you meet our heroes, the drivers, and talk with them about their profession if you do not know what it takes? And how can you be sure that the parts you are responsible for in purchasing are good enough for the sometimes really tough conditions that they are exposed to?

As a Scania-trainee you are offered to take C or CE driving license, depending on where you are employed. In my case, I was offered CE. Have you seen the books for heavy truck, bus and heavy trailer? I can tell you they are huge. Maybe they are designed to match the type of license? HEAVY truck, HEAVY trailer…

You are not allowed to take the tests for CE before you have driving license for C. And for C you have to pass a theory test, and a driving test with a pretty big security check where you have to be able to both perform the check and answer questions regarding what you did, why and how some parts of the truck works. You have to be able to drive in city traffic, on the highway and reversing to a loading dock. And then for CE you have to pass another theory test, an even larger security check, reversing in different ways corresponding to how you back up to a loading dock or park in a garage – all of this even before you are allowed to show the person responsible for your test that you can drive in traffic as well. That’s a lot of steps to pass to get the license. But oh they joy when you do! And now, when I have it, I miss the continuity of driving that I had with my driving lessons! I want to be driving more, and more often! It’s so much fun!

Now when I see a truck, I am not only getting that wow trucks are awesome-feeling and that feeling that I am proud of what we do, and what we accomplish. Now I also get the feeling of how fun it is to drive and I’m mightily impressed by how incredibly skilled truck drivers are!

Stay tuned!