Women truckers drive change
Although it is a career in which women could face more challenges than men, Zhao insisted on breaking such stereotypical notions to prove that women can do the job just as men can.
It took her almost a year to learn all the traffic rules and get through the training to obtain her A2-level driver's license.
Compared to a regular 9 am-to-5 pm job, Zhang says she enjoys the adventures on the road and the independence during driving. To her, driving a truck is both hard work and rewarding.
When Zhao started to drive a truck 10 years ago, there were few female truckers on the road.
"At that time, most trucks had manual operations, which required the driver to use two clutch pedals and shift gears manually, and the steering wheel felt heavy," Zhao says, adding that things are better now with the introduction of automatic transmission and the "female-friendly design" of rigs.
"Now, female drivers are on the rise," Zhao says.
She can get into her 4-meter-tall rig with agility, and usually a 23-meter-long trailer is hooked up behind a truck. Maneuvering a trailer truck can be tough but not for Zhao.
