Starting problems, warning lights that come on or a flat tire. Travelers with these kinds of problems report to the emergency center of the ANWB (Algemene Nederlandse Wielrijdersbond). Compared to 2019, the year before corona broke out, it is considerably busier there. The reason: the Dutch are going on holiday because most corona restrictions have expired and because of the crowds at domestic airports they opt for the car.
“In four weeks we received about 300,000 incoming calls with requests for help,” says operational manager Fenny in ‘t Veld of the emergency center in Assen. “That means that we receive 10,000 requests for help every day.” According to In ‘t Veld, this concerns all emergency centers in Europe. In addition to Assen and The Hague, the ANWB also has locations in France, Germany, Spain and Greece.
If a call is made, this does not only relate to a breakdown report abroad. Travelers can also call and ask if someone can assist them due to illness or medical care.
“This year there is an increase of 34 percent with regard to foreign files (in other words: vehicle assistance, ed.). In the telephone supply from abroad there is an increase of 49 percent, in the Netherlands this is 10 percent,” the report said. operations manager further. This is an increase compared to 2019.
Marloes de Noord is team manager of the emergency center in Assen. She explains that most of the reports, a quarter of the total, come from France. “After that, Germany and Belgium follow closely, but we also notice that the number of reports is increasing in Spain and Italy.” According to De Noord, Spain is a transit country to Morocco. “We also see an increase in the number of reports.”
One of the three hundred employees in Assen is Marcel Hummel. He also emphasizes that it is very busy at the moment. “Unfortunately, you notice this in the longer waiting times, but we do our best to bring travelers to safety and to allow them to continue their holiday,” explains Hummel. Thanks to sixteen stationed roadside assistance services in France and Italy, the ANWB tries to provide assistance on location.
When the employee is called, he first tries to reassure the traveler. “It is important that he or she is safe by standing on the verge.” Due to the crowds, travelers can wait longer than usual, but according to Hummel someone will come that way. Operations manager In ‘t Veld emphasizes: “We can handle the pressure. Of course travelers will have to wait longer, but we really do our utmost to help people as quickly as possible.”