Meet Mercy Chepkirui, Kenyan Woman Who Turned Passion For Long-Distance Trucks Into Career

• Mercy Chepkirui is among the few individuals employed in their dream careers
• After developing an interest in long-distance trucks while in high school, she pursued a career in the transport industry
• She is now seven years old in the industry and can comfortably average over 600 kilometres of driving daily while enjoying every bit of it

Mercy Chepkirui fell in love with trucks in high school and knew, deep down, that was what she wanted to do in adulthood.

Despite being a career many women have not embraced, the few she saw driving trucks inspired her.

When did Chepkirui start driving trucks?

When she completed high school, Chepkirui’s first instinct was to join a driving school and acquire a license.

Scania East Africa records that she got into her dream career in 2017 by securing her first job as a long-distance truck driver.

Having driven 18,000kg machines loaded to the brim for over seven years, her experience has grown exponentially.

Chepkirui can now comfortably average over 600 kilometres of driving daily while enjoying every bit of it.

“I really love it, especially since modern trucks are comfortable. I don’t strain when changing gears, and the retarder is good, reducing pressure on the brakes,” she said in an earlier interview with Citizen TV.

Challenges of driving long-distance trucks

That does not mean that her job, which involves delivering cargo between Mombasa port and Uganda, is without challenges.

One of her low moments on the road is when she encounters traffic police officers questioning the truck's roadworthiness.

“Some even point out issues that do not make sense, like a dirty chevron,” she lamented.

Chepkirui’s other challenge is a flat tyre, a common phenomenon on long-distance commercial vehicles.

What is Chepkirui's biggest desire?

Given the size and weight of the wheels, it becomes difficult to replace if it occurs in a location with little or no help.

Fortunately, she has learned how to make friends who often offer assistance whenever she's stuck.

With every new day she raves up the engine to take on another journey, Chepkirui inches closer to her dream of owning a fleet of trucks one day.

She hopes to inspire more women to venture into the transport industry as drivers, technicians, or support staff.

Netizens awed by woman driving manual lorry

In an almost similar story, a woman named Lydiah inspired Kenyans by her mastery of driving manual trucks.

She disclosed that. she learned how to drive on a manual pickup before she upgraded to a lorry carrying 8 tonnes.

The driver, who boasts over two years of experience, shared what it was like driving a commercial lorry on Kenyan roads.

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke