12 Haziran 2026 Cuma

"TIR & Release": Turkish Woman Left Desk Job in Antalya for Truckers' Life in Europe

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 12 June 2026)



















                          Little lady, big truck. No problem.

Begüm Önder (31), who resigned after working as a civil servant in 
Antalya for 9 years and became a TIR (Transports Internationaux 
Routiers) truck driver, has been transporting freight in Europe for the 
last 2.5 years. Stating that women can easily do this profession, 
Begüm hanım said, "I did not want to work for years in a job that I 
was unhappy with. I would have regretted it if I had not tried."

Begüm hanım said that the most difficult part of the job is being away 
from home and loved ones. Stating that desk work was not for her, 
Begüm Önder explained that she wanted to do a job where she could 
both travel and earn money, so she resigned from the civil service and 
started working as a TIR driver.

She noted that she first worked domestically and then went on trips 
abroad. Stating that she has been working in Europe for about 2.5 years, 
Begüm hanım  said, "I usually travel between Luxembourg, Belgium, 
the Netherlands, Germany and France. Sometimes I go to three countries 
during the day. Waking up in a different place every day, seeing different 
cultures and meeting new people is one of the best parts of the job." 

Begüm hanım admitted, thought, that the job is tiring at times: "There are 
times when I miss home mentally. There are times when I get tired physically, 
but driving a large vehicle gives me pleasure. My last trip, I stayed abroad for 
7 months. Then I came to Turkey by plane."
















                          Getting her fingernails dirty.

Explaining that she works on a tarpaulin trailer and that he has physical 
difficulties at times, Begüm hanım said, "I can do the job that a male driver 
takes half an hour in half an hour, but in the end I do it. The easiest part of 
this job is driving the vehicle. The hardest part is staying away from home 
and family psychologically." Önder said that women can also be truck drivers 
and said, "I recommend it to everyone who wants to do this job. Anyone 
can do it. Technically, there is nothing insurmountable. We also receive 
support from other drivers."

She has received criticism but said, "My mother and brother always supported 
me. However, many people were surprised that I left the civil service. Leaving 
a secure job was of course a risk, but I did not want to work for years in a 
place where I was unhappy. I would have regretted it if I had not tried. I 
preferred to try instead of saying 'I wish'." Explaining that they sometimes 
encounter security problems in Europe, Önder said that diesel theft is common, 
especially in some regions of France and Spain, so they take various precautions
by choosing safe parking areas.





Hiç yorum yok:

Yorum Gönder