Audrey Chiloane said when she saw a massive truck driven by a woman she decided she had found her calling. Audrey Chiloane has been rated in the top three at Thank You Trucker awards. Picture: Supplied
DURBAN - Encouragement from an uncle to leave her occupation as a taxi driver and drive trucks prompted Audrey Chiloane to enter the male- dominated trucking industry, a journey that has seen being named the third best truck driver in a recent competition.
Chiloane said she had always been fascinated by driving, and this had seen her getting her driving license when she was in her 20s which resulted in her getting a job as a taxi driver.
“I remember this one time when I was working as a taxi driver and had to go to a petrol station to fill up my car when a massive truck arrived to deliver petrol to our filling station. When I saw that it was driven by a woman that is when it all clicked that this was a calling for me,” she told The Mercury on her way back from Namibia.
In 2013 Chiloane acquired a code 14 licence and after a stint as an instructor at a driving school she landed a job at a trucking company in Johannesburg.
For her, each trip made is part of paying homage to her uncle who convinced her to pursue many interests, and not allow her gender to be an obstacle.
“I have been doing cross border trips for years now and I hardly come across female truck drivers on the road and this for me is a challenge”, she added, encouraging other women to pursue the truck driving career path.
She said she was encouraged about being in the top three and said she hopes to win first prize in the future.
Chiloane’s boss Ezekiel Cahombo described her as a courageous and responsible employee who is always keen to learn more.
“To us who work with her, it is just a matter of time before she is recognised as the best driver in the country,” she said.
The #ThankYouTrucker is an initiative of IVECO SA and the Road Freight Association. The competition recognises, celebrates and rewards the most extraordinary freight driver, a remarkable individual who goes above and beyond the call of duty.
THE MERCURY