The truck, the rocks and the sea – the world of Alberto Luis Álvarez

Feature

Special character.

Spaniards from Asturias are considered to be quarrelsome, but also hospitable and sociable. Alberto Luis Álvarez and his Actros 1851 are a good example of this.

Alberto Luis Álvarez.
Alberto Luis Álvarez.

In the Llanera quarry, the fog gives way to a hazy sky in the course of the morning. On his way there, Alberto Luis drove his red Actros 1851 through green slopes. He suspects that the sun will shine in the afternoon, followed by heavy rain – or maybe the other way around? “That’s Asturias!” he says with a smile.

In the Grupo Asturmasa quarry, a colleague is already waiting for him with a front shovel. Together they start their work. “From the outside it may look like a repetitive activity, but it’s anything but,” says Alberto Luis. The loads are different and the customers and routes are always different. One day, gravel must be transported to a construction site, another day, rocks have to be unloaded in the company's own facilities.



Surprise after 30 years.

The Asturian has been driving trucks for 30 years and still he can be taken by surprise – like recently. “The fleet manager told me that he had bought a new vehicle,” says Alberto Luis. “When I saw the new Actros, I was speechless. I looked at my boss and then at the Actros again. Where on earth were the rear-view mirrors?” It was Alberto Luis’ first encounter with the MirrorCam. “It took me less than a day to get used to them,” he says.

The intended unloading point – the construction of a municipal sports centre – is only 15 kilometres away. But the short journey has its pitfalls: Back roads used by cyclists have no hard shoulder. One advantage of the MirrorCam: “The blind spot is reduced and I can see the exact position of the trailer on the screens, even in roundabouts and tight bends.”



Benefit from the MirrorCam.

When he arrives at the construction site, Alberto Luis demonstrates once again how much he benefits from the MirrorCam in his daily work. He can approach the unloading point safely and precisely.

As he makes his way back to the quarry, Alberto Luis informs his colleagues over the radio.

Alberto Luis’ journeys are not always as short as this one. Sometimes they take him all the way to Santander and he spends the night in the cab. “There is nothing I lack in the Actros. The bed is comfortable and I have everything I need in the fridge.”



Photos: Begoña Tremps

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