Here is a short interview with Braulio, one of the members of our team. In it you can learn more about his perspective and experience working with us. Let’s get started!
Braulio has been working at Fernández y Aedo since 2002. Although he has always worked on his own, as he is a self-employed driver with his own lorry, he feels he is part of the company’s history: “when I started there were 8 of us and now there are more than 20 of us”.
He is a friendly and approachable man, easy to communicate with from the very first moment. He gives the impression that he is pleased with himself, proud to be from Laredo (Cantabria) and proud of his two sons Rubén and David, something that is evident as soon as you see the sign on his lorry as it drives along European roads, from Spain to Belgium.
The profession comes from family tradition, his father was a short route lorry driver. Braulio does international routes transporting dangerous substances, which keeps him away all week, but the advantage is that he is back home at the weekend, as these types of substances cannot be transported on public holidays. But for the same reason he can sometimes have to spend a whole day immobilised if it happens to be a public holiday in one place along the route, a time he sometimes takes advantage of to go for a walk.
He says that being self-employed is not what it used to be, but he is used to a certain amount of freedom, he likes to maintain his independence and that compensates him, although he stresses that the profit margins now are not what they used to be.
He is happy working with Fernández and Aedo, and even if he had other job opportunities he would still be there, in fact he has had other offers but has not hesitated at any time, because for Braulio, trust is a degree and he especially values the personal and professional relationship he has with the company. They have known each other for years and coordinate perfectly. For example, his status as a freelancer allows him to work on dates that may be of interest to the company and free at other times that suit him.
He also remembers in particular the understanding he received at a difficult time in his personal life when he needed time off.
He also knows that at Fernández y Aedo the coverage is complete and for even more convenience they even work with the same insurance. The company always takes care of the client so that Braulio can focus on his own work, and if any unforeseen event of any kind should arise, they make the necessary arrangements to resolve it so that he can continue on his route without any problems. They don’t skimp on details, during the year they provide the necessary PPE to carry out the work in safe conditions, even in times of pandemic they supplied masks, gloves and gel to the self-employed drivers as well as to the employed drivers, they even gave the drivers an extra bonus.
After so many years of experience, Braulio faces his work with peace of mind, without tension, he knows that if he complies with all the rules, everything will be fine. He has the ADR licence (European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road) and the CAP which is the compulsory certificate for drivers of lorries over 3500kg.
Braulio has his lorry very well looked after, as it should be, not in vain, they both get up very early and he knows well the long road that awaits them and the calculations that have to be made so that everything fits in well, we have to pass Paris early to avoid the traffic, then we have to have breakfast, eat at 14:00 or 15:00, load in Belgium at the agreed time and start the return journey…
As is common for trucks on long routes, it is fully equipped: TV, fridge, laptop, and a printer, which is very practical for transferring to paper the documentation received by email and to be used for deliveries.
This truck is also the star of the calendar that Braulio has printed, headed by a photograph of the truck, and which has its followers who look forward to it every year.
For Braulio, his truck is his other home, his travelling companion and his future.
If you would like more information about dangerous goods transport or any of our services, please do not hesitate to contact us.