Viktoriia Synitska-Kutsenko works as a truck driver at Avtologistika

Why did you decide to become a truck driver?

I've been driving for a long time. And I love the steering wheel. Before the full-scale invasion, I participated in rallying and drifting. Therefore, the idea of becoming a truck driver was not new to me. The trip abroad went by in one breath. I was interested in everything. I cannot say that it was very easy: I was tired and wanted to sleep at certain moments. But I won't dwell on that. After the vacation, I immediately wanted to get back to work and go on another business trip. I don't need a week or two to rest, I'm ready to go. I call it a “tour of Europe.”‍

How did your family and friends react to your decision to change careers?

They reacted positively. Everyone supported me and still does. We were in touch during the trip abroad, everyone was waiting for me to come home.

How did you handle everyday issues on the flight? Shower, sleep, rest?

We left on Monday evening, and in Krakow we had a plane to Sweden. On Tuesday night I was already at the hotel, where I was able to sleep and take a shower. As for the trip back, there are free and paid showers in Poland, so it was not a problem. Every 4 hours we stopped for a rest, controlling work and rest is very important, because it is monitored not only by the team but also by the relevant authorities in European countries.‍

How many flights did you have in Ukraine before your first flight abroad?

There were more than 10 flights in Ukraine, and this was the first one abroad.‍

How much rest do you have on a flight?

We rested for 6 hours, 8 hours, depending on the distance traveled.

What was the hardest part of this trip?

It was a little scary to get on the ferry. The cars are very tightly packed there, 5 floors high. In some cases, you have to fold down the mirrors to get on, but I was lucky enough to get on and get quite comfortable. But that's normal, because it was my first time, and it was a completely new experience....

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How did the border guards react?

Polish border guards asked me if I was not afraid to drive such a big car, they looked with interest at the fact that a woman was driving a big car. They also checked our driver's licenses to see if we really had category C. Ukrainian border guards took photos, and even sometimes confused us and thought that we had gotten off the bus in the wrong place, or had a car, not a truck. Such attention does not upset me, but rather makes me happy. There was no judgment in our direction.‍

What was the maximum speed?

No more than 80-83 km/h. And this was unchanged for us.

What was your favorite part of this experience?

The ferry and the trip on it. It was very interesting. I have never been on a ferry with a car before. The sea, the sunrise, the deck and the waves - it was very cool.‍

How many of you were in the convoy?

There were 4 of us, including two women. Oksana (Panchoshna) and me.‍

Is it very important for you to be next to women on flights?

To be honest, it doesn't matter to me. We are all drivers behind the wheel, and it doesn't matter if it's a man or a woman. We are just doing our job. Everyone is alone in their car. I really enjoyed it, it was something completely new for me. In addition to being a job, it's also an opportunity to see new places, learn about other cultures, see the world.‍

This is not a man's profession, you have to overcome yourself.