Daijiworld Media Network – Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Oct 9: At 25, Neha Thakur has taken a career turn few would have expected. The young woman from Himachal Pradesh left behind air-hostess training to become a truck driver, and today travels across India behind the wheel of a 12-tonne vehicle.
Neha, from Khudla village in Sarkaghat, Mandi district, is widely known as Himachal Pradesh’s first woman truck driver. She also documents her journeys through social-media videos and vlogs, offering followers a glimpse into the demanding life of a trucker.
Trucks have been part of Neha’s life since childhood. Her father, Manoj Thakur, has been in the transport business and worked as a truck driver for more than two decades. Neha often travelled with him and developed a fascination for the vehicles.
In one of her Instagram vlogs, she recalled that her father used to drop her at school in his truck. That early fascination stayed with her even after she chose a very different career.
After graduation, Neha moved to Chandigarh and trained as an air hostess. But the Covid-19 pandemic brought the aviation industry to a standstill, prompting her to return home and train for another profession.
The switch was not straightforward. Neha had to learn to handle a heavy commercial vehicle and master its gears, clutch and brakes. She joined a driving school and obtained her Heavy Motor Vehicle licence in 2023, at the age of 21.
Her father played an important role in helping her make the transition. He supported her decision and helped her practise with the family truck despite the criticism and scepticism surrounding a young woman choosing truck driving as a career.
Her first journeys were largely local, but she gradually moved on to longer routes. Today, she drives a 12-tonne truck and has been reported transporting construction material and farm produce across inter-state routes. Some accounts say she covers hundreds of kilometres during her journeys.
Driving a heavy truck through the hills can be demanding for any driver. Neha has often found people surprised to see her behind the wheel and has spoken about the criticism and doubts she faced when she entered the profession.
But the more she drove, the less she had to explain herself.
Long journeys brought their own challenges, including irregular meals, changing weather and nights away from home. Narrow mountain roads, fog, rain and difficult terrain require concentration, patience and constant alertness.
Neha also turned her experiences on the road into travel-vlogging content. Her videos document her daily routine, long-distance journeys and the practical aspects of handling a heavy vehicle, giving viewers an inside look at a profession most people encounter only from the outside.
She has said in one of her videos that her audience soon grew and she began receiving brand deals. Reports published in 2026 have put her YouTube following at more than 4.5 lac, while her Instagram following has been reported at over 8 lach.
“Main bas itna kehna chahti hoon ki agar kisi ladki ko kisi aise field mein jaana hai jo traditionally girls ke liye nahi maana jata, toh sirf log kya kahenge, is wajah se apne aap ko mat rokiye. Maine bhi apni journey mein challenges face kiye hain, lekin maine khud par trust kiya aur aage badhti rahi. Agar aapko kisi kaam mein interest hai, toh confidence ke saath usse kijiye aur apne sapne ko poora karne ki koshish kijiye,” she was quoted as saying in The Times of India.
She said, “I just want to say that if a girl wants to enter a field that is traditionally not considered suitable for women, she should not hold herself back just because of what people might say. I have also faced challenges in my journey, but I trusted myself and kept moving forward. If you are interested in something, pursue it with confidence and keep working towards making your dreams come true.”
Neha never intended to become an inspiration or symbol. Her journey began with a child’s fascination with her father’s truck and eventually brought her back to something she loved.
Her story moved from an air-hostess course to heavy-vehicle training and, ultimately, to choosing to follow her interest.
For Neha, the road eventually led back to where that fascination began — a truck, a mountain road and the confidence to take the wheel herself.
The journeys have also taught her to stay calm when situations suddenly become unpredictable. A breakdown, an abrupt change in weather or an unfamiliar road can turn a routine trip into a test of patience.
Each journey has added to her confidence, teaching her to read the road better, trust her judgement and remain prepared for the unexpected.
What began as a childhood fascination has now become a profession that continues to take Neha across India.