Interview with Olga Baglyuk: “I always knew that the steering wheel was mine”

Olga Baglyuk (31) is a participant in the She Drives project, who proves that experience, inner courage, and community support can change a professional path.

The project became for her not only an opportunity to get Code 95 but also a space for forming an active position. Today, Olga is ready to lobby for the rights of women drivers, develop this movement, and make efforts to unite and support women in the profession.

For her, She Drives is not just training but a community that gives a sense of strength and a common goal.

How did you become a truck driver? Tell us about your journey.

I have been driving since 2016. I have driven almost everything: cars, vans, and pickup trucks with right and left-hand drive. Once I saw an ad about a program to retrain women as truck drivers and decided to try it. I applied, received a category “C”, later got a job and worked for half a year in a logistics company. Thereafter, I received the CE category and realized that I wanted to move forward in my profession.

Why was it important for you to get Code 95?

Code 95 is an opportunity for me to develop. I plan to work abroad, and it opens the way to international transportation. These are better working conditions, new experiences, and the opportunity to see the world. Within the framework of the She Drives project, there was just such an opportunity, and I took advantage of it. For me, this is a logical step forward.

Do you have experience as a truck driver?

I worked as a truck driver for half a year. I performed flights all over Ukraine. It was in this job that I gained significant practical experience and realized how critical support from the company is.

Even in difficult situations, for example, when a tire burst on a loaded car before unloading, my task was not to solve the problem myself but to report it in a timely manner. The company quickly provided assistance: another driver arrived, and if necessary, an on-site service was also available to repair the car on the spot. Such a system really adds confidence and a sense of security.

Today, I am focused on volunteer transportation. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, I have been transporting humanitarian cargo and military vehicles (buses, pickup trucks, ambulances) both in Ukraine and abroad. This experience has further hardened me as a driver and shown me that the profession is not just a job but also a real way to be useful.

What is the most difficult thing about this job, and what are the challenges? And what inspires you the most about it?

One of the challenges in this area remains the organization of working hours and the balance between work and rest for drivers. In transportation practice, there are situations when the level of income largely depends on the intensity of the schedule, which requires additional attention to load planning.

Insufficient rest potentially affects the well-being and concentration of drivers, which is extremely important in work associated with increased responsibility. That is why it is essential that state control mechanisms and internal company policies are aimed at supporting safety, preventing overfatigue, and creating conditions in which compliance with the work and rest regime is a priority and does not create additional risks for road users.

I am inspired by movement and freedom. I love the road. I love the sense of responsibility and the fact that I am constantly gaining new experience. The She Drives project has formed a community of female drivers, where there is support, mutual understanding, and the feeling that you are not alone. This is very valuable and gives me strength to move forward.

Do stereotypes about female drivers scare you? Have you encountered them?

Stereotypes exist, but they do not scare me. The best answer to them is work. When you drive confidently do your job professionally, the questions disappear by themselves. I realized a long time ago: the main thing is desire and responsibility, not gender.

The project "Expanding the professional potential of women in the field of transportation" is being implemented by the NGO Foundation for Institutional Development on the initiative of the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, in partnership with UN Women and under the financial support from the governments of France, Poland and Sweden.