Truck Drivers, or Give People a Chance

I was, like most of us, brought up to believe that truck drivers are the most badass people in the world. They are crude, lack manners and mercy, drink and drive dangerously, have no families waiting back at home, would squash your car to pulp if you came in their way, blah blah.

I had no reason to believe in the above, but it had been somehow passed from common knowledge into mine.

Now one day, back in my college days, I had gone to Haldwani for some work and got late. My college, at Pantnagar, was some 30 KMs away, and the last train had left half an hour ago. There were no buses at night for Bareilly, which could drop me at the University gate, and the late night buses to Delhi took the Tanda bypass at night, which would drop me some 5 KMs from the college.

So although instinctively I found hitching a ride from a truck at night dangerous, I had no option but to try for it. I gave my hand to a few but all were going to the local mandi a few KMs ahead. About half an hour passed before I found a truck that was going my way. The truck driver was alone in the truck and he was going to the town next from my University, Kicha.

All the while I was in the truck with the driver, and it was around half an hour’s journey, thoughts kept going in my head about the truck driver. It was as if he was not just a driver, but he had the label of ‘truck’ attached with that word driver, thus making him dangerous and dishonest.

When nothing happened along the way, and we neared the University, the only thing I could imagine he would at least do was to ask me for more money than was necessary. The bus ticket was around 16 bucks, so I decided I would give him no more than 20 bucks, even if he asked for it. Those were college days and the difference between 20 and 30 was huge.

When we finally reached the college gate, I gave him a 20 rupee note. I had started to get down when I heard him say, “mere pass change nahi hai” (I don’t have change). Startled, I looked back and asked, “what?” He said that the going cost for the distance was 10 rupees and that he did not have change with him. I hesitated and then said that it was OK, he could keep the money. He gave a small gesture of thanks.

My hostel was some 2 KMs from the University gate, so as I walked the lonely road through the fields, I kept thinking back on the driver. I had got him so wrong. Without reason I had doubted him, whereas he had shown me generous courtesy. There was nothing hostile about him; there was only my own suspicion.

It was my fate that when I passed out from college, I joined a commercial vehicle manufacturer and have ever since dealt with these drivers and their owners on a daily basis. And the fact is, yes, there are some drivers whom one should be vary of. Most of them lead harsh lives, ever troubled by a lowly income and bad roads. Due to the hot climate, they prefer to drive at night, at which time they are the kings of the road. They have to deal with corrupt policemen and strict owners. Ever on the move, they develop a habit for alcohol and prostitutes. They use their alcohol not as a party drink but as a drug to calm their nerves and keep their concentration on the road. Almost never will you find a truck driver who doesn’t steal diesel from his own truck.

But in spite of this, we do not have any reason to fear them or be suspicious of them. Sure there are some hard ones out there, but I found a gentleman driver that night, and have since met many, and so too will others if they try.

And the driver is just a metaphor.