Gabriella Pedroni is the winner of SABO Rosa Award 2022, a special recognition that Roberto Nuti Group gives every year to a female truck driver on the occasion of Women’s International Day. Becoming more popular throughout the years, since 2010 the “female truck driver of the year” has always been chosen by a jury of journalists and by all female employees of Roberto Nuti Group. Every year a unique pink painted SABO shock absorber is gifted to the winner first-hand by the CFO of the Group, Elisabetta Nuti, who states during the award ceremony: “Commitment, passion and professional training: 3 words which sum up the inspirational life story of Gabriella Pedroni, a woman who has succeeded to receive fair respect and great esteem in a men’s working environment thanks to her significant know-how and determination. Never as this year, the SABO Rosa award allows to bring out and to celebrate the feminine presence in the heavy duty transportation working field. It is an important occasion for women to tell us about their story, knowledge and experience in this ‘men leading’ industry and to remind us all how essential it is to put our heart in what we do in order to succeed.”
Gabriella was born in Tione di Trento and now she lives in San Michele all’Adige. She is a mechanical engineer and she leads her team in the motorsport industry. She is not only the Italian Champion of Uphill Time Trial but also the Winner of the European Cup of this special race category. Gabriella also has all driver licenses of heavy duty vehicles and she teaches driving safety and technical knowledge to trucks’ drivers: “My personal congratulations to Roberto Nuti Group for this significant initiative. It is remarkable when some industries believe in the professional expertise and knowledge of women in the business environment.”
Since Gabriella was a little girl, she had a peculiar interest in motors and cars: “When I was a child, I played with Barbie dolls on cars and car toys. When my dad brought me to see live The European Truck Grand Prix in Misano (Italy), I was 8 years old and I still remember the excitement I felt during the truck race and when hearing the trucks’ rumble while speeding 160 km/h in front of me. Her passion for motors gave her the determination to take part into go-kart races at a very young age: “I started racing with go-karts when I was 9 years old and my enthusiasm and dedication to this sport grew as such till I took part in international competitions with racing cars. When I was 24 years old my dad said to me ‘I can’t do this anymore, you may start driving my truck now’. Therefore, I got all trucks drivers licences and I also got the driver licence of special trucks, as my truck is type-approved as a mobile workshop for my racing car and team”.
“The transport and motor industry is opening the doors to many opportunities for female workers. I got to know many women working as mechanics and engineers. Moreover, the support between all truck drivers is strengthening throughout the years. This is something that I have been appreciating and my passion has been growing for this reason too.”
