Time is like a wild horse that has taken off its reins, running without stopping. Unconsciously, it has been eleven years since the opening of trucks in Ningbo. I still remember when I first came here, operating a truck was considered a job that many workers envied. Although it's hard work, the salary is much higher than that of ordinary workers working in factories. When loading goods at some factories, there are occasional envious glances. When arriving at some polite or remote factories, salespeople or bosses will offer some food and hospitality at mealtime, which can also be considered a decent and dignified job.
Because of these reasons, ordinary drivers who came to Ningbo more than a decade ago to apply for the position of truck drivers are like carp crossing a river, with thousands of drivers waiting to join, forming a large army of truck drivers at Ningbo Port. Ordinary drivers who want to find a job as a truck driver need to find an introducer and guarantor, as well as pay a deposit, and even a deposit of up to ten thousand yuan for employment. It can be said that it is extremely difficult to get hired!
Why have container transportation companies had difficulty hiring in recent years? Even for some companies, when new cars are delivered, they are also "parked for hospitality"? Is it always "recruiting" or "recruiting" in the major Q groups and WeChat groups every day? There is no need for an introducer or guarantor, no need to pay a deposit, and even the boss who pays the driver's fare before the driver leaves the car. What's even more frightening is that there are ordinary drivers who haven't driven a trailer for a day, haven't studied for a day, and as long as they have an A2 driver's license, some are still probationary drivers who can just fill in the gaps and join the job directly.
Why is the contrast between the past decade so significant? This is not only because the work of truck drivers is extremely hard and the younger generation cannot bear it; The working environment fluctuates with the wind and cannot be stable; The wage growth rate is far lower than that of workers working in factories, and these value factors have caused serious loss of the workforce. In fact, there is another important psychological reason for truck drivers, which is that as a truck driver now, there is a little less dignity and dignity, which makes this group of people no longer have the beautiful expectations of the past.
Outsiders may not fully understand what it means to be a truck driver with dignity and dignity? It's actually quite simple. They just hope to be like ordinary people, having food to eat when hungry, water to drink when thirsty, sleeping for a while when tired, and taking a break when tired. While enjoying these simplicity, they won't be considered luxury by others. When I say this, some people may think that I have gone too far and exaggerated. Who wouldn't understand your basic survival needs?
Let me give you an example. Today, I was loading goods at a factory in Lin'an. A colleague who arrived earlier than me said that he stayed up all night and arrived at the factory before dawn. Because this factory is located in the wilderness, he had originally thought that there would be breakfast sellers next to the factory, but unfortunately his imagination was vivid and reality was harsh. There were no breakfast sellers in the area next to the factory, so he could only endure hunger and fall asleep with his stomach growling. At noon, the factory started eating. He rubbed his newly awakened eyes and got off the car with us to grab a boxed meal before starting to eat. After a while, someone from the factory walked over and shouted at him, 'You didn't make a reservation this morning, why did you just pick it up and eat it?' The sound was very loud. My colleague and I had already left the factory, thinking of basking in the sun while eating on the roadside. When we heard this, we returned and listened to what was going on beside us. At first, I was confused, but later I finally understood. When the salesperson went to work in the morning, she asked us, "Do you want to order lunch?" The driver and I nodded at the same time and smiled, saying, "It's okay if the goods are not packed properly for lunch, we still need to eat." It turned out that lunch needed to be ordered by the factory outside, and it was a privately customized farmhouse meal. If we didn't order lunch in the morning, we wouldn't be able to eat it. The driver brother didn't hear clearly and didn't say anything, so he fell asleep again. Actually, this is our first time coming to this factory, and no one has understood the true meaning of the phrase 'ordering meals'. Finally, the driver brother said angrily, "What? You're not allowed to eat, can't you just talk about it? If it's a big deal, just don't eat!" The person in the factory may be a petty steward, and he was also very angry. While saying, "You've already eaten half of it, if you don't eat, you'll have to pay for the boxed meal." He then pushed the brother with his hand. Both of them suddenly became angry. Seeing the situation was not good, I and another driver brother quickly went up to dissuade us. While saying to the person in the factory, "It's not easy to go out, so please forgive me. He just woke up and didn't figure out what's going on..." After a lot of kind words, I advised the driver brother, "Those who go out to seek wealth are not seeking anger. After all, the goods have been loaded, so it's better to drive the car to the town for dinner. It's better to be less aggressive outside..." At this time, many workers gathered around to watch, and the salesperson also came over. I advised the driver brother to quickly have the salesperson seal the cabinet and take photos before leaving. After he left, the salesperson called the freight forwarder to complain and said a lot of unpleasant things. I could only shake my head and want to repeat them, but it was difficult for me to speak up. The person in charge of boxed meals sneered and said, 'Nowadays, there are people who can't figure out anything.' Then he arrogantly walked into his office with his hands behind his back, as if he had just dealt with a big matter. On this day in this factory, I felt a little sadness in my heart, but more importantly, a sense of nostalgia for that kind of person! They don't understand the hardships and sincerity of others who stayed up all night and rushed to their factory to provide them with high-quality services; They don't understand why the scattered truck collectors from all over the world can let go of the humiliation of self-esteem just for a boxed meal.
Of course, this kind of thing doesn't happen every day, and there is not just one version of the story about the dignity and self-esteem of the Jika people. Various experiences emerge endlessly, with good and bad stories happening every day. I only hope that in the future, the people of Jika will be understood and respected by more people, giving more of the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan and less of the refreshing autumn rain. Let more ordinary drivers from other places live with dignity and self-respect, come to Ningbo Port to strengthen our truck driver team, and assist in the healthy development of Zhejiang's foreign trade industry. |
