Gerrie Pol was suddenly national news two years ago. Against will and thanks, because the 66-year-old truck driver from Noordscheschut would have liked to have continued with what he had been doing for years: collecting milk from farmers with his tanker and transporting it to the cheese producer in Hoogeveen.
But things turned out differently, because the Central Bureau for Driving Proofs (CBR) decided not to renew the driver’s license of the one-armed driver when it was time for a five-year medical examination. Pol successfully challenged this in court, but when the CBR went to the Council of State, he was still unsuccessful.
And so Pol is at home, as he has been at home since his driver’s license was not renewed in 2020. “I have officially retired since September 3. But you know? It doesn’t feel like that at all when you’ve been at home for so long,” he says disappointed. Colleagues of the disabled truck driver felt sorry for him, which is why last month he received a goodbye that belongs to someone who drove his truck for 36 years without his disability getting in the way. “I was picked up in the truck, we went to the dairy and I spoke to old colleagues. It was great. But”, he says with a lump in his throat, “I would have loved to drive the truck myself. “
‘Never suffer from disability’
Pol, who was born with one arm with only two fingers on it, does everything with one arm all his life, such as driving the tanker. His had been modified in such a way that the one-armed driver could get by perfectly with it. Where normally the clutch was, there were pedals for the left and right turn signals and with his left heel Pol could operate the windshield wipers, horn and the high beam. “In all those years I’ve never experienced situations where my disability bothered me,” he says. The CBR thought otherwise. “Due to stricter rules, I should not have been allowed to drive since 2003, they said. Because in extreme situations you needed both hands on the wheel.”
And so it is no longer possible to get behind the wheel for Pol. At least, not in vehicles that require a large driver’s license, such as a tanker. Two years ago he also threatened to lose his driver’s license for passenger cars, but Pol barely managed to prevent that. But he also wanted to keep his big driver’s license, so he challenged the decision of the CBR in court. “I was found in the right twice, because the judge thought that the CBR had not substantiated its decision well enough, but when the CBR went to the Council of State, they still got their way,” says Pol. He has to laugh a little, but he does it like a farmer with a toothache.
backsail
“I had a good feeling about it at first,” he continues. “The CBR always came up with the argument that you should be able to keep two hands on the wheel in extreme circumstances, but the Council of State said that you can never rule out an accident unless you stay at home,” says Pol. However, he eventually backed down. “Because it has been assessed that I cannot drive a truck with an elbow. The CBR said that this has been tested, but I am the only truck driver in the Netherlands with this congenital abnormality. How was this tested, because I have not been tested. By someone to tie an arm behind his back and drive a truck? But that was not discussed.”
The judge asked Pol to go into compensation with the CBR, so that the verdict would not have to be awaited. “But it was about that statement for me, it was a matter of principle for me,” emphasizes the resident of Noordscheschut. “I accept it, but not wholeheartedly. I was assessed by a doctor who has never seen me and my fate is determined by someone who can never put himself in my situation”, Pol believes. He believes that with handicapped people like him it is first necessary to look at what is possible instead of what is not.
chats
Nevertheless, despite the unpleasant outcome for him, Pol also has beautiful memories of his time on the milk truck. “It was heartwarming that the livestock farmers I came to jump in the breach for me. I miss the fun on the road and the chats I always had with the farmers,” he says. Although the wry feeling of the Council of State ruling will linger for a while, it is also time to enjoy yourself as a retiree. “What am I going to do now? At least I can tell you what I’m not going to do and that is one day climb on top of a truck to clean it. One mistake and I’m off. Believe it is , no test is needed for that,” he concludes with a laugh.