Lionel Valentine, a father of six who describes himself as a “family man as well as a working man,” grew up on New York City’s Lower East Side. For the past five years, he’s risen every day before the sun to roll out onto the streets and work his shift in Manhattan with the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY).
The work is challenging, both physically and mentally.
“Every day is different,” Valentine said. “I might be doing collection. I might be doing recycling. When the snow comes in, we have to plow up the trucks. Working twelve, sometimes fourteen hours a day – it’s our responsibility to keep the city moving.”
Lionel’s story is one of four that Mack Trucks captures in “The City Never Sleeps,” which is the first installment of RoadLife, a series of docu-style videos premiering today on RoadLife.tv. Following the experiences of truck drivers in New York City, “The City Never Sleeps” highlights the variety of day-to-day challenges each one faces.
“Our goal with RoadLife is to tell the stories of men and women whose stories aren’t often told, but are so vital to the success of society,” said John Walsh, vice president of marketing, Mack Trucks. “New York City, America’s largest city, was the perfect place to start.”
Another driver featured in “The City Never Sleeps” is Hector Garcia, who came into trucking 15 years ago at the age of 38 and balances his duties as the pastor of the Rock of Salvation Christian Church with delivering groceries for L&J Trucking in the Bronx. The responsibilities and challenges of the job are all worth it to Garcia.
“I do take pride in what I do,” he says. “Remember, without groceries people can’t eat. And we’re all season; nothing can stop us. We will deliver no matter what the weather.”
After today’s launch of “The City Never Sleeps,” seven additional episodes of RoadLife will debut on RoadLife.tv.
RoadLife content will also be available on Mack Trucks’ social channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Dedicated to durability, reliability and meeting the needs of customers, Mack Trucks has provided purpose-built transportation solutions for more than a century. Today, Mack is one of North America’s largest producers of heavy-duty trucks, and Mack® trucks are sold and serviced through an extensive distribution network in more than 45 countries.
Mack trucks, diesel engines and transmissions sold in North America are assembled in the United States. Mack manufacturing locations are certified to the internationally recognized ISO 9001 standard for quality, ISO 14001 standard for environmental management systems and OHSAS 18001 standard for health and safety management systems. Mack is also a proud sponsor of Share the Road, an American Trucking Associations' public information campaign aimed at enhancing the safety of our nation's roadways.
Mack Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The Group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. The Volvo Group, which employs almost 100,000 people, has production facilities in 18 countries and sells its products in more than 190 markets. In 2017 the Volvo Group’s sales amounted to about $39 billion. The Volvo Group is a publicly-held company headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. For more information, please visit www.volvogroup.com.
For more information about Mack, visit our website at www.macktrucks.com
