Meet the smallest lorry driver in the world - a 4ft 9in woman who drives a 14ft high tipper truck
Meet the smallest lorry driver in the world - a 4ft 9in woman who loves being “high up” in her massive truck. Hayley Hume, 40, was terrified of lorries after colliding with one while driving in 2008 and would get clammy hands when she passed one. Her cousin, Kyle, 27, a lorry driver, took her out in his massive vehicle to help her face her fear. She loved it so much she ditched her job as a dog trainer and became a pro truck driver. The mum- of-one now drives a 14ft high, 16.5m long, 44 tonne, 16 wheeled tipper truck along Britain's motorways, delivering sand and gravel to building sites and quarries for 60 hours a week. Little Hayley, who is only 144cm tall, admits her male colleagues are often surprised to see her clambering in and out of the huge lorry - who ask her "where is your dad'. But she loves her job. Hayley from Bakewell, Derbyshire, said: “I love being high up. “It’s like being in my own little castle. “After the crash 15 years ago I wouldn’t go on the motorway for ages. “My hands would get all clammy when I passed lorries. “Kyle took me out in his lorry to help me face my fear and I ended up loving it. “I’m so small everyone is shocked to see a little woman climb out of a lorry. “I get a lot of stares but I just laugh it off. “If you’re a woman going into it, don’t let it bother you.” Speaking of her 2008 crash, she said: "I was on the motorway and a lorry starting indicating into my lane. “I know now he couldn’t see me. “I had to accelerate to get so he wouldn’t hit me but then had to slow down quickly because of road works. “He ended up going into the back of me. “I used to stay away from lorries or very quickly pass them if I had too.” Cousin Kyle took her out in 2016 and she loved it. She said: “I ended up loving it. “I love the freedom of it. “I do enjoy it.” She become a qualified HGV driver – passing her qualifications in 2016. Trucking runs in the family, and she follows in the footsteps of dad, Kenny, 79, and her grandad Donald, in his 90s. Hayley has always dealt with stares and comments about her small frame. She said: “I wear age nine to ten children’s clothes and age 13 kids boots. “I get a lot of stares especially when stopped in traffic. “People have asked – ‘where’s your dad?’ when I get out the truck. “I just laugh. "You've got to have a sense of humour to be a lorry driver." Hayley’s size or gender has never held her back as a truck driver, she said. She said: “Inside the lorry everything moves. “It’s all adjustable so there is no issues. “I’ve thought about teaching other women as a HGV instructor. “I want to teach the safety. “These lorries are big killing machines.” Hayley realised she was the shortest driver in the world after Googling the record and has now put her application forward for the Guinness World Record.
2023-03-23T14:17:28Z