Dachser Takes Stock After Three Months of Corona Measures

Using the example of the Memmingen branch, Dachser describes how the Corona measures affect daily life. Although various relaxations have taken place, not much has changed for warehouse staff and drivers. Customers are demanding rigorous discipline from the drivers.

(Memmingen) Truck drivers are “system-relevant” and keep the supply chains reliably running – even in times of crisis. The daily work life demands a lot from the drivers, but they also experience positive aspects. Inquiries were made with driver and fleet manager Christian Ludwig and Jürgen Schneider, head of inbound and local transport at Dachser in Memmingen.

Fortunately, the sometimes hours-long truck traffic jams at the borders towards Eastern Europe, Austria, and Italy have dissolved again. At the beginning of the Corona crisis, these did not bode well for the supply chains. Even though traffic is rolling again, much has changed in the daily life of professional drivers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

For example, at Dachser in Memmingen. The first measures implemented at the Dachser branch were additional hygiene measures, installation of plexiglass screens with pass-through at the counter, and floor markings to ensure optimal protection for drivers and office staff. “Later, there was only take-out food available in the cafeteria, and masks, disinfectant spray, and change of clothes were distributed to the drivers,” reports professional driver Christian Ludwig. The usual meetings in the smoking area now happen at most with two people and at a distance.

The delivery of goods is also different now. “There is hardly any direct personal contact with corporate clients anymore. How strict the preventive measures are at the clients varies from case to case and also depends heavily on the respective industry,” Ludwig explains. For example, at a pharmaceutical company, a detailed health document must be filled out every time before delivery, and temperature is measured. In the food sector, wearing masks and strict disinfection is generally mandatory. Elsewhere, the situation is handled a bit more casually. For instance, with many private customers, whose numbers have doubled at the Dachser branch in Memmingen during the Corona crisis.

Experiencing Appreciation

The Corona crisis is thus permanently present in the daily lives of drivers. Wearing masks, frequent hand washing, and disinfection are the order of the day. And of course, maintaining distance. However, only physically. In fact, Christian Ludwig experiences that people often come closer in a different, personal way than before. For example, when he delivers a washing machine or an entire greenhouse, many inquire about the current situation for professional drivers. Sometimes there is even a small token of appreciation or a bar of chocolate as a thank you. “This certainly boosts motivation significantly. The appreciation I am currently experiencing has never been so high in my entire career,” says Christian Ludwig.

Jürgen Schneider, head of inbound and local transport at the Dachser logistics center in Memmingen, can only emphasize this: “I have been with Dachser for 35 years now. The logistics industry definitely enjoys particularly high appreciation during this difficult time. It is no longer said: ‘The truck drivers are blocking the road.’ But rather: ‘Great that you make it possible to pick up and deliver the goods on time.’ Suddenly, our profession belongs to the heroes of everyday life – just like the nursing staff.” Apparently, only in times of need do we recognize how important certain professions are.

When much is no longer taken for granted, the importance of a functioning basic supply becomes much more apparent to people. According to Christian Ludwig, however, none of the drivers feel fear while performing their jobs: “From the beginning, we felt well taken care of at Dachser. Everyone respects this virus, but a feeling of fear has not arisen in any of us, also due to the quickly implemented preventive measures.” Meanwhile, he also senses among the customers that with the onset of the reopening of normal life, the mood is improving somewhat, even though the concern for professional existence is felt everywhere. Especially in the areas of metal and electrical industry, gastronomy, hotels, events, and catering, many companies have lost 80 percent or often even their entire revenue.

“The appreciation I am currently experiencing has never been so high in my entire career.” Christian Ludwig, driver and fleet manager at the Dachser logistics center Allgäu in Memmingen.

“At Dachser, due to the distancing requirement, only every second workplace in the office is currently occupied,” says Ludwig. This could also apply to outdoor areas in gastronomy. Or in hotels. “So many depend on it: whether vegetable farmers, butchers, or breweries,” worries the driver.

The lockdown has also left its mark at Dachser in Memmingen. In many sectors of the economy, operations are at a standstill or have been drastically reduced. This naturally also affects the number of transports.

Getting Through the Crisis Together

“However, Dachser is making efforts to keep the impact on the contracted transport companies as low as possible,” says Jürgen Schneider. “We are rotating vehicles to keep the losses for each company as low as possible. We communicate intensively with our transport partners and want to show them that they belong to the Dachser family, and that we will get through this crisis together.” It is not about faster, higher, further, but about integrative responsibility, honesty, and reliability. “These are values that Dachser has always stood for,” says Jürgen Schneider.

Jürgen Schneider hopes that the logistics industry will retain its current status in society: “The current empathy, solidarity, and appreciation for our profession provide a completely different basis for collaboration and coexistence at all levels. This will also affect the attractiveness of the driving profession. And that is where we need to start.”

Photo: © Dachser

Image caption: Christian Ludwig and Jürgen Schneider from the DACHSER logistics center Allgäu in Memmingen

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