Rahul Gandhi embarks on truck journey in US, engages in candid conversation with driver

Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, during his recent visit to the United States, took a truck ride with driver Taljinder Singh Vicky Gill from Washington to New York.

The two engaged in a candid conversation where the Congress party leader enquired about the challenges the Indian-origin truck drivers faced in the United States. They further discussed similarities, differences in the working conditions of both India and America.

Gandhi had earlier shared the experience of a similar ride from Delhi to Chandigarh where he spoke to the truck drivers to understand the problems they were facing.

Gandhi further put out the video of his 190 km ride on his official YouTube handle.

“Continuing on my journey to listen to a variety of voices, I recently went on a 190 km ‘American Truck Yatra’ from Washington DC to New York. Much like my Truck Yatra from Delhi to Chandigarh here in India, I enjoyed a candid heart-to-heart conversation - this time centred around the everyday lives of Indian-origin Truck drivers in America,” he wrote in the video’s description.

“Was happy to find out that our brothers in America earn fair wages, and work in a system that is focused on the ‘Driver’s comfort’. The hardworking Truck drivers’ community in India deserves a life of dignity too, and an inclusive vision that takes them forward is bound to have a positive cascading effect on the economy of our entire country,” he further added.

During their ride, Gandhi noted that the trucks in the United States were designed as per the needs and comfort of the driver, something that according to him was not being taken care of in the Indian vehicles.

The Congress leader also remarked that the truck drivers in India were struggling to make ends meet, whereas their American counterparts were receiving decent wages.

“Trucks in India have nothing to do with the comfort of drivers and in comparison, with India, safety in the US roads are much better,” Gandhi said.

“As compared to India we earn a lot and drivers here earn anywhere between $8-10k (Rs. 8-10 lakhs) every month. There is a lot of work here and people who don’t have an opportunity to study or invest in a business they can opt to be a truck driver in the US. We are happy with our families in the US as truck drivers which is difficult to comprehend in India,” the driver, Taljinder Singh, replied to Gandhi.

The Congress party released a statement saying that there were a lot of lessons that could be drawn from the American industry and incorporated in India.

"There are a lot of lessons we can draw from the American truck industry to plan a new vision for the truck industry here in India. Indian truck drivers are the lifeline of our logistics and deserve a life of dignity too," the statement said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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