It’s a bit chilly outside and there’s no one about. He also takes a look at the cooling system, which keeps up a steady buzz all night. He casts his eye over the trailer locks and the wheels and checks the tachograph, which records speed and distance. The routine is the same tonight as every other night. Lázaro prepares to spend the night there. He parks behind the gas station next to another huge truck that has its cabin curtain drawn. Lázaro left the southeastern Spanish region of Murcia two days ago with 24,000 kilograms of grapes that must be delivered undamaged by Friday near Cambridge in the United Kingdom. This service area is no different from any other. Lázaro Bermejo arrives with his refrigerator truck at the Beaugency-Messas service area near Blois, in central France.
Day 1 Meeting at the Beaugency-Messas rest area (France) EL PAÍS rode with a veteran Spanish truck driver for four days through France and the UK and found that driving a truck is not only unromantic, it can also be very depressing. Despite the money that can be made, the younger generations are not tempted. Trucking is a hard and extremely lonely job, involving days away from home and nights at unwelcoming service areas or lay-bys. In Spain, the required figure is over 15,000. In Europe, demand will be around 400,000 over the next few years. The lack of international truck drivers is one of the causes behind the bottleneck in international trade.
