By Bradley Mariori
A female truck driver based in Lae is calling on women to step out of their comfort zones and venture into professions which were once male dominated.
Daisy Kepesa, from a mixed parentage of East New Britain and Southern Highlands who is the pioneer female heavy vehicle driver with IPI Transport said, “in the past, many jobs were dominated by male and it’s about time, women make some bold move and compete with men in their jobs.”
Ms Kepesa grew up with a family of truck drivers including her father and brothers.
Last August, she saw an advertisement by IPI Transport who wanted to train female truck drivers, to drive heavy vehicles and applied and was successful.
She underwent a six months training before being confirmed as a heavy vehicle driver.
She now drives a fuel tanker carrying up to 44,000 litres of fuel including petrol, diesel and Jet A1 fuel.
She said driving heavy duty vehicles is a job previously dominated by male and encouraged women not to look down on themselves.
Ms Kepesa encouraged women to never say they can’t do it, but instead they can do it and they can venture into the male-dominated arena.
Ms Kepesa’s longest travel driving a fuel tanker was when she transported 44,000 litres of fuel from Lae to Bulolo and then from Lae to Mt Hagen.
Ms Kepesa calls on women who are drivers, currently driving small vehicles to watch out and if there’s a recruitment and training put out by Trucking companies, they just apply as it is an interesting and enjoyable job.
She thanked IPI Transport for giving her the opportunity which made her their first female heavy vehicle driver and she enjoys her job daily.
