Johan Mentior transports building materials and machines for Coopmans DC
Panorama
After spending more than two decades travelling around Europe as a trucker, Johan Mentior is now driving for the company where his dad used to work: Coopmans DC.
Johan Mentior pulls up in front of the Coopmans DC warehouse in his black and white Arocs tipper. After unloading, he’s immediately filled back up – standard procedure for this experienced trucker who started working for Coopmans DC just a couple of months ago. In fact, it might be tempting to say “who has finally started working for Coopmans DC”. 55-year-old Johan had been hoping to make this change for many years.
More than 20 years touring around all of Europe.
For a long time, Johan worked in international vehicle transport. But getting behind the wheel of one of the trucks at infrastructure and transport specialist Coopmans DC in Hoeselt (Belgium) has been on the cards for him for a long time now.
The bulldozer has already started loading the Arocs 1945 4x2 tipper, leaving Johan just enough time to talk to us about his career: “I can look back at 22 years in international and national vehicle haulage. And two months ago, I started working here. I wanted to move to Coopmans DC as soon as possible because I know that the working atmosphere in the company is especially pleasant. The work’s hard, but colleagues willingly help each other.” He’s known the company for a long time: “My dad also worked here in the past.”
The first Mercedes-Benz truck that Johan drove was an SK.
Johan has been driving exclusively trucks from Mercedes-Benz for 16 years. “My first one was an SK with a manual transmission,” he explains. Back then, he had to drive to Italy to pick up the vehicles due to be transported. “After that there was a technological shift. You can see that really clearly on the new Arocs which I drive these days. It’s comfortable, the PowerShift 3 automatic transmission works extremely well and the 330 kW engine always gives me the power I need.” The experienced driver, who incidentally also used to drive in Spain, Austria and Poland, also enjoys the view to the side which the cab offers – a real improvement on the trucks of yesteryear.
Tipper and platform semitrailer.
At Coopmans DC, Johan swaps between the tipper trailer and a platform semitrailer with which he transports concrete panels. “My next destination is a building site in Verviers, where I’m delivering materials for the car park of a fast-food restaurant. This morning I delivered screed to a private customer. And it’s precisely this variety that pleases me so much in this job,” says Johan before getting back behind the wheel of his Arocs. A place at which he long dreamed of sitting.
Photos: Dirk Willemen
Comment
Please log in to post a comment.
4 comments