‘Baby Trucker’ becomes one of the youngest HGV-qualified lorry drivers

An 18-year-old woman from Derbyshire has become one of the UK’s youngest lorry drivers after gaining her HGV licence, thetimes.co.uk reports.

It wasn’t long ago that Jess Stubbs from Ashbourne was still at school. However, she swapped the education system for haulage as soon as she passed her driving test, joining her family’s business and moving vans until she was legally allowed to apply for her HGV.

Now, she drives 50-tonne lorries for Bliss Bedding, which provides and distributes straw for the equestrian world. Known as ‘Baby Trucker’, Jess has followed her elder sister Lucy, father, cousins and uncles into the business.

In a profession that is dominated by men – as those in driver recruitment franchise firms may attest – the story may inspire other young women to think about getting their licence, especially as Jess passed hers first time.

While many other young people her age are heading off to university, Jess says her decision to join the family business was based on doing what she enjoyed, telling mirror.co.uk that once she’d got the hang of the driving, trucking is “brilliant”.

She added: “The best part of the job is never knowing where you’re going to go – it can be anywhere in the country. One day you’re in Scotland surrounded by breath-taking views, the next you’re on the south coast.”