The well-liked Arto Nieminen, 65, who drove the maintenance truck of the cross country team for a long time, is retiring. Hämeenkyröläinen tells about the most colorful cases of his career.
Four hundred and twenty times around the globe. That means a total of about 5.3 million kilometers. That’s how hymenic it is Arto Nieminen65, has been driving a truck in his working career, which began in 1979.
He drove the roads that others dread. He has gone where others dare not. He has kept his nerve when others have gone berserk.
– I would have driven through North Korea to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. I would also have gone to China with a truck for the 2022 Winter Games, but it didn’t work out at all, says Nieminen.
From the 2014–15 season, he has driven the truck of the Finnish national skiing team. Now is the cooling off period, because Nieminen officially retired last December.
– On the first day of retirement, I received 23 job offers. Between December and February, when I wasn’t skiing, I was working more than ever. I transported tourist buses, school children and associations.
Slip on TV
Arto Nieminen, a freighter living in Pirkanmaa in Kyröskoski, Hämeenkyrö, has been the driver of the cross country team’s maintenance truck for the last few years. PASI LEISMA
Nieminen, better known as Äijä or Rahtari, came to the attention of the large Finnish sports audience last season at the World Ski Championships in Planica.
Yleisradio’s reporter was in the field doing a report on the men’s 30 kilometer combined races and had a chat with Nieminen.
– We were talking about the shot put, when a scream started coming from the radio in my earlobe. We received information that our skier is missing or possibly stuck in a protective fence, Nieminen recalls.
A journalist from the state media house recognized the news situation and asked Niemi what had happened.
“Arsi Harjun the leg has gone to shit”, Nieminen announced on Yleisradio’s live TV broadcast.
Nieminen, who spoke a moment earlier about the shot put, said that Arsi Harju was inattentive, even though the injured athlete was Arsi Ruuskanen.
– In a somewhat frantic and tense situation, the names got mixed up. Arsi Ruuskanen is one of my favorite athletes. A very serious young man.
In Planica, Nieminen was also in the national public for the second time. He had a bottle of champagne in his possession, which had to be popped if the Finnish men won a medal in the 4×10 kilometer relay.
– The husband said that you had to be in the pictures with a bottle in your hand.
As “door police”
The service truck is driven by a Scania. – There are about 200,000 kilometers on the odometer. It has worked well. The new driver complained a little when the car doesn’t accelerate, when it’s such a small machine, Arto Nieminen says. PASI LEISMA
The truck driver’s job description in the Ski Association’s work has included pole and soldering iron maintenance during competitions. That’s why he was by the track in Planica as well.
– I don’t grease my skis, I don’t ski in the relay team, and I never take running steps in my work, Nieminen reminds.
Long-suffering, good-natured and friendly. That’s how coworkers describe the driver.
– I have been the solver of sudden disputes and the door policeman of a service truck. I haven’t lost my nerve.
The work community includes passionate people.
– What has annoyed me the most is how some skiers have treated maintenance and the maintenance manager, Nieminen says.
– Another thing is the treatment of the fleet vehicle. You don’t even leave banana peels on the floor at home, he adds.
Lately, skiing’s rage has been the talk of the town. Nieminen defines track rage as a dispute between enthusiasts and people walking on the track. He uses the term competitive rage.
– In February, I was in Vuokatti to watch the World Championships for veterans. There were tense feelings there too. I guess they also showed that will to win. The going was a bit similar to the Finnish Cup in Kuopio last weekend.
Nieminen mentions them as the finest of the skiers Matti Heikkinen, Ville Nousiainen and Laura Mononen.
– When we see each other, we exchange family news. Sometimes they give me surprising calls when they ask about transport technical information.
The worst places
Arto Nieminen hands the keys to the service truck to new driver Sami Mäki-Uuro (left). PASI LEISMA
The worst places that Nieminen has driven to with a service truck are alpine villages like Val Müstair and Lenzerheide in Switzerland.
– The mirrors have to be turned to fit. The roads are black and there are chains to be installed, and they don’t help either. It has gone up with the tug.
Nieminen’s tendon has withstood kinky situations. He recalls receiving 2-3 fines during his national team career.
– Always made it to the destination on time.
The freighter is upset when some of the professional drivers fall into driving rage.
– It is especially evident in young drivers. Do they get the card too young and with too loose teaching methods?
Test veteran
Looking towards retirement. PASI LEISMA
If Nieminen keeps up with his busy schedule, he plans to travel in retirement Day-with your spouse and play with your grandchildren. Niemi has a total of five children, three of them with her current spouse. There are ten grandchildren.
– It’s great that at this age there is nothing to worry about. Friends have pill courses, but I don’t have any regular medication. Sometimes I take heartburn medicine.
At least mental heartburn was caused by the 2020–22 massive corona testing on national team trips.
– In the best year, I had 216 corona tests.
They were also treated on the long surface.