Once Worked As An Air Hostess, This 23-YO Woman Is Now Himachal Pradesh’s First Female Truck Vlogger & Viral On Social Media

When one sees a truck, heavily loaded with stock, they rarely expect a woman to be at the steering wheel. 

But people in Himachal Pradesh, when they take morning walks or go about their business in the afternoon, see something different.

A young native woman drives a heavy truck across Himachal Pradesh, gets it loaded and unloaded, and eventually comes back home. 

This young woman is Neha Thakur, currently 23 years old. She is Himachal Pradesh’s first female truck vlogger and has gone viral on the Internet for sharing her raw journey behind what it feels like to crush stereotypes, drive a truck, and be independent.

“One of the best decisions I've made was to start vlogging my journey as a truck driver. I included everything from good days to bad days, and people started resonating with it. I am very grateful for the love and appreciation that I get as a female truck vlogger,” Neha Thakur tells Startup Pedia in an exclusive interview.

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THE BACKGROUND 

Hailing from a small town called Sarkaghat in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, Neha Thakur, currently approximately 23 years old, pursued a BA degree. 

“When I was growing up, my father would drive trucks and get them unloaded and loaded at construction sites and farms. I was always in awe of how he handled the tricky roads that we have in Himachal. He has loved driving since forever,” she shares.

After her graduation, Neha went to Chandigarh to take up training to become an air hostess. She also secured a job there, which she held for six months.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic put a hard stop to her dreams of becoming an air hostess. Everything shut down, and Neha had to come back home to Sarkaghat in Himachal Pradesh.

For the next six months, she grappled with severe confusion about the direction of her life.

“Everything had stopped so suddenly that I was taking my time to process it. I didn’t know what to do next,” Neha Thakur shares.

HANDLING THE STEERING WHEEL & BATTLING CRITICISM

In 2021 itself, Neha decided to contribute to her father's business. She began learning to drive her father’s truck. The experience was new and scary, but she says that her excitement surpassed everything.

“It was one random day that I got up and decided to do something different. I asked my father and chachaji to teach me how to drive a truck in their free time. They were shocked, but eventually gave in to my ask,” she tells Startup Pedia.

By 2023, at the age of 21, she earned her heavy motor vehicle licence.

In 2025, she obtained formal training under the Himachal Road Transport Corporation.

During her journey, she describes two major struggles: physically handling the heavy vehicle and dealing with the regular criticism and nagging from people.

Initially, everyone around her was surprised by the unconventional choice of work that Neha had made.

“Girls don’t drive trucks,” they would tell her. Many people also posed doubts about whether she would be able to handle the heavy vehicle efficiently.

“All of this criticism did affect me, but I made that my strength. The most important part? My family stood by me. And that’s the thing about internal support from loved ones. When you get that, navigating the external world becomes a lot easier,” Neha smiles.

Apart from learning the intricacies of driving a truck, Neha Thakur also began vlogging her daily life and journey on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

The result? People all across India joined in and looked at her with awe.

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NEHA THAKUR’S CONTENT GAME

As Himachal Pradesh’s first female truck vlogger, Neha Thakur shares her everyday life, important moments in her truck-driving journey, and her personal reflections.

Her vlogs have gone viral on social media channels, with the young woman gaining seven lakh followers on Instagram, more than four lakh on YouTube, and more than three lakh on Facebook.

“When I started showcasing my journey, a lot of people’s perspective about seeing a young woman drive a heavy truck changed. They started seeing it as almost revolutionary, something that crushed stereotypes. I am glad I started vlogging because it has given inspiration to a lot of young women. They know that choosing a slightly unconventional field and acing it is not impossible,” Neha smiles.

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HIMACHAL PRADESH’S FIRST FEMALE VLOGGER

Today, Neha Thakur drives a 16-tonne Tata truck and transports farm and construction materials. 

The 23-year-old drives through Himachal’s risky roads smoothly, feeling unwaveringly confident in her driving skills.

According to her, driving her truck, shooting content, editing it, and releasing it is what a perfect day looks like.

Earlier, while dreaming of being an air hostess, she longed for regular travel and independence. Today, as Himachal’s first female truck vlogger, she gets to live the same dream every day.

“My message is simple: if you have a dream, don’t let the size of your town restrict it. Anything can happen if you truly set your heart to it. No stereotype should be big enough to limit you, especially if you’re a woman,” Neha Thakur concludes.