((PKG)) PAKISTANI TRUCK DRIVER
((TRT: 09:12))
((Topic Banner: Trucking, For Now))
((Reporter: Imron Jadoon))
((Camera: Farhan Alam))
((Adapted by: Deepak Dobhal))
((Map: Norwich, Connecticut))
((Main character: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 1 female; 3 male))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
During COVID, when places were locked down, people were locked in their houses, when no one had anything, we were on the road. The proudest moment for me during that time was when a woman stopped and saluted me at a Walmart store. She told me, “Here you guys are, under these circumstances, away from your families, bringing goods and helping people.” That day I really felt proud.
((NATS))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
I never thought of becoming a trucker. But my father was in the field. He was a trucker. One of my childhood friends from Pakistan came to the U.S. and went into trucking. He kept pushing me to go into trucking. But I was terrified of trucks.
((NATS))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
He said, “You’re struggling at the other place anyway. Give it a try. You’ll earn twice as much.”
((NATS))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
After being pushed so much, I said, "Okay, let me give it a try.” And I came into this profession.
((NATS: Bilal Javaid))
Got a call from the broker. I have to carry cargo from Massachusetts to Minnesota. Let me do the inspection of the truck so that everything is ready. God willing, we’ll leave tonight.
((NATS))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
In the beginning, believe me, it was very tough, very hard. I felt that maybe I wouldn’t be able to do it. But after two or three months, by God’s grace, I started enjoying the work.
((NATS: Bilal and client))
You want me to show you your freight? You can count it and then I’ll load it.
Yeah. Thank you.
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
Honestly, my English is not that good. Sometimes I get a hard time from the companies but not everywhere. There are excellent people in many places who totally ignore that you are not an American or you don't know English. They help you as much as they can.
((NATS: Bilal and client))
All set?
All set.
Have a good one.
You, too.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
Sometimes I'm on the road for more than a month, a month and a half, and then I go home for a week.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
I miss my family a lot.
Last week there was an event at my oldest son's school. He got a certificate for best student. My wife went. I wasn’t able to go. After getting the award, I got a call from my son and he said, "I was missing you and I was trying to find you in the crowd, thinking, maybe, you were down there with everybody."
((NATS: Bilal Javaid))
There is an update from their school that there was a fire at the school…
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
Sometimes [my wife] tells me, “You’re gone for one or two months. The kids and I need you.” But she understands that it's the start of my career. If I'm seeing some hard times, she’ll also have to see some hard times too.
((NATS: Bilal and his daughter))
Foxy.
Foxy. Foxy.
((Asma Javaid

Wife of Bilal Javaid))
It never occurred to me to ask him to leave this job because we came here for our kids’ future. The more you work, the more reward you get here.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
The day I leave, me, my kids and my wife, everyone is sad because I am going away from them.
((NATS))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
Sometimes when I feel very lonely, I call my family.
((NATS))
((Bilal and his children))
Assalamu alaikum, Baba.
Walaikum salaam, my kitty, my wolves. How are you all?
We're good. How are you?
I'm good. Thank you.
Do you know where I'm right now? I'm in Idaho, near Washington [state].
Yeah.
Idaho.
Near to Washington.
You are near Washington?
Yes, I am. It's so cold.
How many miles is Washington from here?
Washington to our house?
Yeah.
3,000 miles [4800 km].
Wow!
Yeah.
((NATS))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
It really affects your mental health because you are all alone while driving. You don't have your friends with you. You don't have your family. Whatever you see on the road, you wish someone were with you at that moment.
((NATS))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
On the way, sometimes you see accidents that after looking at them, your mind gets stuck on them for a long time and you start experiencing a strange fear. "If it was me instead of him and had it happened to me, then what would my family, my children, my parents have to go through?"
((NATS))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
There are a lot of advantages with trucking, like you make good money. You get a chance to go to different states and meet different people.
((NATS))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
There are many facilities for drivers on the road. There are rest areas. If drivers are tired, if they don't want to drive, they can stop their truck and rest. They can take a shower, do laundry, buy food and eat it there.
((NATS))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
During Ramadan, we fast, do iftar [breaking of the fast]. It feels really good when at a rest area, you meet a Somali, a Pakistani or a Muslim from a different country. They have the whole dastarkhwan [meal] there. You sit and break fast with them.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Bilal Javaid
Truck Driver))
I'm not driving it for the long term. In five years, seven years, you make enough money to start a business, so you can be with your family. My goal is to have a small workshop and [own] a small house and that’s enough.
((NATS))