Gerrie Pol was quite surprised yesterday morning when a truck suddenly showed up in front of his door in Noordscheschut: his previous employer wanted to celebrate Pol’s retirement festively.
Pol was driven to the old milk factory where he always made his way as a truck driver. He was then taken to the canteen of the new factory, where his wife, daughter, and old colleagues were waiting for him. “It was a wonderful day,” says Pol.
Despite the fact that Pol will only retire today, he has not been working as a truck driver for two years. In 2020, the CBR did not extend his driving license. Pol has one arm, and according to the CBR he was no longer allowed to drive due to stricter regulations. In extreme situations you need both hands on the wheel, the CBR argues.
“If they had tested me and it turned out that it was not safe, I would accept it. But they did not do that,” says Pol. Pol has driven his truck for decades without any problems.
Pol has filed two lawsuits against the CBR, and also won. The CBR has gone to the Supreme Court. “They did not agree with the ruling of the previous judges,” explains Pol. He expects to get the results one of these days.
But even if he wins, it’s very unlikely that Pol will still drive a truck. He is now retired and there is no longer a modified car. “They basically took everything from me.”
Still, Pol is in a good mood about his retirement: “I have a beautiful garden, I can enjoy myself in it.”
He also wants to expressly thank his old employer, for whom he always drove a truck: “I have brought milk for almost 47 years, so this was a nice farewell”, he says about yesterday’s party.