That's what I want - to drive an MAN tipper

This former automotive mechatronics specialist now drives an MAN tipper through Middle Franconia – and is thus living his childhood dream. A story about vocation, the courage to change and a fascination for heavy machinery.

As a young boy, Fabian Böhm stopped at every building site to watch excavators and trucks at work. The 30-year-old now sits at the wheel of an MAN tipper himself and is experiencing how a new generation of children follows his work in amazement.

The morning begins for Fabian with a WhatsApp message. His dispatcher at Hitz Erdbau GmbH informs him about his upcoming tour. It usually involves transporting material between the gravel works, soil depot, excavation and construction site – a job that’s made to measure for the trained automotive mechatronics specialist from Heilsbronn near Nuremberg.

"I just wanted to get out of the workshop"

The former automotive mechatronics specialist took the plunge and decided on a radical career change in 2020. "I just wanted to get out of the workshop," says Fabian. "I like being on the road, so I wanted to try out HGV driving." A decision he has not regretted to this day. It already became clear during his time at driving school that handling large machinery is in his blood. He was already driving a lion at that time.

He is particularly fond of his current work tool, an MAN tipper. He had requested it from his boss and got it. "I believe that MAN builds the best vehicles, in terms of looks alone. And they also come from Nuremberg!", enthuses the man from Middle Franconia. He benefits from his experience as a mechatronics engineer: "You simply know how an engine functions."

Fabian finds the MAN HydroDrive front-wheel drive on his truck indispensable. The reason is that the conditions on construction sites are often challenging, especially after heavy rainfall. "The terrain on construction sites is sometimes a surprise," he says. "You can only learn this kind of driving experience by doing it for real."

Even though his deployment radius of around 80 kilometres around Nuremberg is manageable, Fabian does appreciate the variety in his job. Sometimes he’s on the wheel loader, then he's off to the next construction site. But he still has one wish: "It would be great if tuck drivers were valued a bit more by the public and shown a bit more consideration in traffic."

He often has to smile when children now marvel at his truck with wide eyes as the 30-year-old drives onto construction sites. After all, he once stood there himself – with the same gleam in his eye. Dreams do sometimes come true.

This might also interest you: