Jess Graham recently won a makeover of her 1995 Freightliner as part of the “TransFIX My Rig” contest held during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Nicknamed “The Black Widow,” Graham’s sleeper berth was remodeled to include dimmer switches, skull wallpaper, a refrigerator, and a coffee pot, among other amenities.
“When I found out, I was speechless, and that is not like me at all,” Graham reportedly said. “I love my truck like a proud mom. I’ve spent so much time working on her and renovating her myself but haven’t had much time lately to make it exactly what I want. This is more than I could have ever asked for!”
The owner-operator was chosen by a Transfix panel who found her work with Real Women in Trucking, and 2021 Trucking Industry Trailblazer Award inspiring. Graham was also the focus of a Women in Transportation 2020 piece. The makeover was orchestrated by Jason Cameron, the host of more than 500 home improvement episodes on shows that include “Man Caves,” “Desperate Landscapes,” and “Secret Celebrity Renovation.”
In addition to the niceties Transfix incorporated into her big rig, Graham was ecstatic about the inclusion of a proper desk. Ranked as her top makeover request, the Atlanta-based trucker found balancing a laptop in the cab tedious. Along with handling documentation for her owner-operator business, she works with fellow truckers through GTO Trucking.
“I think driver appreciation is one of those, ‘We appreciate you, so here’s your cup coozie and your hot dog.’ So not trying to brag, but Jason Cameron gave me a coffee pot,” Graham reportedly said.
Her work with Real Women in Trucking involves advocacy and awareness. She has been instrumental in planning events for the Queen of the Road Award. The program helps tell the stories of female truck drivers. Nominations for this year’s award are expected to open in November.
“There’s not one woman whose story we shared that is not strong,” Graham reportedly said. “If you’re out here, and you’ve made it out of your first year, I think you are a she-woman.”
Now a seasoned veteran, Graham points out that early leaving syndrome has been particularly prevalent among women truckers, partly due to unsafe training practices. She noted that only one in every six women complete their first year of hauling freight as they confront significant workplace obstacles.
To say trucking is her passion would be something of an understatement. She remains an active volunteer with Truckers Emergency Assistance Responders (TEAR), an organization that collects donations to support truckers who face abandonment, injury, or illness. She is also a member of Georgia’s Truck Parking Coalition and helps educate and advocate for safe truck driver parking.
Sources: fleetowner.com, fleetowner.com
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