Starting From "The City Supported By Cloth", "Supporting" Cloth To Walk Around

When the Volvo heavy truck with a length of more than 20 meters and a weight of nearly 50 tons drove into the Zhejiang Changshan Expressway Service Area, it had already passed zero point. Dozens of lorries, large and small, have already filled the parking lot.

Guo Xianchao, who cut his head and shaved off his beard, got off the "steel behemoth", untied his hands quickly, and climbed into the sleeper in the cab. The driver's seat was replaced by Li Changjian, who had been sleeping before.

In less than three minutes, the truck was back on the road, carrying colorful cloth. It gradually drifted away from Zhejiang in the rainy night, and passed Jiangxi to Guangdong.

These two partners, both over 50 years old, work in the "Keqiao Guangzhou" fleet of Zhejiang Keqiao Guangtong Oriental Express (hereinafter referred to as Guangtong Oriental). According to the requirement of "people will not rest on their cars", the two drivers will drive by turns without getting off for accommodation and meals.

Keqiao's annual production of printed and dyed cloth can circle the earth more than 500 times. According to the data of Keqiao District Transportation Bureau, there are 78 million tons of cloth entering and leaving Keqiao every year, and more than 90% of them are transported by road. Fangdu Keqiao is "all over the world", which cannot be separated from the rolling wheels of truck drivers day and night.

Livelihoods on wheels

Run out of the third suite

Four hours ago, this truck loaded with more than 30 tons of cloth left Keqiao and was required to arrive in Guangzhou within 16 hours. On the night of arrival, the cotton cloth and clothing produced in Guangdong will be transported to several textile and clothing bases, including Wangjiang in Anhui, Wuxing in Zhejiang and Cixi in turn, and finally returned to Keqiao.

The journey of this lap is 3200 kilometers and takes three days. Guo Xianchao has run more than 100 laps every year for 11 years. In order to facilitate loading and unloading during the day, Guo Xianchao always starts to "draw circles" at night. After loading, they will leave and unload at the station. They will be on the bus for at least 16 hours every day.

In the afternoon of the departure day, when a stream of minivans pulled fabrics from Keqiao Binhai Printing and Dyeing Cluster and concentrated loading at the logistics station, Guo Xianchao had a rare time to get off the bus, go back to the dormitory to take a bath, and then deal with a meal

In logistics stations, loading trucks and forklifts shuttle back and forth, moving forward, backward and turning around freely, like ballet dancers.

Keqiao has "one third of the world" in the national printing and dyeing industry, known as "China's largest dye vat", and more than 100 printing and dyeing enterprises gather in Binhai New Area. Zou Yufu, the driver of the minivan who just came back from Labu, complained while unloading. Today, there are many enterprises that deliver goods, and he was blocked in Binhai for three or four hours. The 40 year old Sichuan man has to transport more than 100 horses four or five times a day from noon to midnight.

The logistics station is only 6 kilometers away from China Textile City, the world's largest textile trade distribution center. Cloth merchants in the textile city will also transport more than ten tons of fabrics to all parts of the country every day. They are mainly bulk goods, "a few pieces of cloth for one order, only a few tens of meters of cloth".

For cloth merchants and logistics companies, road transportation costs less than shipping, and is faster and more flexible than railway. Fu Yiwei, the manager of Guangtong Oriental Department, was engaged in railway luggage and parcel transportation before he joined in 2013. "The cloth dyed by Keqiao today may arrive at the Zhongda Cloth Wholesale Market in Guangzhou tomorrow, and it will be made into clothes the day after tomorrow," he said.

At present, the road freight of 1 ton of cloth from Keqiao to Guangzhou has been reduced to 300 yuan. "Close to the cost price", Yang Haogui, who has textile and clothing business in both places, said that a piece of cloth from Keqiao to Guangzhou for logistics costs only 5 yuan, which is far cheaper than express delivery.

Tang Jikai, chairman of Guangtong Dongfang, introduced that the company has 100 17.5m long semi trailers, half of which commute to Guangdong every day, and 20 to Guangzhou. Based on the calculation of 100 meters per piece of cloth, each large truck can load 1000 pieces of cloth about 100000 meters per trip.

Keqiao, "full of" the world, has given birth to a large number of logistics enterprises. Tang Jikai remembered that 10 years ago, there were less than 10 logistics companies from Keqiao to Guangzhou, but now there are more than 40.

Due to the late return of the train from Guangzhou that day, Fang Jianjun, the leader of the Guangtong Oriental team, had to transfer three large trucks from the market to supplement the transportation capacity, including Guo Xianchao and Li Changjian. He didn't have supper until six o'clock in the evening, when the transferred car began to load.

When the forklift carried the last bag of cloth into the car cabinet, it was already 8:00 p.m., and the two middle-aged drivers left on time.

Half an hour later, Guo Xianchao drove onto the G92 Hangzhou Bay Ring Road. This time, they have to take 6 expressways. Which roads are prone to accidents and congestion have been firmly engraved in their minds.

This 500 horsepower imported "steel behemoth", in the hands of Guo Xianchao, runs at 80 to 100 kilometers per hour meekly. Before long, Li Changjian on the sleeper heard a gentle snore.

When passing Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, there are fewer and fewer cars on the highway. In addition to express cars and goods vans, Labu has the most trucks along the way. Guo Xianchao knew what was being pulled in the car just by the sound of the roaring waves. "The container of the express car is large, but the weight is light; the carriage of the department store is small..." He even knew at a glance whether a car was pulling bubble goods or heavy goods.

Guo Xianchao, 55, is a veritable "veteran driver" among truck drivers whose average age is less than 40. When he was 29 years old, he came to Zhejiang to drive from his hometown in Wuhe County, Anhui Province. He has pulled containers in Ningbo Port, reinforced concrete in Hengdian Film and Television City, and Qianjiang Motorcycle in Wenling, Taizhou, "knowing Zhejiang better than his hometown".

An experienced and stable driver like Lao Guo is very popular in the circle. Many of Keqiao's truck drivers are from Wuhe County, Anhui Province. "Lao Guo is driving well, and everyone in the circle knows it."

The car is getting bigger and the mileage is getting longer. Guo's monthly salary has risen from several hundred yuan when he touched the steering wheel to fifteen thousand yuan now. He calculated an account: the company paid 3000 yuan for a lap, which is equivalent to about one yuan per kilometer, and he and his partner each half.

Compared with peers who buy cars and find jobs with their own loans, drivers employed by logistics companies do not earn much per trip, but they have jobs every day and their income is stable. They don't carry loans, don't worry about fuel money and tolls, let alone loading and unloading. "It's OK to focus on driving the car well, and the total income is not necessarily lost to single drivers".

"Once the steering wheel is turned, the county magistrate will not change it." Lu Yao described in the Ordinary World that truck drivers from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s were enviable "tall and upright" jobs. Nowadays, there is a saying in the hometown of Wuhe that truck drivers "can't be hungry without being hungry", which means that they can't be hungry without making much money.

A few years ago, Lao Guo bought a car and became a shareholder of the company. One car cost 1.1 million yuan, and he contributed more than 300000 yuan, accounting for 35% of the shares. Dividend and salary increase. At the best time, the monthly income is more than 20000 yuan. By driving a truck, Lao Guo bought his son a wedding house in his hometown, and added two three storey buildings in the town, which made the villagers envious.

Lao Guo said that he ran out every mile.

"Overlife friendship" in the cab

The best partner is like a couple

The life of truck drivers is divided into four hours. According to the regulations, a mandatory rest of at least 20 minutes is required for four consecutive hours of driving.

When we got to Changshan, Lao Guo had been sitting in the driver's seat for nearly four hours. Next, he can sleep for four hours.

Whether driving or sleeping, loneliness is always the main theme in the cab. When holding the steering wheel, Lao Guo's eyes looked ahead. Outside the cockpit was the roaring of the truck breaking through the night. In the cockpit, there was only the deep roar of the engine.

The whole journey is 3200 km, but the pair often cannot say 10 words.

When driving, the partner is making up for sleep, and can't talk much, let alone, like some online celebrity drivers, they can't go on live broadcast and flash short videos, "delaying the rest of the partner, affecting the next drive".

Along the way, in order to relieve boredom and drowsiness, Lao Guo smoked one cigarette after another and drank strong tea one mouthful after another. In the face of good cigarettes handed by others, he was not strong enough.

Although he has not recovered from his cold, he specially turned down the temperature of the air conditioner when driving, so as not to make him confused by the warm wind. At the beginning of March, Keqiao was so cold that people in Guangzhou were shivering. People in Guangzhou had already worn thin long sleeves. It was common for Guo Xianchao to catch a cold caused by the alternation of cold and heat in a short period of time. "Cold medicine makes people sleepy, so they can only take it in Guangzhou."

A partner who has driven a truck is regarded as a "lucky" friendship. I fear fatigue when driving. When I close my eyes, I lose myself and my partner, and my two families are destroyed.

Guo Xianchao and Li Changjian talk less, which does not mean that the relationship is rigid, but that they have enough tacit understanding and do not need to talk much.

In Lao Guo's opinion, the best partner is like a couple living a life. He knows exactly what to do when. More importantly, like a couple, they should tolerate each other and quarrel at the end of the bed.

"The partner has been working for a long time, and it is inevitable that there will be disputes and contradictions, and he is afraid of driving with anger in his heart." Lao Li, who was driving beside him, interjected, saying that he was not pleased with each other, and there were many driver partners who would "break up" if they didn't agree with each other.

The old driver knows whether to drive a gambling car when he sees the fuel consumption. The fuel consumption is high, and it is likely to be driving a gambling car. Lao Guo said that some drivers were angry with their partner. They saw him sleeping heavily and deliberately stepped on the brakes to wake him up. "How can you drive a good car if you only sleep for two or three hours?"

"If I'm not sleepy, I'll drive more for a while. Let him sleep enough before driving. There's no need to haggle over every detail." Although I have been in the same company for 10 years, the two brothers started to partner last year. The two men have become calm old drivers, and they can hit it off without a break in period. "I came out to earn money. There is no need to fight."

Li Changjian is a typical example of Lao Guo's view of "not being anxious or impatient, and driving with ease". Lao Li, who is in his early fifties, has driven for most of his life. When bored, he would listen to the radio with headphones.

Although Lao Li always smiles, in fact, he has a heavy burden on his shoulders. The three children are still in school, and with the mortgage, there is little left in their monthly salary. As early as 2005, Lao Li had borrowed money to buy a 9.6 meter truck for transportation. Unexpectedly, he bought a "cowardly car". Instead of making money, he still took more than 200000 yuan. "There are peers, but not the same fate." Now Lao Li dare not ask for leave, and all he wants is to make more trips safely and earn more money.

"Few people will find a new partner." Last year, Lao Guo's cousin wanted to learn to drive a big truck from him, but he refused directly. "It's more dangerous for beginners to drive."

That said, Guo's former partner was his son Guo Hao. The young man was only 22 years old when he first drove. He was unskilled in gear. Fortunately, he has a strong learning ability. Under the patient guidance of Lao Guo, he can take charge of everything in a few months.

In fact, father son partnership is taboo in the industry. Once there is an accident, two generations will disappear. "If there is a way, who would be willing to let children drive big cars?" Guo Hao broke into the society before graduating from high school. After working in the kitchen, sales, and workshops, he finally felt free to drive big cars, and was determined to learn from his father.

Father and son have been partners for eight years, which is rare in the circle. In the cab, there is not much dialogue between father and son, and there are inevitably times when they can't see each other. The father complained that his son's short video delayed his rest; The son thought his father was making a mountain out of a molehill. But after all, they were father and son, and their anger soon subsided. More often, father and son take care of each other. The son will drive more at night, and the father will let the son sleep more during the day.

Last year, Guo Hao was promoted to captain of the "Keqiao Guangzhou" team and became his father's boss. "It's not easy for the team leader to work. The mobile phone is on call 24 hours a day, and the drivers in traffic jams and breakdowns come to him to deal with them." In Lao Guo's opinion, this job requires constant contact with people, which is a good exercise for his shy son. After all, truck drivers are too closed and have little contact with the outside world. After a long time, they can only drive and it is difficult to change careers.

"He works in an orderly way and considers things more carefully than I do." Lao Guo can't hide his pride at his son's "green and better than blue".

Before long, the cab was quiet again. When the car passed Shangrao, Lao Guo was already asleep, and occasionally a bump didn't wake him up.

Life Philosophy in Long Distance

Life is not always a smooth road

Just after six o'clock, the car stopped at the service area of Jiangxi Ningdu Expressway in the morning fog before dawn. Lao Guo, who had already woken up, got off to wash his face, and the cold water instantly wiped out his drowsiness.

The car has just started, and there is a continuous downhill for more than ten kilometers ahead. Lao Guo, who once again held the steering wheel, controlled his speed only by lightly stepping on the brake occasionally.

He calmly explained that frequent braking cost oil and hurt the car. This car costs 5 yuan for fuel to start. More often, the vehicle relies on the hydraulic retarder to control the speed.

"If you brake frequently downhill and step on the accelerator sharply uphill, the fuel consumption will be high." Lao Guo said that the difference between good drivers and poor drivers can be more than 1000 yuan.

When the car reached the bottom of the slope, Lao Guo used his inertia to let the car slide up the long slope. He revealed the "secret" of fuel saving: driving a truck with three-point throttle and seven point skid. "When the speed exceeds 100, loosen the accelerator, let the car slide to 80, and then increase the speed. It's no problem to slide one or two kilometers at a time."

After nine o'clock, there were more cars on the road. Lao Guo reminded that when driving a large car, you should see one or two kilometers away, not just in front of you. When he said this, he easily passed another cloth truck.

"Life is like driving a big car, and it will not always be a smooth road." When going down a steep turn, Lao Guo kept his speed at about 30km/h and slowly left this "the most dangerous road in the whole journey".

In his opinion, the truth learned from driving also applies to life. For example, he should not be impatient, be down-to-earth one day while on duty, take a long-term view, and think more about what will happen in the next few years... He also found that many "cliches" that may annoy his son in daily life do not feel nagging when talking about his son in the car.

Lao Guo pursues the work credo of "doing what you do and loving what you do", but he has an unexpected understanding of young people's "doing this today and doing that tomorrow". "When you are young, you must have more chances. When you are old, you will naturally settle down."

He came to Zhejiang to make a living because he could not earn money in his hometown when he was young.

"If you know that the road ahead is blocked or severely blocked, you should change the road ahead of time. There is no need to go to the front and waste time." For Lao Guo, traffic jams are common, and sometimes a traffic jam is overnight. "Moving around consumes people most". He felt that the experience of long-distance running was very like his own life. Although there were occasional episodes, he would eventually reach his destination.

"The conditions for driving big cars are much better now than before. The original road conditions were poor and the car was weak. Sometimes it takes a day and a night to run a hundred kilometers, but now it only takes more than an hour." He still remembers that more than ten years ago, when driving in the northeast, the car could not catch fire in winter, so he had to bake firewood for an hour or two.

In 1988, the first expressway in China, the 18.5km Shanghai Jiaxing Expressway, was opened to traffic. It took Guo Xian several years to "experience" its speed. Today, China has built the world's largest expressway network, with the mileage of expressways increasing to 177000 kilometers, and Lao Guo has already run most of the country.

Before 9:30, the truck passed through Jiulian Mountain, the hinterland of Nanling at the junction of Jiangxi and Guangdong. More than two hours later, when turning onto the Beijing Hong Kong Macao Expressway, the kapok and triangle plum trees on both sides have been in full bloom. It will not be long before you can see the landmark of Guangzhou, "Small Man Waist".

The destination of this trip is Lijiao Wharf, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, an island in the middle of the Pearl River. As soon as the big trucks arrived, the workers climbed up and down in the cloth piles like "ants moving", "shared" the fabrics on the big trucks, and then transported the fabrics to the Zhongda Cloth Market 7 kilometers away and the nearby clothing factory through the minivans.

Li Chuanhai, chairman of Zhejiang Printing and Dyeing Industry Association and chairman of Shaoxing Haitong Printing and Dyeing Co., Ltd., introduced that Keqiao can dye almost all fabrics, while printing and dyeing enterprises around Guangzhou are better at textile printing and dyeing of cotton and high-grade women's clothing fabrics, and some children's clothing and women's clothing enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta will buy fabrics from Guangzhou.

Yang Haogui estimated that "the quantity of cloth transported by Keqiao to Guangzhou is about twice that of Fakeqiao in Guangzhou."

When unloading, Lao Guo and Lao Li hurried to the toilet, washed in cold water and handed cigarettes to their peers.

The first meal of the day for the two brothers was beef ball powder from a Guangdong food stall outside the station. Lao Guo and Lao Li don't know how many times they have come to this city, but they spend most of their time in this small logistics park. "Apart from eating, I just had a rest in the car, and I didn't have much fun."

In a few years, he will not be able to drive a large truck. Lao Li plans to take his family on a self driving tour to the places where he drives a truck. "Although I have been there, I can't see anything at night."

And Lao Guo plans to turn the big wheel into a small wheel - go back to his hometown to buy a van, sell his own vegetables, and end the many years of getting together with his family.

At five o'clock in the afternoon, when Lao Guo and his wife and granddaughter were making a video, the workers were loading cloth into the carriage. In a few hours, he and Lao Li will set off again overnight and continue to draw circles.

(Source: Xinhua Daily Telegraph)