When Alysha Douma last chatted to Big Rigs, she revealed her ambitions of getting into linehaul work – and now she’s done exactly that, carrying cars across Queensland, with her two fur babies coming along for the ride.
Douma, 37, had spent 15 years working in the science field before getting her HR licence in June 2021, and eventually progressing to her MC last September.
She did local car carrying work for around two years, driving an Isuzu FSD with a four-car trailer.
That was up until earlier this year where she secured a new role with Eurotrans, working out of their Willawong depot – a suburb in the south of Brisbane.
She’s now behind the wheel of a 2016 Volvo FH16 Globetrotter, carrying six to seven cars at a time, predominantly to dealerships and depots.
“It’s been nearly two months so I started the year off with a bang,” said Douma.
“Being in the bigger truck, it has been another learning curve trying to work out all the car placements when loading, understanding the new widths and placement of the pillars. You also need to concentrate so much more on height and weight distribution too, because you’re travelling long distances.
“The Volvo is so much more comfortable than the old truck. Because everyone has their own truck and we’re not having to share it, it’s like your home away from home. I’ve set it all up with my own bedding and everything. The boss wants our trucks to be our own space.”
Douma travels predominantly to Townsville, Mackay and Cairns – with Cairns being the furthest run, at approximately 1700 kilometres each way.
And Douma says she’s adjusted well to the travel. “I was prepared it for it, I’d been around the interstate drivers so I knew what I was getting into. I’ve also grown up in a camping and travelling family, so being on the road and having showers at roadhouses doesn’t feel foreign to me.”
As for her typical week, “We leave on the Monday morning and usually get back on the Friday night,” said Douma, adding that her dogs – a cavalier named Apollo and a spoodle named Cinco are absolutely loving her new gig.
“As soon as I start packing my bags, the dogs are right there. They’ve adjusted to it really well and are super patient while I’m busy out there loading and unloading cars. They’re quite into the life – and we somehow all fit in the bed!
“A lot of big companies don’t let you have your dogs in the truck, but this boss didn’t mind at all. I keep my cab clean, I keep the dogs clean and so far I haven’t any issues with that. I’m respectful at depots too. They never come out of the truck at the depots so they don’t interfere with anyone’s work.
“I’ve now become known as the lady with the dogs,” she laughed. “I also plan my stops so there are places I can go for a walk with the dogs. I stop in Gympie a lot so we can go to the dog park there too.
“My dogs are really good company and I’m not having to race home to see them because they’re already with me.”
It’s great seeing females driving the big trucks