This article was originally published by Transportmedia on 4 August 2026 as part of the Truckstop podcast series. It is republished on INTRANSIT Magazine with kind permission. © Transportmedia: www.transportmedia.be
In a special episode of Truckstop, the Transportmedia podcast, Marc Van Grootel looks back on a career entirely dedicated to transport and road safety. The former prevention advisor at TVM Belgium, who officially retired on July 1, speaks with host Jeroen Verschakelen about his love for the sector, his fight for a better image of the truck driver, and the projects he looks back on with pride today.
The transport bug was in me from an early age.
Marc Van Grootel literally grew up among trucks. His father was a transporter, and from a young age, he rode along in the cab. “He was my role model,” he says. “From the age of sixteen, I was completely hooked. I couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel myself.”
To become a truck driver as quickly as possible, he joined the army after high school, where he obtained his CE license. It was a conscious choice, as the allure of the transport sector proved greater than that of further studies. “I actually fell in love with trucks,” he says with a smile.
From driver to road safety ambassador
Although many know Marc primarily from his years at TVM, his story began as a truck driver and transport entrepreneur. It was precisely that practical experience that later formed the basis of his mission. “When I said I was a truck driver, I once received the reaction: ‘Ah, one of those hit-and-run drivers.’ That hurt me deeply.” He refused to simply accept that negative perception. Especially after the many blind spot accidents in which drivers were often automatically blamed. Instead of resigning himself to this, Van Grootel decided to make a difference himself.
That conviction first translated into his own transport company, Groover International, where safety was given absolute priority. Those efforts were rewarded with two Truck Safety Awards. Later, he also applied his expertise within Transport en Logistiek Vlaanderen (TLV), where he helped establish the Safety & Image unit.
‘Veilig op Weg’ grew into a lasting legacy
One of the projects Marc Van Grootel is most proud of originated surprisingly simply. He visited his children’s school with his truck to make pupils aware of the danger zones around a truck. That initiative eventually grew into Veilig op Weg, a national awareness project that has now been running for 25 years, reached more than 200,000 children, and visited over 3,000 schools.
According to Van Grootel, the project proves that raising awareness works. “Today we see that the number of blind spot accidents involving children has dropped sharply. The challenge is now shifting more towards older cyclists, who often have never received the same traffic education.”
For him, road safety remains a shared responsibility. Not only the driver, but also the infrastructure, the vehicles, and other road users play a crucial role in this.
Retired… but not from the sector
Although Marc Van Grootel is officially retired, he has no intention of completely letting go of the transport world. “The sector will never let me go.” Today, he is involved with ESPORG (European Secure Parking Organisation), where he works on better and safer parking infrastructure for truck drivers in Europe.
According to him, there is still an enormous challenge there. Not only are there a structural shortage of parking spaces, but the facilities often leave much to be desired as well. “Drivers deserve a safe place to rest, with decent sanitary facilities and healthy meals. Female drivers, in particular, must be able to spend the night in complete safety.”
A lifetime of building respect
Anyone listening to the conversation with Marc Van Grootel will notice above all how much love he still feels for the transport sector. Not out of nostalgia, but out of commitment. Throughout his entire career, one goal has been central: to create more respect for the people behind the wheel and contribute to a safer sector.
His retirement therefore does not mean a farewell, but the beginning of a new role. Perhaps less visible, but still just as driven. For as Marc himself says: “The sector will never let me go.”
