Andrea Fernández, 26, spends her days and nights on Spain’s highways, transporting containers across the country. She used to work in a vegetable warehouse in Pontevedra, where she became intrigued by trucking after meeting drivers who delivered goods before dawn. Despite concerns from those around her, mostly about the risks, Fernández was determined to earn her licence and pursue a career few women in her region have chosen.
Her work rarely follows a routine. Fernández seldom visits the same client twice in a row, and each delivery dictates her schedule. “There are no fixed hours,” she explains. “If I’m scheduled to load at 9 a.m., I have to calculate my own departure time from home.” Managing her time is impressive, especially when delays strike: she may wait in long lines to load cargo or spend hours at a port for her container to be ready. Once, she waited five hours before continuing her route. These demands reflect a wider concern in European road freight: an International Road Transport Union survey found that more than 90% of drivers wanted better rest areas and improved treatment at delivery sites.
Fernández has company on the road: her chocolate Labrador, Brugal, is a constant companion. Many people imagine truck drivers passing the time with music, but she says most prefer to stay in touch with colleagues by phone, sharing jokes and stories to break up the monotony. “We even create our own soap operas,” she laughs, describing the camaraderie that helps drivers cope with the isolation of long journeys.
Fernández challenges the stereotype that trucking is a man’s job. Opening a container is physically demanding for anyone, she says, regardless of gender. Women remain a minority in the sector; she has seen only two others in her area. Still, she insists that being a woman can be an advantage. “It’s quite the opposite of what people think. Here, being a woman often means someone is willing to lend a hand,” she says. She is driven to prove to herself and others that she can succeed in a field where few expected her to thrive. She documents her journey on social media as @andrius__99.
That scarcity shows up in national figures. A 2026 report citing the International Road Transport Union estimates that women make up about 2% of Spain’s professional truck drivers, roughly 5,000 people, while around 25,000 women hold the relevant heavy-vehicle licence. The distinction matters: holding a licence does not necessarily mean working in professional freight driving or staying in the job. In March 2025, figures presented by Spain’s Ministry of Transport indicated that women accounted for approximately 11% of truck licences issued annually by the Dirección General de Tráfico, far more than their estimated share of working drivers.
The workforce’s age profile adds to recruitment pressures. A sector analysis published in January 2024 put the number of C and C+E licence holders in Spain at about 235,000, with approximately 72% aged over 50. It also estimated a national shortfall of 15,000-20,000 truck drivers. Across Europe, estimates cited the IRU’s Global Driver Shortage Report 2025 as putting the number of unfilled truck-driver positions at around 502,000, equivalent to a 13% shortage rate. Women make up about 23% of the wider EU transport workforce but only around 4% of truck drivers, a steep drop in representation in freight driving.
Fernández’s experience reflects a broader trend of people entering traditionally male-dominated automotive spaces. A shared passion for high-performance vehicles, for example, brings people from different backgrounds together. Real Madrid’s goalkeeper and a well-known YouTuber bonded over their love of racing at Jarama, as detailed in this report on motorsport enthusiasts.
Information from elespanol motor, Fernández’s story reflects a transport sector in which more women are entering roles once considered off-limits. Challenges remain, but her determination and flexibility reflect a new generation of drivers reshaping work on Spain’s roads. The industry’s labour shortage makes attracting and retaining new talent increasingly impressive. Fernández’s account also shows the practical demands of the job, from irregular schedules to long waits.
