Drawing Women into the Trucking Industry

Woman prefer to work at truck stops & get hit on by truckers all day long.

 

I built computers for 7 yrs,company let me go because they were closing and they paid for my schooling.I had 5 choices to choose from and thought why not ill give it a try.At the time I was going to school I still wasn't sure this is what I really wanted to do.The first yr was iffy but I stuck it out.But now coming from a womans point of view,I wouldn't recommend trk driving to other women.You really have to be strong to make this field work.I started back in 2002 and still haven't seen much of an increase in women drivers[QUOTE="semi" retired;4086397]Hey patty, maybe it's been discussed, but how did you get into wanting to drive a truck? I know, you have to be kind of a motorhead to begin with, as my ex-gf grew up on a farm, and was driving the farm pickup at 10 years old and tractors shortly afterward, so she wasn't afraid of big vehicles. I think a lot of women today think about driving a truck, but with a SUV being the largest vehicle they've ever driven, an 18 wheeler seems out of the question.[/QUOTE]

 

Thanks patty, it's good you can give a woman's perspective on this, because as soon as a man says something like this, we get jumped on for being pigs. My ex-gf's company is the same way. Of the 100 or so drivers, her and maybe 1 other woman, I know of, are drivers at that company, even though, they encourage everyone to apply.

 

Trk driving is more of a mental and stress game then anything else.Women don't work well under pressure like men do.If any females ask me what its like,im not going to sugar coat anything.[QUOTE="semi" retired;4086472]Thanks patty, it's good you can give a woman's perspective on this, because as soon as a man says something like this, we get jumped on for being pigs. My ex-gf's company is the same way. Of the 100 or so drivers, her and maybe 1 other woman, I know of, are drivers at that company, even though, they encourage everyone to apply.[/QUOTE]

 

One more thing my ex-gf always complained about, and something the OP should definitely include in their article, was disgusting restroom facilities. Most of the bigger truck stops are pretty good, as they have regular crews that do nothing but clean the restrooms( I'm sure THAT'S a sweetheart of a job), but many of the smaller places and gas stations/fuel stops are pretty bad. The clerks there are basically money takers and couldn't care less about the restroom. Guys are a little more flexible in that regard, heck, we'll do it over a log in the woods, if we have to, but women , not so much.

 

I hear that and ive been in some pretty nasty bathrooms.Thats when I plug my nose,walk out and hold it till later .When I drove for kb I seen trks all day everyday going thru the Tyson lot and you would see 1 female driver after a good 200 male drivers.Seen mostly bullhaulers and never during my time with kb seen one lady bullhauler.[QUOTE="semi" retired;4086652]One more thing my ex-gf always complained about, and something the OP should definitely include in their article, was disgusting restroom facilities. Most of the bigger truck stops are pretty good, as they have regular crews that do nothing but clean the restrooms( I'm sure THAT'S a sweetheart of a job), but many of the smaller places and gas stations/fuel stops are pretty bad. The clerks there are basically money takers and couldn't care less about the restroom. Guys are a little more flexible in that regard, heck, we'll do it over a log in the woods, if we have to, but women , not so much.[/QUOTE]

 

This is kinda gross, so look away now,,,,,but,(and I couldn't believe this) I have a friend that works in a truck repair shop, and he is totally credible. A truck came in, I won't say who was driving it, not from the USA, to repair a U-joint. As soon as they brought it in the shop, something was definitely wrong, smell wise. It seems, the driver cut a hole in the floor of the sleeper, and you guessed it. The driveshaft and rear ends were covered with you-know-what. A powerwash was in order before any work began.

 

That is sick and should be fired for that..A Joblin shop refused to work on the trk for that reason.These guys wasn't from the states either.Maybe its custom in their country but here it is not.[QUOTE="semi" retired;4086688]This is kinda gross, so look away now,,,,,but,(and I couldn't believe this) I have a friend that works in a truck repair shop, and he is totally credible. A truck came in, I won't say who was driving it, not from the USA, to repair a U-joint. As soon as they brought it in the shop, something was definitely wrong, smell wise. It seems, the driver cut a hole in the floor of the sleeper, and you guessed it. The driveshaft and rear ends were covered with you-know-what. A powerwash was in order before any work began.[/QUOTE]

 

Oh, I hear ya. I believe it was a team, and their own truck, so all you bikers out there, beware, and make sure your windshield washer tank is full! To the OP, these are the kinds of stories, you might never hear about, but trust us, it's the tip of the iceberg.