During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, trucking operators were hailed as heroes without capes, but that moment of widespread recognition seems to be returning to its normality , and the adverse situation they face in their operations is once again a reality.
Grueling work days, adverse conditions, and, at times, little or no support from their employers to provide them with the necessary resources to boost their operations are the factors that prevail throughout the documentary “Nomads of the 57th,” which from the start generates emotions and invites reflection on the importance of trucking operators.
“Nomads of the 57th,” directed by Alberto Arnaut and José María Castro, and produced by Yuli Rodríguez, stars “Luz de Luna Clara,” the alter ego of Clara Fragoso, a professional trucking operator who found her path to fulfillment in this industry and a way out of a winding life. Clara Fragoso is as firm as she is behind the wheel when she says that “Nomads of the 57th” is a message for drivers to become more aware of their lives, that they should demand information and that comprehensive training should be provided. “They should be taught to take care of their health, their dreams, their money, their emotions. What they should understand is that their work is not a sacrifice,” she emphasized.
Throughout the experiences that Clara Fragoso shares in this documentary, she raises the urgency of changing the mentality of operators regarding the prevailing working conditions, where they must strive to improve their work environments, as a way to drive change in this industry, which not only depends on trucking entrepreneurs, but also on those who use the service, the owners of the cargo.
“‘Nomads of 57’ is a space to open a dialogue about the incursion, to stop stigmatizing the operator and to open a dialogue about the genuine interest in the importance of the operator’s activity and what they need,” said Yair Valero, CEO of Grupo Innovazione , during the presentation of this documentary to various stakeholders.
Through “Nomads of the 57,” Innovazione aims to reach five different stakeholder groups : “ operators, to break down misconceptions about the industry; company owners (transporters) , to offer better working conditions; freight generators , to create a better environment; authorities , to provide infrastructure such as bus stops; and the fifth favor is for society at large , to stop stigmatizing them as truckers,” emphasized Irma Herrera, Commercial and Institutional Relations Director of Grupo Innovazione.
Alberto Arnaut described traveling more than 15,000 kilometers to capture the images needed to reach the destination of “Nomads of 57,” which gave them a firsthand look at the hostile environment they face, the distance they experience from their families, and the arduous workdays they endure in order to provide financial support for all their dependents.
“It’s a phrase Clara mentioned to us at some point during the recording: operators don’t just transport goods; they transport their lives. That’s where this documentary comes in handy,” Arnaut emphasized.
