Although filmed prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown, the video made by DAF Trucks showing the behind the scenes view of their DAFAid technicians gives us all a feel for what it is like working out in the field while many are staying safely indoors.
These jobs are as important as the drivers and we should think of them as well when the applause takes place on Thursdays.
The Film
The 15-minute film, ‘DAFaid – What Happens When a Truck Breaks Down’ was shot in the run-up to Christmas 2019 and offers a behind-the-scenes appreciation of DAFaid’s service, from call-out to ‘wheels rolling’.
DAFaid was launched in 1974, establishing the format for roadside assistance that other manufacturers now follow. Delivered through 134 DAF Dealer locations – which have remained fully operational during the coronavirus outbreak – DAFaid comprises 500 Technicians, each on stand-by.
The Filmstars
The film focuses on three individual DAFaid Technicians – Jamie Richardson from Norscot Truck & Van Aberdeen, Liam Derraven from Watts Truck & Van in Newport and Jamie Tyrrell from Harris DAF in Grays.
Following each incident, from the initial call to the DAFaid control centre in Birmingham to the vehicle back on the road, viewers get to see the organisation behind the service, as well as how technicians diagnose and fix some of the many types of breakdown that they can experience every day on call-outs.
DAF Trucks Marketing Manager, Phil Moon said:
“We were keen to show life at the sharp-end of the business and we’re really pleased with the results of the film. We see a true-to-life portrayal of call-outs. With our three DAFaid Technicians reacting to events as they typically happen. Despite filming taking place last December, our DAFaid programme is brought into sharp focus during the current health crisis, proving itself a genuine emergency service for many operators.”