Small area, big challenge: a tour of the University Hospital with Burkhard Oldörp

Plenty to do on the campus.

A lot of the materials here on campus are transported from A to B by means of a state-of-the-art system. This consists of Wi-Fi-controlled, driverless transport units that transport containers predominantly underground, bringing them to their destinations via lifts. Nevertheless, Burkhard and his fellow drivers – there are three Atego 818 trucks in operation in Lübeck – have lots to do. With a workforce of almost 16.000, UKSH is Germany’s second-largest university hospital after Charité in Berlin. 440.824 people were treated here in 2021, around half of them in Lübeck and the other half at the second location in Kiel. Ategos are also used there – five in total, which also handle deliveries between the two locations. Together, they carry out an impressive total of around 31.000 material transport runs per year.

Burkhard has been an integral part of this smooth-running logistics for over 25 years. However, he comes from a very different background. “I trained as a carpenter and later also spent three years at sea.” Further down the line, he made the decision to retrain as a ‘King of the Road’. “In the driver training programme, I specialised in tankers and got a job in this line straight away,” says the Lübeck native. However, he quickly came to realise that, in this field, there is less freedom at the wheel and greater focus on safety regulations. “That’s definitely very important. But I didn’t really enjoy it.”

Getting to grips with every job.

A job offer from the University Hospital then came along at the perfect moment. “It’s not just my truck driver's licence I brought with me, but also all the experience from my previous jobs,” says Burkhard. As a carpenter, he learned to work in all types of weather, even when it hurts. “That’s why I have no problem taking on jobs that simply need to be done.” This may be in the hospital garden centre or winter maintenance. Since his time at sea, he knows the importance of teamwork, which is vital on the campus.

Burkhard, who loves going fishing to relax after work, rarely clocks up more than 20 kilometres per shift. However, this type of urban logistics involves high demands with regard to the materials. ‘It’s very stop-start all day long here, which is not so good for the vehicle.’ However, this has never led to any problems with the Atego. ‘It's so well made and reliable.’ The box body also has a door on the right-hand side to ensure that the rear tail lift is not weakened by the constant opening and closing. This enables Burkhard to load and unload goods such as boxes of medication gently and quickly.    

Be quick, not frantic.

A large number of his trips run according to fixed schedules. However, Burkhard often has to make spontaneous trips, too. Things are always needed unexpectedly at some station or other. In these cases, he needs to be fast without getting panicked. After all, things can be just as complex on campus as in normal urban traffic. “A lot of pedestrians here don’t expect to see cars and they cross the road without looking.” How does he stay relaxed here? “I realise that, on a hospital campus, it’s not the pedestrians who are in the way, but it’s us with our vehicles – important job or not.”

And there are lots of vehicles to be seen here. Taking a short walk around the campus, supply trucks, visitors’ cars and public buses are all constantly visible. And there are also cyclists – and emergency vehicles. “When the flashing blue lights come by, they take priority.” The campus roads are well designed, but there are a few narrow points here and there. “You need to drive very carefully,” says Burkhard, before, in the next breath, praising the excellent handling and clear views offered by his Atego. “That makes my work a lot easier.” Just what he needs on his small stamping ground.

Photos and video: Sebastian Vollmert