18wheelsandwomen

Thursday December 10 2009 finds me making more night deliveries and I am thankful for the opportunity to earn a few more dollars. 2 trips tonight. All is going well. Truck is running great, and I have the heat at the blue/red mark. Chilly out tonight and I don’t need much heat in the cab as I’ll get sick. I find if I have it come in on the floor vents and not at the top, that is working best for me. My light 2 spring jackets are warm enough for me too.

When I am returning from my first delivery, the interstate is fairly empty and I’m not sure where all the traffic is at tonight. Don’t care as my job is easier with fewer vehicles to worry about. South of the tunnel that goes thru the mountain, you will find many trucks with their flashers on as they climb the incline with their loads as slow speed. Its about 4 miles of incline.

Since I am empty, I can keep my speed at 65 and no faster as our fleet is governed at that speed. I can see a truck way ahead of me as that truck rounds a curve. I watch my mirrors for traffic so I know where they are before I move in left lane. Since most traffic likes to do 10 over the limit, I don’t want to slow them down. I have plenty of time before I get closer to the truck. There is nothing behind me unless some jerk is driving without headlights. That has happened and I can not do anything about it.

Now I’m closer to the truck and closing in fast. I’m still in right hand lane and watching my mirrors. I can also see flashing lights ahead about 1 mile belonging to one vehicle. Not enough lights for more than one vehicle. I turn on my left turn signal and let it blink 3 times and move over in left lane as taught in school. I’ll stay in this lane after I pass the flatbed so I’m not near those flashing lights.

Its 8:15 and I am about 2 miles from the tunnel and I can see the lights to it. About 10 feet from the flatbed, that driver moves into my lane!!! Tractor first in my lane, trailer still in right lane. Its at this point, I react to this very stupid move and slam on the brakes and “talk” to that driver. By hitting the brakes when I did, it prevented me from slamming into left rear corner of the trailer and pushing it forward at an angle an jackknifing that truck and blocking I540 for hours. Or just slamming into the rear of the trailer. Both options I did not care for. All happened so fast, about as much time as a deer that is suddenly in front of you.

I also did not see for sure what that flatbed had on, but it looked like those blue metal pipes and I saw large pieced of wood too. Maybe the wood was being used for the bracing. At this point I did not care what the flatbed had on as it was going to be a passenger with me and I did not like that idea either.

Somehow I missed hitting this jerk. My skill? Luck? My guardian angel driving my truck at this moment? Not my time for an accident? When this jerk was completely in left lane, I flashed my brights at him. He in turn, flashed his work lights at me. I took this to be “WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM!!??” This jerk had plenty of time to pass me if he wished AFTER I passed him. I passed him on his right and we were about 3/4 of a mile away from those flashing lights.

Naturally I am glad I avoided this accident as it was going to be a bad one. I would be in the hospital or not here. And because I would have slammed into him, I would be the one charged with FAILURE TO KEEP CONTROL & RECKLESS DRIVING to name two. Tickets need to be given for YOUR STUPIDITY CAUSED THIS ACCIDENT.

Was this driver a new driver? Tired driver? Misjudged distance? Not watching mirrors? Does not care? I will never know. But this makes me paranoid now in that area as it is not the first time I have seen close up or farther back, jerks in slow lane jumping out in fast lane of traffic. One of these days, northbound I540 is going to be blocked for hours due to someone making a very stupid move.

Tuesday November 24 2009. I was all settled in for the evening and looking forward to watching Donny on Dancing With The Stars. Phone rings. It’s the boss, I am needed to deliver 2 loads so far to the canning plant. The calls are coming in for loads. Trailers are being loaded now. I am assigned a truck too. I say I can work and I’ll get there as soon as I can.

I gather my things while changing into trucking clothes. I am thankful for the work and I am not at all tired like I normally am at this time of night. I know that will change later. I look at the clock and already know I will be up all night. By the time I can leave home, get to the truck and get the papers for the load and hook up the trailer, it will be 9. 2 trips will be 6 hours and will I need to get fuel? Will the trailer be ready when I arrive to work? So many “IF’S” that can change the time for everything of the itinerary that you have already done in your head.

I arrive at 8:15 and see the docks full of trailers–mostly ours. One or two forklifts are busy loading the trailers. Trailers move when the forklift enters and leaves. The rear of the trailer lowers at the ramp as the forklift enters and then it raises as the forklift moves to the nose of the trailer and then it’s the front that lowers. Airbags hiss as air escapes from them on the rear of the trailer and the truck too if a truck is hooked up to the trailer. When you are in the drivers seat, you watch the mirrors and see the front corners of the trailer raise up as forklift enters and then go down as forklift moves toward the nose of trailer. Back and forth till the trailer is loaded. The less up and down with the trailer means its just about loaded.

I find shipping busy with all the paperwork that is needed. I get mine for my trailer and it has been parked in the lot. Night driver tells me that the truck I am taking was filled last night so I don’t have to stop for fuel. This is great news as I hate going to the Pilot and if I have to fuel, I want enough to get to exit 24. I get my things out of my car and put them in the truck. Now I go to the trailer and get hooked up and since the Qualcomm (truck computer) does not work, I call dispatch to sign in and get trip number and I‘ll need a load number too since none have been assigned at this end due to the loads being called in after hours. At 8:40, I pull out of the lot.

I make good time on the way to the plant and I really want to stop and buy something to drink, but I don’t. I can wait till I get first load delivered. I pull into the plant at 9:50 and the guard checks me in. He looks like a member of my church and I thought he was that person the first time I saw him when he approached me and check me in. He questions the paperwork because its handwritten and is not the same as what I normally bring to the Van Buren plant. I tell him that these loads were called in after hours and all the paperwork I will be bringing may look like this. I get the papers back and proceed to the next building to give the papers to plant staff and get my copy signed. They are glad to see me and the loading docks are called to let them know that I have arrived with the first load. I’m asked “you are coming back 2 more times??” I tell them what they want to hear and that is YES. They need the cans and I will do 3 trips and not 2. I am asked to hurry and park this load and get the empty and leave to get load 2. The shuttle driver tells me to park this load by the docks as he will soon be moving out a trailer and will put it in the dock. I do and then go to our lot and get a empty trailer. I stop at exit 24 and get a drink as I really need one.

Soon I am back at the shipper for load 2 and leave at 11:45. Starting to get a little tired now and the hum of 18 tires on the pavement is not helping me stay awake. I crank up the tunes and lower the window to have the cool air on me. When I arrive at the plant, there is a new guard and nothing is said about the papers. I proceed to next building and get my papers signed and park trailer by dock again. I am able to drop and get empty trailer and leave in 15 minutes!!! 12:55am to 1:10am. The last 30 miles back to Springdale is tough as I am now tired. Like all drivers of any vehicle I do whatever I can by staying awake. I raise/lower the seat for a different position. Open window(s). I move around in the seat as much as one can. When I enter the city lights, I become awake. Then at the plant to drop trailer and get new one, I am now wide awake after being in the chilly air. I leave for my 3^rd load at 3am. No problems getting to Van Buren plant and after checking in I am asked to take trailer to our lot. When I get my empty and go by the guard at this side of the plant, I take a few minutes out and talk to him as he used to drive semi’s too. Our trailers are by the docks where the canned veggies are shipped out. The guards here also do trailer checks and write down what we bring in and take out. From the time I enter and leave its 30 minutes. Saw plenty of deer on my 3 trips and all decided to not get acquainted with me and the truck. I make it back to Springdale and park the trailer in the lot and then park the truck. Its now 6am. 378 miles

October 27 2009 is a special day for me because it was October 27 1976 when I entered the Transportation world. My only experience in this was riding the school bus for all the years in school. Its all I had to go on to have some knowledge of the world I was entering. I wanted to do this since I was a little kid. When the time came to go job hunting, all I got was “YOU’RE A GIRL & GIRLS DON’T DO THAT” and “THAT’S NO PLACE FOR YOU.” My “place???” What is my “place”? I asked them. This was not being said to the male species. So why the double standard for me and/or women? Do I not look capable to do the job?

I have a 1983 poem with 12 examples of the double standard. A couple of the examples are about the men having lunch with the boss so they can continue to climb the ladder. For the women its an affair. His desk is messy, a sign that he is a busy person. Her desk is messy so she must be disorganized. Sadly this thinking still goes on today. Maybe not everywhere, but I see it and I am involved with it.

Just this week at my part time job I was talking to a trucker and said I know what he is talking about as I drive too when not at this job. He looked at me and said “I find that hard to believe.” Since I was at work, I had to be polite. I want to know why this is so hard to believe or understand when women announce to the world, “I DRIVE 18 WHEELERS!!!”. What does a trucker look like??? I just happen to be bigger than a few of the men I have seen and I know men don’t get this treatment.

It has been a battle all the way to get to where I am at today. I had to get doors to open and keep on opening them to move up. I had to deal with men getting promoted faster because they were men and many times with less experience than me in the bus world. You get burned out quickly dealing with battles that keep arising.

I moved on to a state employee and spent 5 years traveling the state for traffic counts driving a state car then to a testing lab for road building for 6 years and one winter I plowed snow for the state. Whether you do or do not count this time, it does not change the fact that its been 33 years since 1976.

Trucking is a strange life, but it has treated me and other women equally. I entered in 2001 with my experience/knowledge being even less than riding a school bus in my school years. I needed a job and I was going to make it work. There is some satisfaction in doing this job. We are supplying America with needed supplies. There is satisfaction after learning how to back the darn trailer!! Practice and practice and more practice is what it takes. Eventually the light bulb will come on and you will get it.

I wished I had kept more notes on my trips so I can do more stories of my adventures. I have email stories I sent out to many so I can work on those. I may be able to piece together some of my notes to do a story–may not be what I did but I could try doing a make believe story. Have been asked to try this by many. And others have strongly suggested I do a book of my stories. Either way, I got to get my notes figured out and do a few more stories.

Our interim pastor suggested I try to do trucking devotions. “Are you kidding?!!” I said to him. Naturally this never entered my mind to do one but I accepted the challenge and got 2 done–or as done as done can be for now. Both were approved by interim and a friend with suggestions to “tweak” them some more. Maybe. That is far down my list of things to do.

Every driver has a story to tell. There is so much that we see, do and put up with that you just would not believe it and understand why it goes on in today’s world. We drivers don’t understand it either. Since we can’t have every 4-wheeler ride in the truck with us for a week to see what we do and put up with, that is why I write. That is why lots of drivers write and have done books. 33 years ago. Looking back its gone by fast. I had no idea I would be in it this long.

What a beautiful day in the Twin Cities. I am waiting for my load assignment and trailer so I can get started for the day. I see that something has happened in this area as many police are cruising thru. Just hope the accident or whatever is going on is not in my way or slows me down that much. I put it out of my mind as I have a job to focus on.

Soon I get my instructions and get my loaded trailer. It is heavy like all the loads here. I slide the tandems to the approximate area they need to be at. This will work till I get to the scale and that will be next stop. I enter all the load info in the QualComm and proceed to the guard shack and sign out. Finally I am on my way and am eager to get rolling.

I pull out onto the street and make it up to the stoplight. I see a policeman. I turn left and he is following me and at my side. He is watching me and/or the truck and he keeps looking at the tires or something at ground level. Some of this is a blur as I did not keep as many notes as I should have. Did I get stopped or did he motion me to follow him?? All I know is I ended up in a large parking lot where I was going to get the portable scales.

I know he was just doing his job but I am pissed for just doing my job as taught and instructed to do and am calling my employer and sending Qualcomm messages. Now I can’t even get to the scale to be legal!! I am already fed up with all the rules and regs that hamper us to do our job and now this happens!!!!! It is wrong and I am so tired of being treated like trash in this trucking world. These fines can be in the thousands of dollars too. I know I am getting one as I don’t think I can talk the officer out of it. I know I am not legal but you got to give us a chance to get legal.

Officer puts the portables under one axle and I go to my truck as instructed and pull forward when told to. We do all axles and soon this job is done. I’m still in truck calling employer and sending QualComm messages while officer does his figuring. Officer asks me why I did not get legal back at shipper. I tell him they do not have a scale. He thought we had something in the truck to tell us this info. I say no. Only with experience can you tell and know from experience where to slide your trailer axles NEAR the point needed to be legal. But you won’t know that till you weigh. And that I was and am going to the scales to weight and I specifically tell him what scale incase he wants to follow me/escort me there or call another officer from that area to verify this and that I do weigh. (my attempt of not getting a ticket)

He does not do any of this but does tell me I am getting a ticket and it is for $465. I am to pay it by this date or go to jail. I tell him I will not pay this ticket and if my employer does not, I will be in this area on that date specified and I will look forward to YOU giving me a ride to your fine accommodations for a night or two in jail. (I am tired of the truck driver being the blame for everything and putting up with this crap for doing our job or trying to do our job)

I’m told I can swing by the office if I want to on my way to my destination. IF I WANT TO!!!??? I am stopping to voice my opinion about this ticket and to make a copy of it for my records. (which I do have, just can’t find it when looking for it for this story) I go inside and rant and rave about this treatment of drivers and who knows what else I said about trucking and its unfairness to drivers and that I was not paying this ticket. Employer said they would pay it as I was following directions given to me.

Shortly after this, a letter went out to drivers saying that “ 2 drivers have received tickets of $465 at this shipper and weight limits are being enforced on the road”. HA! I know who one driver is! You can also be legal at one state scale where the officer may let you go just a few pounds over on an axle. But 20 miles later crossing a state line you pull in and get a ticket for being over. Happened to a co-worker. Again no fairness, at all in this matter.

Another crock is this weight limits. In many cases the business has been there for years and no issues. Then the County or City decided to set weight limits on the road to all these business who receive truck traffic. Also in many cases you can be LEGAL with your weight EMPTY going there, but ILLLEGAL when leaving with your load. Why is there this mentality of NO TRUCKS ALLOWED??? Why do the Counties and Cities do this to those business’s who rely on trucks??? I would like to see trucks shut down for 1 week to show how much we are needed and to just let us do our jobs like other workers do without all the regulations that hamper you to get the job done.

My ticket was paid by the employer and I did not go to jail. But I was ready.

October 24 2009. What a change from last night! Sometimes you have these days/nights of skill testing if you drive a semi. I did not have a leisurely drive to Fort Smith as I normally do. No relaxing and just enjoy the drive and drink your coffee. This was not meant to be. I had to WORK to stay safe and keep others safe too.Bumper to bumper traffic in town and for the next hour while driving to my destination. Traffic racing to get around you before the right lane ends due to merging. Naturally these vehicles are ¼ mile behind you as you look in your mirrors to keep an eye on them. You have to. I am just a couple blocks from that lane that ends and there is no way they can get there before me, but they try. Here they come only to find out they have to slam on their brakes and get in the line BEHIND me and they should have just stayed put instead of trying to get ahead of a big truck. I dealt with “LETS NOT LET THE SEMI PASS, CHANGE LANES AND LETS CUT THEM OFF” game. Many who passed me, SWERVED in front of me so close that I had to hit my brakes to avoid hitting them, or try to not hit them. And some also slowed down once they got in front of me. Guess you just have to be in front of the big truck and then slow me down so I can’t maintain my speed.

Lead vehicle on the ramp saw me coming and even tho I was ahead of him and I knew I would be at the end of the ramp entrance to the interstate before him, he sped up to beat me to that point. He found out it was not going to work in this bumper to bumper traffic. But there was enough room for him to have merged BEHIND me as normal instead of this mentality of getting ahead of me. So, I reach the point of the merging as planned, ahead of the lead vehicle. I can see him in my mirrors and brace myself for an accident. This vehicle is determined to still get on the interstate ahead of me! Trailer is now at the merged point and I am ahead of that point in the tractor. I am waiting for this car to go under the trailer. I’m trying to see forward, to my left and of course watching the right side thru the mirrors. In these few seconds I am wondering if I will roll the semi and if that happens, the vehicles on my left are in for a huge surprise. Or will I drag these vehicle and rip it to pieces and have a death to deal with??? At the last possible second, vehicle slows down and moves AWAY from me, I think almost coming to a complete stop. So many drivers think they have the right of way when on the ramp. Wrong! You are the one to merge safely with the traffic and maybe stop if needed. Naturally I am thankful that nothing happened.

Nerves shot by the time I reached my destination. After I dropped the trailer and got the empty one, I finally got to have some of my coffee from my thermos. I took a few moments to relax before facing this traffic for the rest of the night. So thankful to make it home with no mishaps..

But today is a leisurely day of driving. So relaxing and I can enjoy the fall colors. My first stop will be for breakfast and my first cup of coffee. I can hardly wait to savory the first bite of my sausage egg mcmuffin! I love those things. I walk in and tell the counter person “I’ll have the Sausage Egg McMuffin and coffee to go please.” I’m asked if this is to go or to eat in. Did you not here me??? Did I mess up your speech by saying it first??? I again say, “This is to go.” My order is handed to me and I rush out to the truck to get back on the interstate before I bit into my Sausage Egg McMuffin. Couldn’t wait, I get the first bite on the ramp. THIS IS NOT A SAUSAGE EGG MCMUFFIN!!!! IT IS AN EGG MCMUFFIN!!!! I knew I should have checked the order before leaving. I’m not happy. I frantically look for my ticket and sure enough it does say SAUSAGE EGG MCMUFFIN. I finish eating but it just was not what I wanted. Next is the coffee that lasts me to my destination.

It is a beautiful fall day with the sun rising many times as I go thru all the hills. When I go thru the valley’s and near the rivers, you can see the steam/fog rising and it blankets everything. Patches of it, close to the ground and the sun is shining above it. You can see this for miles and it also looks like smoke from a distance. All the fall colors blend in perfect harmony. It is an awesome sight to see. Breathtaking.

When I arrive at the receiver, my country station and a rock station are coming in on the same frequency and it does not make good listening. Have not had this happen before. This lasts as long as it takes me to check in with the guard, park loaded trailer and get my empty and leave and get back on the interstate.

The drive back was even prettier now with more sunlight. I get to enjoy this view for one more trip. I finished my assignment early in the afternoon. Time to go home and enjoy this beautiful day.

Let me start out by saying I entered trucking in 2001 because I needed a job. A job that paid a livable wage. So I entered as a warm body that companies put in the drivers seat. My pleas of office duty/inside job was not being heard.

At first this new driving thing was not too bad, but soon the newness and “fun” wears off. I did enjoy being in charge of my day and no one watching over me, except the Qualcomm. Even that did not bother me as it was comforting to me knowing that someone did know where I was at all times in case of problems/my safety. Trucking also gave me the opportunity to be successful. My other jobs never did that. In a truck you are the only one responsible for what you do—driving, trip planning, getting the job done. No one else can do that for you.

I got “used” to the rules of trucking that pull you in different directions and yet, you are to do your job with these rules. Each one contradicting the other one. Somehow you figure it out and wonder why those who make these rules don’t drive a truck. Why is it that those not in said job are the experts in said job????? The things that a drivers do, put up with and are treated by the public and everywhere we go would not be tolerated at other jobs. There would be lawsuits and most employers would never treat their employee’s the way truckers are treated. Even they are allowed to eat.

And for just doing your job, you can get in trouble. Make a 15 minute mistake on your log and have a wreck, you will be at fault because you were not to be there at that time. You can get pulled over by the police when leaving the lot so they can weigh your vehicle to see if you are legal, BEFORE you can get to the scale and give you a ticket. (this happened to me and that is a story to work on) The roads are congested, the drivers do stupid things and all are in a hurry to get somewhere fast. Drivers are now not allowed to idle in many places. No one cares if you die from the heat or cold, but if you have a pet, you will be allowed to have the truck run for your heat/cold. Wasting fuel is not acceptable in trucking, but it is OK for others to start their vehicle up and drive it across the street instead of walking. My tolerance level is now down to zero with all the ANTI TRUCKS from many. It did not help when I lost my office job at another trucking company due to the economy. I never wanted to be in trucking as a fulltime steering wheel holder and for sure not this long doing it.

 I will do all I can to help others achieve their dream in this strange world. You must try to reach your dreams as no one will do it for you. I will never tell anyone to not try to reach their dreams as that would be wrong.  I enjoy being a part of helping all learn thru my stories so you know what trucking is about if/when you decide that it is for you.  As I continue to work on getting out of the drivers seat for good, I will do all I can to help you get in the drivers seat! And I’ll keep on writing too.

This sad day happens all the time to many in their jobs. Just a fact of life. Today is Aug 4 2009. I was looking forward to a night at home to mourn and sleep. Yesterday I was given the news that my friend Kevin of 38 years may not make it thru the night. So this meant a night on the phone and computer as I and the family stayed connected. Today I find out that Kevin passed away, age 45. After this news I was called to work. I just knew I would be called to work as when everything happens to me, goes “wrong”, that is when I am needed at work or somewhere. This has happened at almost every event in my life for the last 30 years. Don’t know why it happens but it does. I would have preferred staying home but maybe work will help me deal with this loss.

I know I can do the job safely too, otherwise I would have said NO to working. I am so tired of others who know more about trucking/how to drive a truck than those who do it everyday. I will never understand why those in the medical field can work double shifts and no one says anything about it. I don’t want a TIRED nurse/doctor/surgeon working on me. But I guess this is OK with many. Its also OK to buy a 40 foot motor home with air brakes and not be licensed for it. I have to have a license to operate it, so how come others do not. I am tired, but so are many, many others who get behind the wheel. After all, are we all awake when we get up and rush out the door to get to work? I could go on and on with this.

I leave for work and its about 6 when I can leave with my load. I am focused and watching my gauges and mirrors and traffic as I leave town. I’m also listening to the sounds of the truck as we move and all is normal there too. When I leave town and get away from all the traffic, I allow myself to do some remembering of my friend. So much to think about when you are behind the wheel driving. Reminds me of the calls I received from mom when dad was having trouble. I always was in Chicago or near Chicago when these events happened. No time to let your mind wander with that type of traffic. Had to stay focused on always being safe.

I arrive at the receiver safely and check in. I drop the trailer in the drop lot and get my empty trailer and head back to the shipper. As I get closer to town, you are at the point where headlights are needed in places as the sun is getting really close to the horizon. After I drop the trailer and get the new trailer, you do need the headlights now.

Again all is normal and traffic not too bad in town due to the time. This is a enjoyable drive to the receiver as there is a very bright moon out. You can see for miles and you almost need sun glasses, or would that be moon glasses? Its been a long time since I have seen a moon this bright. For me this brightness is because the heavens are rejoicing with the arrival of my friend joining his dad and my dad. Sure wasn’t this bright last night.

I like this type of night driving as its much safer for seeing. I really do not like night driving in a truck or my personal vehicle, but this time its OK. I don’t like the idea of only seeing where the headlights let you see and that really is not much distance for any vehicle. Its even worse in bad weather. I drive slower at night too. Always have. Need to compensate for the lack of visibility we are used to in the daytime. I arrive at the receiver safely and check in again. I go to the lot and drop the trailer and get my empty. Soon I am heading back home.

About halfway back is when I became tired and I did what we all do to stay awake. There are moments you are sleepy and moments when you are wide awake. When I entered town with all the lights, sleep left me and I made it safely to the shipper where I dropped the trailer in the lot and parked the truck for the night. It is 2 hours past my bedtime and soon I will be home and will get a good nights sleep.

Many women truck drivers and I have talked about the problems we face when trying to get served a meal at a truck stop. But the problems don’t seem to stop there. It seems that women in general have problems getting served regardless of whether or not they are truck drivers, even at regular restaurants.One night when I had finished with traffic counts, before I had become a truck driver, I decided to eat at this nice place and have a good sit down, home cooked meal. I walked in and took a table as instructed. For 30 minutes people came in and ordered while the staff kept looking at me, but I never got waited on. Others around me got their food and ate, and still they kept watching me. Finally I had enough and walked to the door. The greeter asked me if everything was ok with the meal. I let her have it and reminded her that she was one of the ones who kept walking by me too. I left without the meal I was looking forward to and ended up at a fast food place again. There are many examples of this being done to me and to others that I have witnessed.

Now on to the trucking part of trying to eat. When I do enter the For Professional Drivers Only section in my uniform and take a table, a waitress almost always comes to me and asks me to leave because it is for Professional Drivers Only. I ask her if she thinks I wear this uniform for kicks and why aren’t you saying anything to those two men who just sat down? They look like they just came out of the barnyard from doing chores? And  sometimes we get a little bit taken off of our bill for being a professional driver, often times it is not done to the woman’s bill. I asked my server about this and was asked “Are you a truck driver?”

“No, I just wear this uniform for pleasure.”

After this is done to you several times you pay attention and watch what happens to others as you sit there and wait. And if you do get waited on ASAP and given your food ASAP, then there is another problem. The server will not come back to see if you need more water or anything else you may want.

On day I decided to stop again at a fast food joint on I80 in Illinois on my way to Chicago. It’s a good place to stop since they have parking for tractor trailers. On this day I followed two other truckers in who had been talking on the CB and the comments they made implied they were new to this area and they decided to stop at the same place. At the counter they placed their order and I placed mine. As I reach for my money so that it was ready when my food arrived, I hear their counter person say, “Here is your order, and with your trucker discount your bill is___.” I looked at my server and asked “Does this price include my trucker discount?” Again I get the “Are you a truck driver?”

“No, I just wear this uniform for everyone’s amusement. Why did you give these 2 strangers a trucker’s discount when you have no proof they drive a truck, and I’m in uniform and you ignore me? And on top of that, I’ve been stopping in here at least 3 times a week!”

While I was having my tantrum, I see that the fry person is bagging my order and she filled that sack half full of fries for me to make up for the treatment I was given. I got my discount, the extra fries, and out the door I went.

I do not understand this kind of treatment. I always wear a clean uniform to be professional and this is the treatment I get? Does the public not understand that women drive trucks too??

One day I pulled up to my shipper and stopped in front of this huge window. The office staff watched me get out of the truck and when I walked in I said hello to all and signed in at the counter where the truckers sign in. One of the staff told me not to do that because it’s for truck drivers only. I was dumbfounded for a few seconds and then I felt my blood pressure starting to go up. I really wanted to say something! I didn’t say what I had wanted to say, but I did say in a very nice tone, “You watched me get out of the truck from the drivers seat. I am here to get my load.”

These are a few examples of what has happened to me in the last 20 years both before I drove truck and after I became a truck driver. I found myself asking other single women drivers if I could join them for a meal so we can get waited on and make new friends. This was never a problem for me when I did this because the women I asked all wanted to eat and be waited on too.  We discovered that groups and/or more than 1 at a table gets the needed attention that you are to get when eating.  In time, after more money started coming in, I bought a lunch box cooker and re-heated the meals I had made at the house because it was cheaper than eating out.

When I did my pre-trip with the CDL examiner back in 2001, It was not easy for me and many others. Even those with mechanical knowledge/vehicle knowledge said it was tough. But it can be passed by people like me. You may like this story and can relate to it.

I chose to go to a driving school to upgrade my Class B CDL to a class A CDL. I did this after talking to trucking companies about the possibility of my job coming to an end. I asked them if I should get my class A CDL through my employer using a dump truck with a trailer or attend a truck driving school? My contacts said it was best to go to a trucking school to get it, so I did.

I had a very tough time with the pre-trip inspection. I am not mechanically inclined and all these terms and parts were a strange language for me. I also could not fathom being failed if you could not tell anyone that you are looking at a _____ and it does_____. They must take in the fact that you are trying and know what you are looking for, right???

I struggled and studied daily on this pre-trip stuff. It was just plain hard for me. I was in a tizzy over this. But all I could do is do my best. Finally the day came for my classmates and I to take the test. When it was my turn for the pre-trip with the examiner, we started off on the left side of the truck. I was doing my speech pretty well and before I could finish, the examiner would say “OK, let’s move on” or something like that and walk to another part of the vehicle when I was not done with the current part. This flustered me but I thought I must really be doing well and I don’t have to suffer through this whole speech thing I was trying to do.

But after another 1 or 2 of these “move on” comments, I was told I failed. What do you mean I failed when I have done what was asked of me? My instructor was told that I was not ready and I was in tears. I told my instructor, “this is what the examiner did”. The three of us talked about it and I was told that those comments were meant to hurry things along - yet finish the pre-trip as I was taught. Now you tell me this??? I was not at all happy with this and the examiner should explain BEFORE the test about their quirks and what to do/expect.

I had to come back the next day, and this time I was ready. I had the same examiner and we started at the same spot and I ignored the “move on” comments and I also did one other thing. I said something like this, “I am not a mechanic and I will soon forget the names of these parts so here is what I am going to do in real life pre-trips. I went thru the rest of the pre-trip pointing at everything we learned and even added a few because I said I am a woman and I would check this or that to be safe because I think I should. Continuing, I said, “This thing here does ____ & we need to check it for_____.” When I finished the pre-trip, I said “I have just shown you that I do know the pre-trip and what to look for, I just do not know the names of the parts. So you can fail me if you feel I did not follow the rules.” But I passed!

So that was my experience with the pre-trip inspection. Now here we are in 2009 and I still check out my vehicle, I look at all of the critical items but I still do not know their names or I get them mixed up. I know I was lucky on my exam and I had an examiner who used common sense after I did prove I could do a pre-trip. But if you get a “by the book” examiner, you will have problems doing it the way I did it. I have 8 years in trucking and a perfect record. My story isn’t meant to tell you that you don’t need to learn the pre-trip the proper way. You do need to learn it. To this day get out my notes and still try to learn those pesky terms! It acts as a nice refresher for me. Never stop learning.

I am at the shipper for an hour and leave at 3:30 and the other truck should be arriving anytime now. I decide to stop at the Pilot in Roland OK and I am hoping the stoplight is now fixed at the entrance to this truck stop. On April 24th, when I was last here, I sat and sat and sat behind the first semi waiting for the light to turn green. The light was not working. This trucker got a break in traffic and pulled out and at that time a cop was approaching from the north and he turned on his lights and got the truck stopped northbound just a couple of driveways away. Naturally the light now turns green for us after the cop activated his red lights. I make my left and almost swung off the road to tell the officer that we sat at that light 5 minutes or longer and to be of support to this driver.  I was also going to do the same as this driver until the cop arrived. 

Today I have the same problem at that light and I am the second truck in line. I am in a hurry as I do not want the second truck to catch up to me as I am to be the first one–not that it matters, but it would prove why my CB handle is TURTLE.  I think I have approx. 1 hour of time ahead of him. But this delay and if either one of us stops or does not stop for fuel on the way down or any other stops/delays, it could have that second truck pass me up.  The “race” is on now!!!  Something new and different as we both try to figure out where the other one is at without calling to confirm our plans we are forming in our heads for that driver!

 I was getting ready to call the cops about this light when the lead truck made a left turn on red but he did not get caught like the driver last time. Now its my turn to do the same and just as I was getting ready to do a left on red with a break in traffic, the light turned green for me.  I was so happy to see that as I really do obey the law but a right turn here went out of town to who knows where and I can’t do that to find a place 20 miles later to turn around!

Back on the interstate the phone rings and I had just got back up to fast speed–barely. The other driver is wanting to know where I am. I tell him and he is “not far behind me”.  He must have got a light load to be this close to me.  He is in a rented Penske semi so I should be able to see that orange color approaching me.

I get to Calera and I saw a Penske semi in my mirrors and it was gaining on me!! I am looking really hard in those mirrors like that will bring the outline of the driver in better view to see! It can’t be my co-worker, or can it??? The truck gets closer and I see 3 of them! The first one is not a International truck so I know it is not my co-worker. When they get closer still, I see the first truck is a daycab (no sleeper) I see the window behind the driver and trailer. I also know my co-worker will have a sleeper truck. These trucks are pulling UPS trailers. Near the Texas line they pass me.  

For the rest of the way to our receiver, I am watching and wondering if I am going to get passed by my co-worker.  I pull into the driveway at 9:30 and get backed into the dock. I am the first truck. (on another trip I was also first by 1 stoplight! A 2- truck trip makes the drive more exciting as we can make a game out of it.)  2 of the boxes of tools had broke near the trailer door so I helped pick them up. When I left, I was still wondering where the other truck is and I did not see him when I was heading north. But with all the lanes and it being dark, you can’t see everything.

I have just enough time to make it to Anna for the night. I get parked and the phone rings. 2nd truck arrived 15 minutes after I left.  He will stop for the night farther up the road into Oklahoma. I close the sleeper curtains and read more on the trucker movies in one of the magazines. Looks like Smokey and the Bandit are the #1 favorite of truckers. Convoy was also a great movie. Now I am tired and can sleep. 694 miles for the day.