Stories of our drivers - Mamuka

Ania: Mamuka as I recall you have been working with us for 3 years...

Mamuka: Yes, just a few days ago it was exactly three years that we have been working together.

Ania: Tell us in a few sentences what your life was like before working with Driver CE.

Mamuka: Well I lived in Tbilisi and worked in Baku by the sea, it's about 570km from where I live. Why Baku? You could make good money there building hotels. I had my C+E driving licence when I was still in the army, so I either drove a dumper truck on the construction site, or hauled steel and bricks on tarpaulins. From Monday to Friday and sometimes up to Saturday I was on the building site, and at weekends I went home.

Ania: So how did you get from construction to here?

Mamuka: Oh it wasn't so fast... When the construction was over I didn't have a job for a few months, until one of my colleagues suggested Russia, transport around the country. He said the money was quite good. I knew the language, I agreed. At that time it was the only option for us, no one even dreamed of Europe, you had to wait up to nine months for documents. The company was based in Moscow, I lasted a year. What can I tell you ... old cars, 40 degrees in the cabin in summer, -40 in winter. Routes from the border with Belarus to Siberia. Driver's hours? Ha! Now I know that such a thing exists, back then it was an abstraction. I drove until I dropped. The money was black, of course, no insurance. If a car broke down, you had to make your own arrangements. I earned a bit of money there and came home.

Anne: What was your next step?

Mamuka: The fact that I ended up at Driver CE was a stroke of luck. I went with my wife for a weekend to visit friends in Batumi, it was September so there were fewer tourists. We went to the beach and, in Georgian, I started to tell them about the absurdity in Russia. Then a tourist lying on a deckchair, a Polish woman, said to me in Georgian, why don't you go to the EU? I froze ... she gave me a phone number and said that if I was interested I should call.

Ania: Did you call quickly?

Mamuka: I thought for a week, my wife was scared. I figured, what's the harm. I had survived Russia, I was fine with Europe. I called, the girl's name was Aneta and she was a recruiter for Driver CE, it turned out she was married to a Georgian, which is why she spoke Georgian so well.

Ania: How did she convince you?

Mamuka: She was simply honest and professional. She answered every question I had and addressed any concerns I had. We discussed the details of my employment with Driver CE, the payment and any personal needs. She promised that the necessary documents to work in Europe would be ready within 30 days, booked my ticket and I don't even know when I landed in Poland.

Ania: And on the ground?

Mamuka: I was given a free hotel room with all amenities, I was assigned a coordinator, Salome, a Georgian, it turned out, from my village. I went through a series of trainings and after a week I was already sitting in the car. At first I chose to work in Poland to see what it was like to drive at all. I drove all over Europe for a year. Now I work with Driver CE but in Germany. I brought my wife here and I drive around the chimney. You know the years are not the same anymore. I have a good salary, an employment contract, insurance, they respect me, they respect my working hours and in addition I am home every night. What more do you want?

Ania: Would you recommend Driver CE to other drivers?

Mamuka: I have made a great life for myself through working with you, I have helped my family and, thanks to Driver CE, I have secured honest work for around 50 Georgians. I paved the way so that they could start their adventure without stress. I will say this, Driver CE is professionalism and people who are not afraid of challenges and can handle any difficult situation.