British refuse truck driver Luca Klimmt has revealed details about her work operating a 32-tonne vehicle, according to a report published by the Daily Star newspaper.
Klimmt said many people are surprised to discover that she drives the heavy commercial machine because she maintains a glamorous appearance and drives a Fiat 500 when off duty.
The Fiat 500 is a compact Italian city car widely described as a typical woman's vehicle due to its small footprint and retro styling. In contrast, a 32-tonne refuse truck, often referred to in Britain as a bin lorry, is a multi-axle heavy goods vehicle equipped with hydraulic machinery to collect and compress municipal waste.
The British driver explained that she frequently faces sexism on the job from members of the public who assume a male driver must be riding in the cabin with her. Klimmt confirmed that she works entirely alone and rejected common assumptions about women operating heavy commercial fleets.
She said she disagrees with stereotypes regarding female drivers, expressing confidence that anyone with arms and legs can learn to handle a large waste collection truck.
Daily shift routine and waste collection
A typical workday for Klimmt begins at five in the morning. During a standard shift, she travels approximately 400 kilometres to gather waste and transport it to a landfill site.
Municipal waste collection in Great Britain relies on heavy rigid lorries running early morning routes to clear residential and commercial refuse before peak traffic hours. Operating these vehicles across hundreds of kilometres requires drivers to navigate narrow municipal roads, industrial access points, and regional waste disposal facilities.
Klimmt noted that she has become so accustomed to the massive refuse truck that she drives it as easily as a standard passenger vehicle. She expressed a desire to see more female colleagues enter the industry, urging anyone who has considered the job to give it a try and adding that it is not as frightening as people think.
Industry experiences among female HGV drivers
Klimmt is not the only female driver in Britain to address industry attitudes, as 44-tonne lorry driver Hannah Robinson previously disclosed how male counterparts treat her in the trade.
Robinson said men in the industry often doubt a woman's driving capabilities. She noted that male drivers frequently offer to execute difficult maneuvers for her or assist with loading cargo.
Heavy goods vehicle driving in Great Britain has long maintained a significant gender imbalance, with women accounting for a small minority of licensed commercial drivers across freight and utility sectors. While 32-tonne rigid trucks dominate municipal fleets, 44-tonne articulated lorries represent the maximum gross vehicle weight limit permitted for standard six-axle haulage trucks on British highways.
The Daily Star is a national tabloid newspaper based in the United Kingdom that frequently covers human interest features, personal profiles, and stories highlighting unusual career paths.
