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Productivity basically translates to income for a haulage company,
how much load the truck carries,
how much distance it travels
and the transport rate decides how much each truck and driver generates.
So improvements in any of these areas
can have a very direct impact on profitability.
Milton Natal works in sugar cane country, Brazil.
The productivity of his four-trailer, 100-tonne road train
affects the entire industry of sugar.
In Brazil, the tractor is called a Romeo
and the trailer is called a Julieta.
A four-trailer combination is called a Penta
and that's what Milton has been driving.
Driving a Penta is for an experienced driver.
He has to be used to it.
To drive a truck or a Penta, known as "Romeo and Juliet"...
With a Penta, it's very different.
You can't even think about "blocking" when going downhill.
And I don't mean just the foot brake.
You also have to use the trailer brake.
You have to use both.
That way, you align them.
If you use the engine brake and also the foot brake,
the articulated lorry will push onwards.
The truck will lose control.
It'll cause an accident, for sure. It will form an "L".
The heaviest cargo I ever transported was with a Penta.
It was just one time. Just one trip.
Because it was right at the beginning, we were a bit afraid.
But everything went well. We had no problems at all.
I drove slowly, but got there.
Experience counts.
What's your story?