The E-start: Can and his training in the eActros

Rifat-Can Sönmez, who everyone here calls Can, has to be ready at 6 a.m. Ready for colleagues, ready for the goods, ready to drive, ready for responsibility. The young man from Stuttgart started his training as a professional driver at Dachser in Kornwestheim two years ago. His final year of training is now ahead of him. He has parked the eActros, which he drives every day, in front of Gate 2 at one of the warehouses at the company’s site north of Stuttgart.

New level.

His route is in a zone declared an emission-free delivery area by Dachser: As part of the DACHSER Emission-Free Delivery concept, the logistics company defined this for consignments larger than parcel size in and around Stuttgart city centre back in 2018. For this reason, the logistics company’s electric vehicles – in addition to the eActros also the 7.5‑tonne FUSO eCanter – have been driving to various shops and a depot in the city for years, from which the goods are distributed onwards emission-free. With its high payload and high transport volume, the eActros now takes performance on these routes to a new level. The eActros' cargo area holds 17 Euro pallets.

From truck to bike.

Today, Can is also heading to the depot of a bicycle courier company, which carries the goods over the last mile. The electrically supported cargo bikes are specially designed for palletised general cargo consignments and can transport a pallet with up to 250 kilograms of goods.

Step by step towards the truck.

At Dachser, the trainees start in different vehicles depending on their driving licence. During their training, they drive everything that has to be driven within the company, from the Sprinter with a lifting platform to the large swap body trailers.

Can already had his car driving licence before his apprenticeship, so in his case he went straight on to the truck via a Sprinter. But driving is by no means everything. In the company, the trainees are taught a broad overview of goods handling. By the end, they also have to manage route planning themselves. Destination addresses, sequence and opening hours – there's a lot to keep in mind.

– Rifat-Can Sönmez, apprentice professional driver at Dachser

The transfer vehicles for the swap bodies zip back and forth in the yard between the loading ramps and parking spaces. Combined with the arriving and departing trucks, they cause a consistently high level of volume at this hour. Can shuts the door of the eActros and presses the start button. It stays quiet in the cab. "That’s what I like best about the eActros," says Can. "You stay relaxed, you can make calls easily with the hands-free system, or just listen to the radio."

For Can, it is also the modern truck technology that makes the training so appealing to him. He tried a few jobs before starting his truck driver training. A friend finally suggested he apply at Dachser. The trainees get along well with each other. During breaks, you also meet up on the route. "I appreciate that. And also that Dachser entrusts us with the eActros." Now it’s time for a trip into town. It’s about time, as the deliveries have to be with customers in the pedestrian zone by 11 a.m. - and  besides, driving the eActros before the rush-hour traffic is even more fun.

Photos: Jan Potente
Video: Martin Schneider-Lau