Giving back to the community

Christoph regularly drives for a good cause with "Trucker helfen Kindern" (Truckers Helping Kids)

With their commitment to children with cancer, Christoph Giegerich and his haulage team regularly prove that a readiness to help and a sense of belonging are strong elements of the driver community. An annual charity rally also raises social awareness for the profession.

Truckers keep Germany moving – that's a fact. Time and again, we come across drivers and companies who follow this principle, including outside of their day-to-day business. Christoph Giegerich is one such case. Some of you already know him from our big 2024 advent calendar, when he drove the number 23.

The 46 year old is Managing Director of Spedition Giegerich GmbH in Kirschfurt, Lower Franconia. The company, which has been family-owned since 1986, has nine tractor units. "I grew up with the company", says Christoph. "My father started with a single 7.5 tonne truck." Today, the haulage company mainly drives tarpaulin trailers with cargoes of sanitary paper and semi-finished goods, but also takes care of internal works transport for a furniture company and, in cold temperatures, winter services with an MAN F2000. The lion features strongly in the Giegerich fleet.

We have always stood by the brand. Even as a little boy, I used to sit in my father's MAN. The lion has helped shape our company's growth. “

Readiness to help among truckers

The best thing about the professional driver family, in Christoph's eyes, is the readiness to help each other. Giegerich Spedition GmbH is also part of the Fahren für Deutschland (Drive for Germany) campaign organised by MAN and Trucker's World. "Comradeship among drivers is more important than ever", says the haulier.

Thank goodness there are still enthusiasts among truckers who see the profession not just as a job, but who also live it. That's what I take away from the Trucker's World community. This needs to be maintained. “

It is precisely this kind of readiness to help, and the sense of community, that again and again creates a platform for the profession in the public eye. When the blue and white Giegerich trucks are not on the road for customers, they can occasionally be seen working for a good cause.

Award-winning trucker rally

"We support the Truckers Helping Kids organisation", says Christoph. The association based in the Main-Spessart region started the first charity trucker rally during the coronavirus pandemic. At the time, his son and other drivers talked to Christoph about the idea of organising a rally to raise money for children with cancer. "A colleague was decorating his vehicle in the hall for the trip. We were also involved the following year, and have supported the initiator of the campaign, Daniel Köhler, every year since then". Last year, Truckers Helping Kids was awarded the prize of honour at the IAA by the "Blicki blickt's" road safety initiative.

"We use the donations to support various foundations, such as Station Regenbogen e.V. in Würzburg, the Sternenzelt children's hospice in Marktheidenfeld and the Hoffnung schenken campaign in Neustadt am Main," says Christoph. "They are committed to research and helping children." Over 82,000 euros was raised in 2024. But in addition to the fundraising campaign, Christoph sees a positive side effect in the project: a reinforced sense of belonging in the trucker family and welcome publicity for the truck-driving profession. "Campaigns like this are important", he emphasises. "We need to maintain our presence as an industry – so that people see us: They exist and they are doing something."

"By all means copy us!"

The total of 120 rider places for the pre-Christmas rally are always taken within a few minutes. Local fire brigades will be selling food and drinks along the route, also going into the donation pot. All in all, an event that inspires and involves the entire region. Christoph's tip for all business owners and truckers? "By all means copy us!"

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