Breaking all the stereotypes and proving a woman can do anything if she has a strong will. Meet Yogita Raghuwanshi who stood up for her family and took a chance to be a truck driver. 

Let’s read her story.

How did everything start?

Her story is one of courage, resilience, and determination. With four brothers, Yogita grew up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and graduated with a degree in law. She was happy being a wife and a mother of two. It was her husband who suggested  she should pursue a profession in law.

In 2003, her husband, Rajbahadur Raghuvanshi, died in a road accident, leaving Yogita and her two children Yashika and Yashwin alone. Yogita had to be practical and think about income sources as she had to look after her young kids.

Journey of being a woman driver

She has a law degree, so you must be thinking that she should be practising law rather than driving on these dangerous roads.

Well, let’s hear Yogita’s thoughts on this: “We had employed a driver, but I was making losses because of that. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands, changed the course of my life from losses to profitability and realised that Great Things Happen When You Move”

Also, she added “If I had opted to be a junior to some lawyer and enter the legal profession, I would have got only a pittance for the many initial years. But I learnt that driving trucks meant instant wages and greater stability. In a country that is developing at such a rapid pace, there will always be work for a truck driver.”

Her First Trip 

Her first trip was from Bhopal to Ahmedabad. “It was new for me, but I was prepared for it. I trusted my instincts and my confidence. I didn’t even know the roads or which road leads to which highway. I kept asking people for directions and kept moving ahead towards my destination,” she says.

She never considers a challenge as a challenge.“I had made up my mind that I just want to move forward with my life and do this for myself and my family. I kept moving forward, breaking all barriers and here I am today. Everything is possible once you start, and you can fulfill all your aspirations when you believe this,” she adds.

Her Experience  on Roads  

She acknowledges that she observed the entire situation realistically and feels that she was treated the same way as a woman who attempted to question the stereotypical gender roles of the culture would be treated. But she made the decision to disregard them and go on. 

“I love what I do but shuttling between cities across the country with my truck had its inevitable load of problems. Nobody believes that I drive trucks – whether then or now. They assume that I am the driver’s woman. Mechanics on the highway, men at dhabas and elsewhere leer at me, but when they see me at the wheel, their look changes dramatically. But none of this bothers me, it never did,” she says.

#EmbraceEquity

#EmbraceEquity is the theme for the 2023 International Women's Day campaign. This is to begin a global conversation about why equal chances are insufficient. Since everyone has a distinct starting point, achieving true equality and belonging calls for fair treatment. 

Giving everyone what they need to succeed can be referred to as equity. In other terms, it's not giving everyone exactly the same thing. Giving everyone the same thing in the hopes that it will make everyone equal makes the assumption that everyone started out in the same position, which can be highly inaccurate because not everyone is alike.

For instance, Yogita opted to become a driver as it was more cost-effective for her family to have her work as a driver instead of paying someone else. Being a mother of two children, she wanted to earn enough to support them. However, if society had provided her with the same support and opportunities as male drivers, she could have earned more and been more motivated while driving on highways.

Equal opportunities are given to both  male and female drivers but female drivers are treated differently and this explain why International women's day is focusing on 
 

Trolla Driver App Welcomes Woman Drivers 

At Trolla, we welcome women drivers, a significant step toward gender equality in the transportation industry. This move will encourage more women to pursue driving careers and contribute to breaking down gender stereotypes. It is a positive development toward creating a more inclusive and diverse workforce. 

As Yogita Raghuwanshi says “Great Things Happen When You Move”, we want you to move ahead with Trolla, Download Trolla Driver App now !

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.trolla.seal.driver