by David Couliau

Learning from their elders

After some fun skateboarding around Red Square, the mood was much more studious at the ASMAP Moscow training centre where students work hard to become Russia’s future drivers.

At first, the classrooms look unremarkable. The students are all learning about the latest complex transport regulations. But what makes these classes so special is that they don’t separate the new recruits from the old timers. To ensure that new drivers are at the top of their game, they benefit from the experience of seasoned road lovers.

Making way for the young

One of the oldest employees of the Sovtransavto transport company, Mikhail, 75, who joined the industry at the age of 12, finds it difficult to quit his job, but he also admits that it’s crucial to make room for the young. 

An even more mature 80-year-old driver from the D-Trans company, Petr Chesnokov, still drives all the way from Moscow to Holland to pick-up flowers once a month. After his 50-year career, he is as optimistic as Mikhail about the next generation. He really gets along with them and thinks that they are more than up for the task of dealing with the growing demands of the job. 

The future of transport in Russia – and the rest of the world – depends on attracting and retaining this new generation of drivers to support global economies and to keep things moving.