Driver of the Month: Chris Merkl

He’s long since turned his fascination for trucks into a profession.

At the tender age of four, they let Chris sit behind the wheel of an MAN F2000. His little hands grabbed the steering wheel and gearstick. That feeling has remained with him to this day.

Now 44, Chris has long since turned his passion into a profession. As a driver for GF Gerüstbau Feig GmbH in Ingolstadt, Upper Bavaria, he hauls scaffolding to construction sites throughout Germany. “I’ve only ever driven MAN,” he says proudly. His current rig is a 2018 MAN TGX with a crane, and he couldn’t be happier in his XLX cab. Even so, the MAN enthusiast has already set his eyes on his next truck – “I think the new MAN vehicles are great. They look fantastic, and they have everything I could ever want as a driver – even more space in the cabin, very comfortable handling.”

People first

Chris has been a Trucker’s World member for twenty years, making him one of the first members. “This community and the aid fund are top-notch. People come first,” says Chris.

Chris doesn’t make much use of Trucker’s World’s online channels. He’s just not into spending time on a smartphone. But he reads the printed club magazine and has collected brochures and miniature models of every MAN truck since the TGA. Chris keeps himself up to speed on the latest vehicle technology at events such as MAN Trucknology Roadshow, bauma, and IAA. “Driving trucks is more than just a job,” says Chris, “It’s a passion. Of course it has to be MAN.”

Truck driving isn't just my job; it's a passion. Of course, it has to be a MAN. “

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