Ten women from the coastal South African province of KwaZulu-Natal will be selected for the pilot phase of the project, with the intention to replicate and grow it in other areas of operation throughout the country.

Volvo Trucks wants to promote the presence of women in transport through the launch of the AccelerateHer initiative in South Africa. AccelerateHer aims at increasing the number of female owner-drivers rendering a service to Lafarge operations in the African nation. Lafarge is one of South Africa’s leading building materials companies.

More into details, ten women from the coastal South African province of KwaZulu-Natal will be selected for the pilot phase of the project, with the intention to replicate and grow it in other areas of operation throughout the country.

The successful applicants will receive intensive three-year training through the Commercial Transport Academy (CTA) as part of Volvo Trucks’ Iron Women heavy commercial driver training program.

Volvo Trucks for women. The Iron Women training program

The Iron Women training program started in Peru in 2016 by Marcus Hörberg, then the Managing Director of Volvo Trucks Peru and today the Vice President of Volvo Group Southern Africa. Great ideas transcend borders and the program was initiated in South Africa in 2019, aiming to improve road safety and drive prosperity by educating female truck drivers.

«Women are still severely underrepresented in the transport industry. As a big supporter of the difference women can make, I am very proud that the Volvo Trucks Iron Women project has been able to further develop thanks to the partnership with Lafarge. Now we support women both to become skilled truck drivers and to run their own businesses. I am convinced this initiative will have a lasting impact on many people’s lives», declared Marcus Hörberg, Vice President of Volvo Group Southern Africa.

We are excited about the new doors that will open for women in transport thanks to this joint initiative between Volvo Trucks and Lafarge South Africa

Marcus Hörberg, Vice President of Volvo Group Southern Africa

Full training resulting in owner-drivers
In addition to the driving training, the participants will undergo intensive business acumen training to empower them as owner-drivers, with a focus on aspects like technology, finance, entrepreneurship, business and road transport management, as well as labour legislation and HR practices.

Once qualified, the new female owner-drivers will be incorporated as active operators in the building company Lafarge’s operations in the KwaZulu-Natal province.

(Sustainable Truck & Van)