I like being my own boss

Stephie Bosch started her vocational training as a professional driver simply because she was interested in the job behind the wheel of a truck. Her interest in the job has remained, but a lot of professional experience has been added, as has the joy of constantly rethinking everyday life.

“There is definitely variety,” says Stephie about her job as a professional driver. And there is also absolutely no lack of responsibility in her field of work, the transportation of goods from the dangerous goods sector. She is on the road with the tanker carrying mineral oil goods for the company Gunvor Germany, and delivers to petrol stations, farmers and private households. “You always experience something new,” says Stephie, who enjoys the variety in her everyday work. “Not every day is the same and the drop-off points also differ.”

Her everyday work is more varied or different simply because the working day as a truck driver for the young woman from the Fürstenfeldbruck district usually does not start until 5 p.m. Before she gets on the tanker in the evening, she takes care of her daughter. On each of the five evenings and nights of the week, Stephie then covers around 200 kilometres with her tanker. Among the 12 employees in the company, she is the only female driver, which doesn’t bother the 31-year-old because she is self-confident in her role:

“It’s nice to be my own boss and be on the road alone with the truck.”

Before she gets into the cab of her MAN TGS, she packs her bag just like others do when going to the office. It includes a personal and work mobile phone, charger, change of clothes and food. Since she does not drive a permanently assigned vehicle herself, she gets into whichever truck is currently parked in the yard each evening. So here, too, the motto for her is ‘always stay flexible’. But the vehicles have at least one thing in common: The company’s fleet includes many MAN trucks. “I like the comfort and ease of use of the MAN Lions,” says Stephie. The driver is also impressed by the clear arrangement of the controls.

The working area she has chosen certainly requires some experience and concentration, such as in the correct loading and unloading of the tanker. “Which chamber must be unloaded first. You have to follow a sequence so that the load distribution is optimal and driving can continue safely,” Stephie explains. Furthermore, nothing should get into the soil during unloading, as we are talking about dangerous materials here. That is why she also wears protective clothing herself. The physical involvement of the driver is also required: “The hoses are certainly often heavy, but there are certain aids such as rollers over which the hose can be unrolled more easily,” she says. Many things would also become easier with increasing experience.

Stephie was also able to gain experience in other areas in the form of internships before starting her training, but she liked it best on haulage trips and with the tipper in liquid goods transport. This is not only due to the range of tasks. Rather, the working atmosphere and the team at Gunvor have also convinced the driver. She has now also become accustomed to working in the evening. “Deviating from your biorhythm is certainly a bit of a challenge,” she laughs. “I always try to be rested and have eaten enough.”

Would she also recommend the job to other women?

“Absolutely,” says Stephie. Personally, she simply thinks it is important not to fool oneself. It is important to have the physical prerequisites for what is, after all, sometimes a strenuous job. Private support, but also the support of the company, is an essential component from her point of view: “Then the job is possible even with small children.”