She was with her friends, just a little girl, while the others played with food or combed dolls’ hair, Maribel Pedraza looked up and was mesmerized by something very different: the heavy trucks crossing in front of her house.
Her father operated heavy machinery, specifically backhoes , but what fascinated her were her colleagues’ vehicles. Although he insisted it was “men’s work ,” the seed had already been planted.
Years passed. The dream seemed to be dormant, until, at 34, she decided to awaken it. She entered a training program exclusively for female operators , earned her education, and made her way there.
Today, Maribel is the only female operator in Bulkmatic ‘s specialized transport segment , where she drives units with pressurized hoppers , a type of technical cargo that requires precision, strength and operational mastery.
Bulkmatic is a transportation and logistics company with the most extensive network of rail terminals in Mexico. It is an essential part of the supply chain for multiple industries , transporting a wide variety of bulk materials from sectors such as plastics, food, hydrocarbons, and chemicals.
These products, mostly received through rail trucks , are distributed by land to customers throughout Mexico.
But moving products in pressurized hoppers isn’t just a matter of strength or handling: it’s about understanding a closed system with highly technical demands, Maribel said.
Unlike other types of transportation, here every connection must be airtight, every valve must operate precisely, and every hose must withstand constant pressure without margin of error.
Knowledge of the behavior of the transported material, rigorous cleaning protocols, and mastery of pneumatic equipment are required.
Not just anyone can do it. That’s why we call it specialized transport , because behind every ton there’s a person who not only drives, but also understands the process from start to finish, and at Bulkmatic, that person can also be a woman . And right there, in the middle of this complex and specialized operation, Maribel appears.
Her day begins before dawn. Maribel doesn’t just check the logbook and the physical condition of the unit. She has to inspect the pneumatic pressure system , verify that the valves are in good condition, prepare the connection equipment for the transfer, and ensure the hopper is dry, clean, and free of contaminants, because what she transports (plastic resins and food-grade products) requires strict hygiene, traceability, and safety conditions .
Once ready, the truck is attached to the hopper and launched onto the road. The loading system uses blowers that, under pressure, draw the product from the original wagon or container into the hopper.
Then, at the destination, the same process is reversed: it’s connected to the customer’s silos (containers) and unloaded under pressure. The entire system is operated by itself .
Maribel had already worked in dry vans , but she has no doubts: “Back then, the hard part was driving. Here, that’s the least of it. The hard part is what comes next: handling large-diameter hoses, fitting hermetic connections, withstanding heat, pressure, and weight—but if you like it, you’ll do it with pleasure,” she said, still smiling.
When she arrived at Bulkmatic, the initial intention was to take care of her. Assign her only driving routes, no transfers. “We didn’t want her to get hurt,” recalled Cindy Flores, head of Human Resources. But Maribel insisted. She wanted to learn.
“He taught us a lesson. Today, he masters every step of the process with the same expertise as his peers,” Flores explained.
In a country where operators are needed, with more than 99,000 vacancies by the end of 2024 , according to the International Road Transport Union (IRU) , she breaks the statistics, because she not only fills a position, she redefines it.
“To women who dream of this, I would say, dare. You can do it, believe in yourself,” Maribel said enthusiastically.
And the risks? They’re there, but Maribel feels protected. The company supports her with internal and external cameras, a panic button, a real-time alert system, and 24/7 active monitoring.
“If something happens, they know where I am. That gives them a lot of peace of mind,” Maribel explained, acknowledging the insecurity faced by trucking in Mexico , but knowing that her company provides her with protection tools.
Her children, now teenagers, were hesitant at first. “You don’t like the sun,” they told her. Today, they see her return with a twinkle in her eyes. She said they admire her, they brag about her.
When asked how she sees herself in five years, she doesn’t hesitate: “More professional, more prepared. Inspiring other women. I want them to hear my story and say: If she could do it, I can too,” she emphasized.
And she does, because Maribel doesn’t just operate a specialized technical unit; she’s leading a transformation that began when she was a child and wasn’t allowed to ride one of those giants. Today, from Monterrey, Nuevo León, she rides every day, and she doesn’t just move cargo; she pushes boundaries and breaks new ground .
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