Female drivers in Promet Logistics

"When I discovered a few years ago how difficult it is to find reliable drivers, I decided to focus on women. Three applied and we hired two of them less than a year ago. I'm definitely happy with them. And I believe they are equally pleased. One of them drives international routes with her dog, and is even now getting her C+E licence, where she will be able to drive a rig with a trailer," says Michal Večeřa of the success of his plan.

"Nowadays, with automatic transmissions and various other sensors in the car, I don't find this job so physically demanding that a woman can't do it. Even guys call for service when they change a tire. And time has proven me right," he adds.

One of our female drivers who transports cargo on Czech and Slovak roads is Věra Gregušová. The petite blonde is 162 cm tall, loves driving big cars and says: "The road behind the wheel of a 12-tonne car was a thorny one for me. But now I'm here and I'm enjoying it. It's important not to be afraid on the road, to be able to cope in any situation and to keep your cool."

From tears to the mail truck

After her experience, Věra Gregušová is convinced that carriers don't want women behind the wheel. They didn't trust my strength," she recalls. "When they called me again one day and said they wouldn't take me because they didn't think I was up to it, I cried a lot. They didn't even give me a chance. I told them to at least try me for a trial period, but they didn't believe in my strength because I'm tiny."

She got her truck licence in 2006. And it took four years before she got her first chance. Ironically, it was a woman who gave her the chance. "I took turns on the sail of Iveco with a guy. But he didn't like it. It was difficult, I had to leave."

After an endless period of answering adverts and sending out CVs in vain, she finally gave up. She got her forklift licence and took a job in a warehouse. It was years later that she got her chance with C.S. CARGO, which bought the post office. "They took everybody then. That's where I finally hit the ground running."

The power of a woman

"It's not just about driving. You need to have strength. When you're shipping, you have to handle the load. Even that tarp in the winter, when it freezes, it's heavy. And the same when it rains. Sometimes I have to use a pallet truck because not all warehouses are accessible from the side for loading. But I worked in a warehouse for a few years and I know the ins and outs. So I can handle it. Sometimes someone is amazed that even with kurtas I can pull a load without anyone bothering," explains our heroine, who realises that this job is not for everyone. "I have to be flexible. It's not for a woman who has kids at home. I'm single and have no commitments. I know at noon where I'm going the next day. By going to the Czech Republic and Slovakia, I have weekends free."

Important people

Driving school instructor
"Even on my first test drive I trusted him extremely. He told me, don't worry, you're not that big, you can do it. So it's all about the driving instructor. As he teaches you, you drive your whole life. Thanks to him, I'm set up so that I don't worry in traffic now. I'm not scared at all, that's important."

Michal Večeřa, Head of Promet Logistics
"At the interview, you can immediately see how it will turn out. If the employer has prejudices against women or not. And I'm grateful to him for how amazing he was already at the interview. So was the HR manager Romana Gulková. I learned that they don't care if a man or a woman is behind the wheel."

Dispatcher Ondřej Blahovec
"He is a great professional. I have already experienced a dispatcher who was a complete disaster, so I respect him very much. He is an extremely important person for us drivers."

More experienced colleagues at Promet Logistics
"When I'm driving on a road I don't know and need to find a good detour because of a bridge, I call experienced and knowledgeable colleagues. They always give me advice. We don't all know each other very well because we don't get a chance to meet, but we recognise each other on the road by the advertising on the trailers and we always wave. It's nice."