Brianna Bucknor excited about trucks

Despite the series of unfortunate events that overshadowed her life, including having to navigate a teenage pregnancy, Brianna Bucknor has never allowed her challenges to deterred from achieving her goals.

Now the 21-year-old is the proud owner of a small, online business and trucking business. Bucknor, who is originally from Montego Bay, St James, was just two years old when she lost her mother to unknown circumstances. Then on the morning of her 12th birthday, she lost her father, who suffered from continuous seizure and heart issues. This resulted in her moving to Kingston to be raised by her grandaunt. Bucknor attended Papine High School and met the future father of her daughter, who started to teach her how to drive trucks. That was how her new passion was born.

"I love it, that's where I find my peace of mind. Mi enjoy it. If a truck a pass right now, mi get excited. It have mi full, undivided attention. Even mi daughter have a complete obsession with trucks," Bucknor said excitedly.

Although she was not able to sit her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate exams due to financial constraints, Bucknor, who started BPhay Trucking in 2022, told THE STAR that truck driving has completely transformed her life, allowing her to purchase her first car and care for her four-year-old daughter who needed a liver transplant after being diagnosed with biliary atresia, a blockage of the ducts that remove waste from the liver.

Still, even while navigating her daughter's health condition, Bucknor did not give up on her dream, and with the help of her partner, acquired two water trucks used to fill tanks as well as wet roads. However, truck driving is not Bucknor's only passion, as cosmetology also holds a special place in her heart. She owns an online business called Barbie Mafia Beauty Essential selling wigs, contact lens and other beauty essentials.

"Mi love mi trucks, enuh, but mi love dolly up too when mi ready. Mi love mi wigs dem so it was only natural mi start a business," Bucknor said adding that she loves being an entrepreneur.

"Even though running a business nuh easy, female truckers dem look up to mi and they're inspired by me. Suh fi know seh mi can build a brand and become a positive influence...that's what really motivates me. It mek mi feel good and it mek mi guh hard," Bucknor explained, admitting that she doesn't always get positive feedback.

"Mi get discouraged couple time well, especially from men, like for instance mi remember when a man see mi a deliver water and him a seh yow mi fi lowe dis and mek the man dweet, and mi fi deh a mi yard a cook or a babysit. But mi nah mek the negative stop mi from doing weh mi love," Bucknor said.

She also encourages other teenage mothers not to be discouraged because an early pregnancy does not have to stop them from fulfilling their dreams.

"Yuh afi have a aim, yuh afi have a love for something nuh matter weh it be. Suh just go ahead and use that as your tool. Use your love to your advantage and just take advantage of the whole situation and know seh yuh can push and reach where yuh want to reach," Bucknor said.