Perumbilavu: For Safiya Abubacker, driving is not just a livelihood but her passion too. From scooters to tanker lorries, Safiya’s love for the road has brought her several major achievements. She now holds the distinction of being a female tanker lorry driver in the UAE, a feat accomplished by very few women worldwide.

After five attempts, Safiya cleared her road test for tanker trucks on the sixth try, having passed all the other tests on the first attempt. She received her license on December 27.

At 50, Safiya, from Kadavallur Padinjarathumuri, is the third woman in Kerala to obtain a Hazardous Goods Driving License. This credential allows her to drive large vehicles carrying dangerous materials such as chemicals, cooking gas and fuel.

Her passion for driving began in her youth. After learning to operate scooters, autorickshaws and cars, she worked as a driving school instructor. Though the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her career, Safiya turned the period of unemployment into an opportunity to obtain a heavy vehicle license. She later worked as an ambulance driver and also drove buses and national permit lorries.

Before earning her Hazardous Goods License, Safiya regularly transported arecanut loads from Changaramkulam Market to Palakkad by lorry.

She presently works in Ajman, UAE, for Noble Tech Company as a fuel tanker driver, earning an excellent salary. Alongside Safiya, three other women also drive tanker lorries for the company. “There are plenty of opportunities for women in this field,” Safiya says.
Her husband, Abubacker, works as a driver at Malabar Dental College. Their children are Asbiya (in Qatar), Aslam, and Asniya.