As a driver and technician, Pavel Adam knows almost all the trucks from Mercedes-Benz

Sunshine, a gentle breeze, swaying cornfields, rolling hills and few other vehicles on the roads: the perfect conditions for an Actros photoshoot in the Czech region of South Bohemia. Pavel Adam is at the wheel of the truck, adeptly steering the vehicle as he follows instructions from the photographer: keep more of a distance please, now come forward again, please turn over there! Not a problem for the 47-year old, who has been driving trucks for more than two decades.

Providing help and advice.

He now shares his experiences with other truckers – as an employee of Kůta Servis, a transport company with around 50 trucks from the little town of Prachatice, not far from the Bavarian border. Whether it's fuel-saving techniques or the correct handling of assistance and safety systems, Pavel is there to provide help and advice. During the break, the RoadStars reporter asks him what piece of advice does he find himself often repeating to the younger drivers. Pavel doesn't take long to answer: they need to be patient when things aren't happening as quickly as they'd like. “And, now and then, they should use a map instead of GPS - it's good practice!”

Most of the trucks from Kůta Servis display the Mercedes star. And few employees in the company know as much about the commercial vehicles from Mercedes-Benz as Pavel. Over the course of his career, he has come to know almost all of them. “I started back when the first Actros appeared, however I was also still driving the SK,” explains Pavel, a father of three daughters. Over the years, there was also the Axor, Vario and Sprinter, as well as the omnibuses and all other types of Actros.

– Pavel Adam

Responsible for trucks functioning perfectly.

“We hardly have any problems with the Actros,” says Pavel – speaking from experience here. After all, one of the most important tasks in his role as a technician at Kůta Servis is to ensure the trucks function perfectly. The company primarily transports car parts, for which reliability is a top priority. “We largely service the trucks ourselves.” In the company's new workshop, there are three fully equipped workplaces for this purpose. “For transfer deliveries or when we're a man down, I'm more than happy to get behind the wheel again.”

Trucks even play a part in his free time: “I love going to the Czech Truck Prix, which takes place once a year at the Autodrom Most race track. Or to the rallies that are held here every two weeks.” Pavel lives in South Bohemia's largest city České Budějovice, known in Germany as “Budweis” and primarily for its brewery of the same name. “I actually prefer the beer from Plzeň myself,” he notes with a wink. Quite fitting then that Pavel also has a hobby which allows for one small beer at least – and gives him the opportunity to enjoy his surroundings to the full: cycling. “We have some great routes here in the Bohemian Forest which I can highly recommend to everyone!”

Photos: Matthias Aletsee