While women drivers are making waves in the United States and across the world, according to statistics, only two to three percent of all trucks in Germany are driven by women.
This fact makes many of these women, like Julia Lepek, all the more enthusiastic about driving. Born in Poland, she has lived in Germany since 2013, and what she appreciates most is the assistance systems on board these vehicles. Alternating between driving a Mercedes-Benz Actros and an Actros L for the shipping company Große-Vehne Speditions GmbH in Kornwestheim near Stuttgart.
When Lepek talks about her everyday life as a professional driver, it quickly becomes clear that many of her male colleagues underestimate her ability behind the wheel of a truck. However, it is not enough to take the fun out of the job for her.
“That’s the reality, unfortunately,” Lepek said. “I always like showing men that I can do this. If a man can work in a nail salon or do make-up, why shouldn’t I be able to drive a truck as a woman?”
Lepek said she often catches surprised glances as she overtakes other vehicles on the highway and she sees others watching with excitement as she skillfully performs difficult maneuvers on the delivery ramp. Lepek also notices the critical looks she receives in other traffic situations.
Lepek has driven her Mercedes-Benz Actros for five years now, loaded mainly with parts for passenger cars trucks, and buses bearing the three-pointed star, and primarily across southern Germany and France for Große-Vehne Speditions GmbH. This shipping company specializes in logistical services for sectors including the automotive, textile, and beverage industries.
Prior to this, Lepek completed three years of professional driver training with the cooperative network GV Trucknet, which operates almost 1,200 of its own trucks – mostly from Mercedes-Benz.
“There have always been a lot of truck drivers in my family. As a young girl, I was fascinated by the job and, above all, by the vehicles themselves,” Lepek said. “I always like the feeling I get when I climb in my truck and hit the road – you feel free somehow, and you have the opportunity to discover new areas.”
At the same time, her job has helped her become more self-confident.
“This is because I mastered my training program with ease,” Lepek said.
As such, she can also give some useful tips to her younger female colleagues at the company who are currently working on their professional driver training and who frequently accompany her on her trips. Lepek travels almost 100,000 kilometers per year easily and it goes without saying that she has had to master many different hazardous traffic situations.
“But I feel very safe in my Actros,” Lepek said.
According to Lepek, at Große-Vehne, the primary focus is on using the high-tech equipment in its trucks in addition to the assistance systems already required.
“The comfort and safety of our drivers is our top priority,” said René Große-Vehne, managing director of GV Management.
Lepek considers the Active Brake Assist 5 on board her Actros to be incredibly valuable, as it has already served her well on many occasions.
“I could not have braked so quickly myself in many situations because my view was obstructed, but fortunately Active Brake Assist 5 responded immediately and brought my truck to a stop,” Lepek said. “In my opinion, women generally drive more defensively, think ahead a lot, take fewer risks, and keep more distance.”
Lepek said that in her experience, respect for other drivers has decreased and aggressiveness has increased.
When asked about her dream truck, the answer was immediate. Lepek’s dream truck is an Actros L in pink with a GigaSpace cab. She already drives a silver Actros L on occasion. In addition to the classic assistance systems, Lepek values the MirrorCam, the Multimedia Cockpit and the fuel efficiency and economy of the third-generation OM 471 commercial vehicle engine. But it will soon be time for her to switch gears in terms of drive technology, because her next vehicle will be an eActros 300.
“I am very much looking forward to this, because the vehicle dynamics, the silent cruising, and the barely noticeable gear changes are very impressive,” Lepek said. “The most important thing for me is to arrive at my destination without an accident.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
I found this young lady’s story interesting. I drove for 30 years before retiring in August. a lot of knuckle draggers will pooh-pooh her story because she’s not a man. I consider her my equal and not my competitor. I’d rather see her behind the wheel than a knarly knuckle dragged any day!