The hall filled with applause as 10 women took the stage to receive their diplomas . Behind each recognition lay six weeks of intense training, late nights of studying, hours of practice in the playground, but above all, the certainty of paving the way in an industry that years ago was reserved for men, such as the transportation sector.
The sixth generation of Scania Drivers represented much more than a group of graduates: they are pioneers who decided to challenge prejudices and take the wheel of a tractor-trailer as a life project.
“Getting here hasn’t been easy, but today we’ve grown as people, as colleagues, and as future driving professionals,” shared an excited Selene Álvarez Parra , speaking on behalf of her colleagues.
The graduation of the sixth generation marked the completion of a training cycle and the construction of a more inclusive and sustainable future for transportation in the country, highlighted Alejandro Mondragón, president and CEO of Scania Mexico .
Mondragón emphasized that this program breaks paradigms and demonstrates that when talent meets opportunity, there are no limits to transforming the industry.
Rodolfo Hernández, Manager of Institutional Relations and Sustainability at Scania Mexico and the program’s lead, noted that they are more than just operators: “They are driving change in the industry, social change, and a change in our lives.”
She highlighted that since the program’s inception, more than 50 female operators have already been trained and are now working in trucking companies.
On behalf of Grupo Bimbo , a partner and sponsor, Fernando Zenteno, national transportation manager, highlighted the importance of opening spaces for women.
“You are already operators. You are the spearhead that is breaking paradigms in the trucking industry,” he emphasized.
José Lino Ortiz, Bimbo’s national fleet manager, acknowledged the scope of Scania’s program and noted that behind the wheel are not just products, but entire lives waiting at home.
She emphasized that safety must be the guiding principle of every trip and that new operators now have the responsibility to take care of themselves and others on the road.
“You’re going to be operating a multi-ton truck. Take good care of yourselves and keep learning. These six weeks were just the beginning of everything you have left to learn in the world of transportation,” he emphasized.
What if I am a tractor-trailer operator?
The seemingly distant question began to take shape the day Diana Paredes Pérez saw an ad on social media. With no family history in trucking, she signed up out of curiosity and ended up discovering her calling: “Now I’m very happy; it’s my thing,” she said with a shy smile, still incredulous that she had achieved what she never imagined.
This was also the case for Virginia Demetrio , who dreamed of driving a tractor-trailer truck since she was a child. As the daughter and wife of operators, she knew that sooner or later she would follow that path.
For her, this graduation isn’t just a degree, but the confirmation of a lifetime of roadwork: “My kids say their mom is awesome,” she proudly shared.
In other homes, surprise was the driving force. Viridiana Alonso , 40, recalled her family’s reaction when they received the first photos of the practice tractors: “Are you really going to drive that?” they asked incredulously. Today, their answer is written on a diploma and in a future that is just beginning.
Beyond training
For six weeks, the operators shared technical learnings, safety values, and bonds of friendship.
“We don’t just see passing tests, we see friendships born behind the wheel,” Selene Álvarez summarized.
The challenge facing the sector is no small one, explained Jorge Navarro, director of Truck and Bus Solutions at Scania, who recalled that according to figures from the International Road Transport Union (IRU) and the National Chamber of Cargo Transport (Canacar) , in 2024 Mexico faced more than 99,000 operator vacancies .
The ceremony concluded with a hopeful message: this is not the end of a course, but the beginning of a cultural change in Mexican trucking.
At the event, 10 women received their diplomas, but thousands more will see what’s possible. In each testimony, the steering wheel also belongs to them, and with it, they operate not just a truck, but the future of an industry.
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